IN Still awakens the depthhorror comes in many forms. Creepy creatures stalk the Beira D oil rig on thin, too-long limbs that burst from their bodies like snapped elastic cords. Human-sized pustules and bloody ribbons grow along the corridors, emitting a painful cosmic glow. The North Sea is an unrelenting threat, howling at every turn. And then there's the rig itself, a labyrinthine industrial platform supported by thin tension legs in the middle of a stormy ocean, groaning as it's torn apart.
Gameplay in Still awakens the depth is a traditional first-person horror game executed with the elegance and craftsmanship of The Chinese Room. His action involves jumping over broken platforms, balancing on ledges, running through corridors, climbing stairs, swimming through claustrophobic holes, and hiding from monsters in vents and lockers. There are no weapons on Beira D, and the protagonist only has a screwdriver to help him pick locks and metal panels, putting the emphasis on survival rather than combat. The game is fully voice-acted and its crew members – most of them Scottish – are incredibly charming, making the carnage all the more disturbing when the monsters board the rig.
Still awakens the depth is a true horror classic. It's filled with gut-wrenching horror and laugh-out-loud moments, all set in a setting rarely explored in interactive media. Among sneaking, swimming, running and climbing, Still awakens the depth manages to tell a heartfelt story about relationships and sacrifice. —J.C.