Darkwater Review Summary

Fun, engaging, better with friends: The game is consistently described as fun, enjoyable, and better with friends. Players highlight the engaging gameplay loop and the potential for making new friends, indicating a strong social and cooperative element. This makes the game very appealing for group play.

Polished, high quality early access: Reviewers note the game's high quality, especially considering it is in early access and available at a low price. Many also noted that the game has improved since earlier playtests and demos. This suggests a commitment to development and a polished experience even in its early stages.

Mix of FTL, Lethal Company, Barotrauma: The game is frequently compared to a blend of popular titles like FTL, Lethal Company, and Barotrauma. Reviewers appreciate the combination of elements from these games, suggesting a familiar yet fresh experience for fans of the genre. This hybrid approach seems to be a key selling point.

Various minor positive elements: Several minor positive points were noted, including fast load times, effective jump scares, appropriate effects, a brilliant soundtrack, access to guns, enjoyable looting, and fun boss battles. These elements contribute to the overall positive experience, but are not as frequently mentioned as other aspects.

Engaging submarine combat/customization: Submarine customization, combat, and the underwater setting are well-received. The torpedo reload mechanic and immersive submarine sounds contribute positively to the overall experience. These elements create an engaging and strategic combat environment.

Unsatisfying and unpolished melee combat: Melee combat feels unpolished and unsatisfying due to limited enemy variety, lack of feedback, and clunky mechanics like blocking. Enemies lack death animations and strategic depth, leading to repetitive hit-trading. The absence of crouching or jumping further restricts combat options.

Game is buggy and unpolished: Players report numerous bugs and a general lack of polish, indicating the game may be in an unfinished state. This negatively impacts the overall experience and requires immediate attention from the developers.

Missing map, flashlight, save: The absence of a map, flashlight, and reliable save system hinders exploration and progression. Players can easily get lost in identical-looking, dark levels and lose progress due to unclear saving mechanics.

Game-breaking crashes and errors: Players are experiencing crashes, endless loading screens, and desynchronization issues, making the game unplayable. These technical issues severely impact the player experience.

Unrewarding outposts and stores: Outposts and stores feel unrewarding due to limited loot, repetitive environments, and basic combat. Searching for loot is tedious, especially in dark areas without a light source.

FTL-like submarine gameplay loop: The core gameplay loop involves submarine exploration, resource management, and combat, drawing inspiration from games like FTL and Barotrauma. Players manage fuel, customize their submarine, explore for resources, and fight enemies while maintaining and upgrading their vessel.

Outpost exploration for loot: Players explore abandoned outposts, similar to Lethal Company, encountering randomly generated layouts, enemies, traps, and loot. This FPS exploration adds a layer of risk and reward as players scavenge for usable items or sellable scrap.

Fuel scarcity limits progression: Limited cargo space and scarce fuel create a frustrating gameplay loop focused on refueling. Players spend most of their earnings on fuel, hindering their ability to purchase upgrades or other supplies, and are forced to constantly travel in search of fuel.

Water pumping core, purpose unclear: During combat, players must manage multiple tasks such as repairing leaks, pumping out water, and reloading torpedoes. However, the water pumping mechanic feels core to the gameplay, but its purpose is unclear.

Modular ship upgrade mechanics: The game features modular ship upgrades that change the internal layout, offering interesting strategic choices beyond simple stat increases. This allows for diverse playstyles and customization options.

Limited graphics settings: Players are reporting a lack of essential graphics settings, such as the ability to disable motion blur and Vsync. The limited options prevent players from optimizing the game for their systems and preferences, leading to a suboptimal visual experience.

Improved optimization and stability: Some players are reporting very few and minor bugs that did not affect gameplay, and that optimization has improved significantly. This suggests that the game is relatively stable and that the developers are actively working on improving the game's performance.

Expected early access bugs: Some reviews acknowledge that performance issues and bugs are expected, given the game is in early access and developed by a solo developer. This suggests a degree of tolerance for these issues, but also implies that optimization and bug fixing are important areas for improvement.

Promising but needs development: The game shows promise but needs more development time to address bugs, optimize performance, add content, and clarify objectives. Many reviewers suggest waiting for updates before purchasing, while others find it worth the early access price if the development continues.

Submarine/outpost gameplay works well: The combination of submarine combat and outpost exploration is a positive aspect of the game's design, creating engaging and varied gameplay experiences.

Challenging solo, needs balancing: The game's difficulty is noted, particularly when playing alone, but reviewers anticipate balancing adjustments in future updates to address this.

Worth checking out, be prepared: The game is worth checking out if you're curious, but be prepared for rough patches. This suggests that the game has potential, but it is not without its flaws.

Review focuses on present features: The reviewer is focusing on the current state of the game, acknowledging that it is still in early access. This indicates a constructive approach, evaluating the game based on its present features rather than missing content.

Game has a tangible ending: The game features a definitive ending, giving players a clear objective to strive for. This provides a sense of progression and accomplishment as players work towards completing the game.

Preference for Light Cruiser: The reviewer expresses a preference for the Light Cruiser. Without further context, it's difficult to determine the specific reasons for this preference or its impact on the overall gameplay experience.