Under the Waves: a Deep Dive Into Solitude and Discovery

A lonely deep-sea story about grief, routine, and second chances

Reviewed on PC.Score: 8.5/10

Some games shout to get your attention. Under the Waves does the opposite, using silence, routine, and the weight of the deep sea to tell a quiet story about grief, guilt, and the long road back to the surface. In this Under the Waves review, I’m looking at how well Parallel Studio and Quantic Dream Spotlight deliver on that promise: a lonely, atmospheric narrative adventure about a diver trying to come back to life in more ways than one.

If you enjoy grounded, story-driven experiences, you might also like our early impressions of The Last Case of John Morley. Both games take different routes, but each one is interested in mood, memory, and the kind of quiet storytelling that asks the player to slow down and pay attention.

Life alone under the North Sea

You play as Stan, a professional diver stationed deep beneath the North Sea, hiding from a life-changing loss he has not really faced. He signs on for an extended contract with UniTrench, a cold corporate presence topside, and retreats into a cramped underwater habitat where the hum of machinery and the distant roar of currents become his new soundtrack.

Day by day, you handle routine tasks, hop into your small sub to check on equipment, and report back to your handler over the radio. At first, it feels like comfortable repetition: fix the leak here, clear some algae there, follow the work orders, go back home, sleep, repeat. But those quiet days are where the story slowly digs in. Strange sightings, surreal moments, and memories from the surface push Stan toward the question he keeps avoiding: what is he really running from?

Under the Waves – Gameplay Video

A narrative adventure that takes its time

Under the Waves sits firmly in narrative-adventure territory. Expect exploration, light interaction, environmental storytelling, and emotional story beats rather than complex puzzles or heavy action. A full playthrough will usually take around 8 to 10 hours, depending on how much you explore optional locations and track down collectibles, with your choices in key moments leading to different endings and slightly different emotional shades to Stan’s story.

The game is at its best when you lean into that slower rhythm. There is something powerful about piloting your sub through the dark, following the glow of your headlights while the soundtrack swells, then returning to the habitat to sit with Stan’s doubts, regrets, and small rituals. If you enjoy narrative games like Firewatch or other reflective adventures where mood matters as much as mechanics, this will feel familiar in a good way.

Exploration, atmosphere, and small details

Exploring the seafloor is where Under the Waves really shines. Wrecks loom out of the murk, clusters of sea life drift past your lights, and distant structures flicker on the horizon. There is a satisfying sense of place here, not a huge open world, but a connected network of routes you will get to know over time as you push further from the safety of the habitat.

Between missions you can poke around Stan’s living space, listen to tapes, interact with a few small distractions, and piece together who he was before he went under. It is all fairly low-key, but those details help the game feel more human than just “sad man in the sea.” It is about how people cope, or fail to cope, when they have too much time alone with their thoughts.

Under the Waves – Screenshot Gallery

Exploring the hidden wonders of the ocean in Under the Waves.

A weathered submersible station lies anchored in the deep ocean of Under the Waves.

Exploring the mysteries of a submerged world in Under the Waves

Underwater piloting reveals a graceful manta ray in Under the Waves.

Under the Waves

Release: August 29, 2023

Genre: Narrative adventure, underwater exploration

Developer / Publisher: Parallel Studio / Quantic Dream Spotlight

Platforms: PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Rough edges, technical issues, and heavy-handed messaging

For all its strengths, Under the Waves does have rough edges. At launch, players and critics reported bugs, crashes, and other technical problems on some platforms, and even after patches you can still run into occasional glitches or odd behaviour. It is rarely game-breaking, but it can break the mood at the wrong moment.

The environmental theme is also very direct. The game wants to say something about corporate exploitation and the damage we do to the oceans, and it does not always use subtlety to get there. Personally, I appreciated the intent and the partnership with environmental organisations, but some players may feel like the message is pushed a little hard on top of Stan’s personal story.

Is Under the Waves worth your time?

If you are looking for a fast-paced action game, this is not it. But if you want a focused, story-driven experience that is not afraid to sit with uncomfortable emotions, Under the Waves is absolutely worth a look. Its underwater world is evocative, Stan’s struggle feels grounded, and even with the technical hiccups, the full journey sticks with you once the credits roll.

For fans of melancholic, atmospheric adventures, the kind of games you finish and then sit quietly with for a moment, Under the Waves earns its place on your list.

Related reading on Fix Gaming Channel

Curious about other slow-burn, atmospheric games? Take a look at our Fix Stories feature on Space Drilling Station, our Game of the Week spotlight on cozy diorama builder Outside the Blocks, and our early impressions of The Last Case of John Morley.