Developed by FakeFish and Undertow Games and published by Daedalic Entertainment, Barotrauma is a 2D co-op survival horror/exploration simulation game where the player works as part of a submarine crew exploring under the icy surface of Europa. Separated from Earth completely and forced into self-sufficiency, Europan researchers and explorers banded together in order to forge their ability to survive against the harsh environments as well as the alien creatures they found when exploring the depths.
As a co-op game, communication is key between the players, as the submarine that they operate isn’t simple or easy to learn, but rather a surprisingly difficult and multi-layered experience that most simulation player would enjoy. Many players will be able to roleplay their parts, as each member of the submarine will have their own character, complete with stats and abilities only available to them. For example, players who take the role as captain can steer the ship while being unable to use the welder’s torch to fix the ship when it comes into damage.
A downside to this is it makes the game’s single player mode borderline impossible to play, as they are in charge of every aspect of the ship. Yes, the player can order the other NPC shipmates to perform tasks, but it robs the game of its necessary component, which is trust in your crew. When you play with a group of ones and zeroes, there can be only so much faith in them. During my time playtesting the game, I parked my ship outside of a research base while I went out and explored it in a diving suit. However, while I was inside the base, my crew decided to suddenly leave, submerging well below my suit’s capabilities, which led me to drown before I could catch up.
But while the game’s solo aspects suffer due to rather poor AI, the game succeeds in its multiplayer capacities, as well as in its atmosphere. The ship feels cramped and claustrophobic in its construction, and with the lighting taking into account the doors and hatches, each room feels itself a microcosm until the player opens them, which helps the atmosphere greatly. Not only this but going outside of the ship sets off the panic alarm for anyone with thalassophobia, as the ocean the player will find themselves in is akin to the deep dark depths of the Earth’s Midnight Zone. This is further backed through the game’s explanation that due to Jupiter’s radioactive signals similar to solar radiation, the submarine societies are required to delve deeper, which give a great story explanation to a gameplay aesthetic choice.
All in all, Barotrauma is primarily a multiplayer game through and through. To play it solo would be a disservice. It has such a high learning curve that I would highly recommend playing the tutorials before trying anything else in the game, as not knowing how to operate the ship will be life or death. The game’s art and sound design, combined with their ability to create such a claustrophobic and ominous atmosphere in such a unique setting make Barotrauma a game I would recommend people try out if they enjoy survival horror games or spaceship simulator games, or multiplayer co-op games in general.
Score: 7/10
Barotrauma is available for PC and Mac via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Matthew White
An avid gamer, Matthew is also an aspiring game developer. Because of this, Matthew knows not only what makes a game great, but also the hard work and artistry required to craft such a phenomenal experience.
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