After a long day of work, I tend to wind down by playing some video games. Some days are just more stressful than others and based on that some days I just want a nice casual gaming experience instead of having to be on the edge of my seat. Submerged: Hidden Depths is one of those relaxing fits that gave me the perfect outlet to relax while gaming.
Waterworld
Submerged: Hidden Depths started out as a Google Stadia exclusive back in 2020 but has since found its way to PC and other consoles. The game is the sequel to Submerged but no prior knowledge is needed to enjoy the game. In the original game, Miku explored the ruins of a city to find a way to cure her brother Taku. This time the duo got way more than just a city to explore. With the “Mas” taking over the world and leaving the siblings seemingly as sole survivors, Miku is determined to use her special powers to “cure” the world. Taku is hesitant at first but – owing his life to his sister – he acts as her guarding angel and never leaves Miku out of his sight.
The game starts by introducing the pair living in their “home” called the dome. Surrounded by only water, Miku and Taku go exploring the water world by boat. The world around the dome is festered with black vines keeping the surroundings from blossoming again. Miku has the ability to bring life back to the abandoned world. Everywhere she walks, nature flourishes, and Remnants – a sort of plant-hominoid – start reliving their last moments. More importantly, Miku can handle seeds to nurture the black vines back to their former vibrant life and restore the dead ruins to their former glory.
No combat
Submerged: Hidden Depths is all about exploring the world and basking in its stunning visuals. With excellent water physics, dynamic weather effects, and a day and night cycle, the world constantly looks like it’s evolving. This feature is especially important in a game about exploring and is done in excellent fashion in Submerged: Hidden Depths. Nine seeds need to be found in order to save the world. Each location looks distinctively different and features some platforming intertwined with easy puzzles. The platforming is kept stress-free by eliminating the need to time your jumps. You just press the joystick in the direction you want to go and if Miku (or Taku) has someplace to jump to, the game automatically does so. Adding the fact combat is excluded with no enemies present, the game’s only purpose is to be a relaxing exploration game.
Collect-a-thon
The main locations are filled with journals, decorative pieces for your boat, and even special flowers to find. Collecting every item in each area grants you more insight into the lore of the game. You could potentially just cruise through the game without bothering to pick these up but since they are more or less just around the corner of your main path, there is not a lot of fuss to just collect them. Besides 9 “seed locations” there is plenty more to explore and collect. Viewpoints and a telescope help you mark the places you’ve not been to on your map. Along the way, you might encounter ‘mythic wildlife’ or landmarks that can all be checked in your journal giving you plenty to find.
Conclusion
Submerged: Hidden Depths is a stunning-looking game for those looking for a relaxed experience. This is a prime example of a small studio doing it absolutely right. After about 10 hours of exploring you’ll finish Submerged: Hidden Depths without a grain of stress in your body leaving your exploration needs fully satisfied.
