The Horror of the Ocean Isn’t Always Its Creatures: Still Wakes the Deep (a Video Game)

Launch Trailer for Still Wakes the Deep

You are an electrician on an oil rig, far out in the middle of the ocean. Your best friend is the ship’s cook, who helped you to get this job for reasons that the story will slowly reveal as you play. However, you are called up to the overseer’s office and told that your services are no longer needed. Before you can board the helicopter to leave, the drill hits something - and nothing will ever be the same. 

Still Wakes the Deep is a game developed by The Chinese Room, and published by Secret Mode. It follows Caz through a terrifying adventure filled with monsters that have been made from the twisted flesh of the people who have become trapped in an oil rig that is slowly disintegrating. The story isn’t just about the mysterious entity that seems to be taking over the ship, it’s about one man’s journey from self-centered coward to some measure of redemption. It’s also about what happens when corporations don’t care (no real surprise there). Before the entity is even stirred, the rig has issues. Slowly falling apart, the crew can only do what it can to keep it patched up. Any possible safety measures, like the life boats, are either neglected or just a superficial attempt at meeting safety obligations. 

No help is coming. At least not easily.

This game wasn’t scary for the monsters that occasionally chase you. What Still Wakes the Deep does well is atmosphere. You are crawling, balancing, ducking, swimming, and moving through this oil rig that is falling apart faster and faster as you try to find a way out or a way to call for help. You can feel the characters slowly growing more and more helpless, even as Caz throws himself at the problems, often because he is the only choice. The oil rig is filling with water, and there are times you have to get into it without really knowing what’s on the other end. Not to mention, it is FREEZING. 

You aren’t meant to like Caz. I found him insufferable - especially as the reason he is on the rig to begin with comes to light. He’s left his family to run from the consequences of his actions and even in the end, I’m not sure I feel he is entirely redeemed. But, not every character should BE redeemed fully - we are complicated creatures with many facets, confusing on the best of the days, and downright terrifying on our worst. We are capable of great love and great destruction, and you can see both of these in Caz in ways that can be really relatable. 

I love this game because there are no real explanations in the end. We never really understand exactly what it is they have struck in their quest for oil. We don’t actually know if the story is finished or if Caz is successful in escaping. I love ambiguous stories like this, so very much. They leave a lot to the imagination - and the ocean is a terrifying place, as is. 

The voice actors in this game are very Scottish and if you don’t know the slang very well, I would turn on the subtitles so you don’t miss anything. The coolest achievement you can get is playing the game in Scottish Gaelic - which I may go back and do just to hear what it sounds like. 

This game is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. I played it on my Steam Deck and it ran fine, but for the full experience I highly recommend headphones for the eerie atmosphere. 

And remember, when the turkey is devoured and you are tired of the political ramblings of your elderly relatives, I shall be here with another recommendation, should you need it.