A Calming Underwater Mystery – In Other Waters Review

In Other Waters puts the player in control of the AI of a diving suit as you try to help its current occupant solve the mystery of her missing research partner at the bottom of the sea. Ellery Vas is looking for Minae Nomura, and the only way to follow the mysterious tracks is with the help of an outdated diving suit’s AI. It’s a great way to introduce you to the game’s mechanics, as Ellery is trying to explore the functionality of this old banged-up suit, much as you as the player are.

Listen to Your Human

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Since you are playing the role of the diving suit’s AI, your pilot acts as a guide through this adventure. As Ellery tries to decipher clues to Minae’s whereabouts, you’ll start to learn more about the environment around you. In Other Waters’ controls are very basic, and no more than three or four keystrokes are required to be remembered. You scan the immediate surrounding area of points of interest, lay in a vector, and use the suit’s thrusters to move there. Along the way, you have to keep an eye on your power and oxygen levels, and Ellery will help push the narrative forward to asking you to scan clusters of fauna and take samples. Many of these samples, once properly analyzed, will allow you to recharge the suit’s systems when needed.

Initially, you’re on quite a set of rails, as the limited navigation options push you towards In Other Waters’ central hub, a submerged base of operations, from which you will conduct research and head out on further explorative trips. You can return here at pretty much any time, and it’s where you’ll gather all the research conducted by Ellery.

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Slow and Steady, Pilot

Artistically, In Other Waters present a calming atmosphere across the board. The colors are muted and simple, the soundtrack is soothing, and there are not many senses of danger along your journey. Unless, of course, you’re afraid of running out of the air, but for the most part, that’s not much of a concern.

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I found there be a certain level of comfort in the simplicity of navigating the various reefs. Occasionally, I would take time just to visit areas where I could collect a few more samples to bring back to the base to reveal more information about the various species I discovered. Given today’s tumultuous times, In Other Waters provides a serene escape from the everyday chaos, something I quite enjoyed. This is, no doubt, not for everyone, however. If you aren’t the type of gamer that enjoys completing collections or reading text-based information, both supplementary and vital to the game’s story progression, then you may find yourself getting bored with In Other Waters.

If you can truly immerse yourself in the narrative that Fellow Traveller is trying to provide, you’ll find a lot of enjoyment here. Whether it is discovering how nature is impacted by humanity’s presence, or, if you’d prefer just to keep it simple, merely unraveling what’s happened to Ellery’s research partner, it’s up to you to decide how much you want to read into things.

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If you’re looking for a distraction from the fast pace of life and other games, then In Other Waters can provide that. It’s available on pretty much any platform you desire; you can explore the depths at your leisure. The best advice that I can give anyone striking out on this new adventure is to take it slow. Read the stories that Ellery is trying to convey to you, learn about the various underwater species, and pay attention to every word, or it can be easy to feel lost and unsure what to do next. In Other Waters feels a little bit like a meditation to me. You get as much out of it as you’re willing to put in, so don’t hold back.