In Other Waters is a really unique game by Jump Over the Age and Fellow Traveller. Fellow Traveler is not new to video games and we have seen some of the best games coming out under their umbrella such as last year’s Neo Cab. In Other Waters is their latest project and takes you deep in the oceans of an alien planet as you explore the waters, discover alien flora and fauna and help Ellery survive. This is our review of In Other Waters in which we jump in the digital shoes of an AI and help Ellery survive in the alien ocean.
The background story of In Other Water is that the humans have nearly exhausted all resources on planet earth and are now desperately searching for new resources across the universe. During one such mission, Minae Nomura, a scientist, is present on an alien planet called Gliese 677Cc. She calls Ellery Vas, a xenobiologist, to this planet to assist her in identifying local extraterrestrial life. However, when Ellery arrives on the planet, she is unable to find Minae and thus begins her hunt for her. You play as her suit’s AI whose main goal is to ensure that Ellery is able to complete her mission safe and sound in the alien ocean.
The game starts from the point where Ellery begins her hunt for Minae and she finds out that her diving suit is faulty. You, the AI, then boot up her suit’s different abilities and begin guiding her in the exploration of the ocean and discovering alien flora and fauna and study them along the way. You look at the world from the eyes of the AI hence you are not actually present in the ocean. Ellery is present in the ocean and you simply see her as a little spec through your AI eyes and along with that, different features of the diving suit such as its scanners, collectors and basic functions are all at your disposal.
To keep Ellery alive, you must always ensure that her oxygen levels are high and her suit’s power is juiced up. These both are vital for her survival in the ocean. Along with these basic needs, you will help Ellery in identifying different flora and fauna by scanning the ocean around her. You can also collect some samples for studying and using them as your advantage in the ocean. Such as you can use one of the local fauna samples to recharge the power of Ellery’s suit while one sample will allow you to clear blockades in the ocean. You will need to study and adapt to ensure that Ellery is never stuck.
The game gives you complete freedom to explore the ocean. After playing the intro mission of the game, you can explore the complete ocean at your own will. The game marks the point of the story progression and you can proceed there whenever you feel like progressing in the main story. Otherwise, you will also get plenty of side quests and exploration opportunities in the game. While playing the main story, you will often find some places which are inaccessible at that point.
As you explore the ocean, you will be able to upgrade your diving suit with new powers such as increased thrusters allowing you to tackle stronger water currents or finding new ways of using the local fauna to open previously blocked areas. These will give you an opportunity to re-visit old areas and check out these locked areas after you are able to unlock them. You can unlock fast travel points in the game which allows you to quickly travel to any location of your choice. With the help of this freeroam, you can easily complete all of the specimen requests put in by Ellery to make the suit better.
You will reach different Waystations along your journey which serve as fast travel points to different regions in the ocean and you will have plenty of services available here as well. You can check out the Sample Store and save some samples or even retrieve them in you want to use them on your journeys. You can head over to the Taxonomy Station and read the notes on all the flora and fauna that you and Ellery have discovered so far in the ocean. You can also fast travel using these Waystations and check your maps and track locations of different side quests active in that particular region.
Gameplay of In Other Waters takes a little time to understand completely however once you get the hang of the basics, you can quickly get up to speed with everything that unlocks at a later stage of the game. There are essentially two gameplay modes. I call them Specimen mode and Scan Mode. During Scan mode, you have control over the scanner and movement of Ellery. You look around the screen and scan any white icons to study them. These could be alien fauna or flora. Scan enough of a single species and Ellery will finally name them and detail them comprehensively for you to read. Once scanned, white icons turn into a different color depending on the flora and fauna. During this scan mode, you can also move to different spots to investigate more of the flora and fauna.
The second mode is the Specimen mode. During this mode, you cannot scan the environment or move Ellery around. Rather, you collect samples from the ocean and manage them. You can either release them back in the ocean after studying them, use them to power up Ellery’s diving suit or use them in the ocean for various purposes such as opening blockades. You can also store these samples and store them back at different bases you will encounter during your journey. Switching between the Specimen mode and Scan mode is really simple and you can press the on-screen buttons for it.
The UI of In Other Waters might seem very complex and complicated at first but as you play the game, you find it extremely convenient and easy to understand. Everything is right there in front of your eyes and you can also turn on on-screen button prompts which display the button assigned to different tasks at all times. If you want a more immersive experience like I did, you can only use the AI and turn off the button prompts from the screen and really feel like you are looking at an advanced AI.
Throughout your journey, you will continue to learn more about the alien ocean and its flora and fauna. Ellery will continue to interact with you as though the AI is a live person. You can also respond to Ellery via yes or no commands. This simple mechanic is so powerful and the interactions are so impactful that you really feel like you care about Ellery and want her to be safe and sound down in the alien ocean. You really feel the bond between the AI and Ellery even when there is no actual physical interaction between the two and this is something that In Other Waters executes perfectly.
I loved spending my time with In Other Worlds. This is probably because the game keeps you extremely relaxed but at the same time keeps you on your toes as well as you find a mystery after mystery as you explore more and more trying to find out what happened to Minae. Exploration is rewarding and thus highly-recommended. It not only allows you to make the diving suit better but it will also allow you to explore more of the beautiful yet frightening ocean on an alien planet. The game is full of mysteries which you will love exploring and getting to know more about.
Related News:
Final Verdict:
In Other Waters is one of the most unique titles I have ever played. It offers gameplay from a whole new perspective where you are not actually inside the ocean but the dialogue and the delivery of narrative are so good that you actually feel that you are inside the ocean yourself. Looking at the ocean from the eye of an AI and ensuring that Ellery remains safe in an alien ocean offers something brand new for you to experience. The simple mechanics create such a powerful relation with Ellery that you cannot help and start to like her right from the start of the game. Other than Ellery, the game itself is an extremely peaceful experience and is a perfect getaway from the normal hectic games we are used to playing these days. You can spend hours and hours exploring the ocean, discovering new alien flora and fauna and studying it. If you are looking for a peaceful game with simple yet powerful mechanics and narrative, you must give In Other Waters a shot.
Final Verdict: 9.5/10
