Still Wakes the Deep is an engaging Scottish horror story for Xbox Series, PlayStation and PC, as well as Game Pass. While the horrific story beats are familiar to fans of the genre, they are told through great acting, a strong script and truly gruesome creature designs that pay homage to classic body-horror.
An oil rig is a tough place to be, and that’s exactly where Still Wakes the Deep, the new game from The Chinese Room, takes place. My dad used to say it's a huge machine where everything is built to support that. The human spaces are just an afterthought, with ladders, corridors, and stairways squeezed in wherever they could fit. Getting around can be confusing; what seems like a short walk to a nearby spot might involve several ladders, an elevator, multiple doors, and some gangways. Working on this metal giant for long weeks is exhausting.
This makes it a great setting for a horror game, especially since it’s set in the cold, remote North Sea off the Scottish coast in 1975. There are no mobile phones or Internet, so help will be slow to arrive. To make matters worse, the rig is a safety hazard because the builders cut corners. And Rennick, the rig’s boss, isn’t much better—he’s pretty useless. In the intro, I see gates with signs telling people to keep them clear, but there are crates piled up right behind them, making the gates useless. Nice job making the rig even more dangerous, Rennick.
Our unexpected hero is Caz, an electrician who finds himself on the rig more by chance than choice. After running into trouble with the local authorities, his brother-in-law suggests he join him on the rig, hoping that staying out of the spotlight will help diffuse the situation. Caz’s wife, however, isn’t pleased and warns that she and the kids will leave if he doesn’t face the consequences of his actions.
Caz, then, is an everyman suddenly caught in a chaotic situation he doesn’t fully understand. He’s reluctant to be on the rig but also unwilling to face the fallout from his mistakes. Despite this, he has managed to bond with the rough-around-the-edges Scottish crew. And, I must confess a bit of personal bias here: being Scottish myself, I have a soft spot for the game Still Wakes the Deep.It features a strong Scottish flair, complete with thick accents, favorite slang, and plenty of colorful language, including the versatile Scottish term "cunt," which can range from a friendly good cunt to a more disparaging bad cunt.
It’s a fantastic portrayal of Scotland, too. The voice actors excel, particularly Alec Newman, a Glaswegian who plays Caz, bringing a gritty charm to our unlikely hero. As the chaos escalates, Newman convincingly depicts a man struggling with the unmanageable. Additionally, a nod to Scottish comedian Karen Dunbar, who voices Finlay, the sole female worker on the rig. Finlay is a formidable presence who doesn’t tolerate any nonsense.
It’s a bit disappointing that the game’s brief 4-6 hour duration doesn’t allow for more interaction with the crew. The excellent voice acting and strong script could have fostered deeper connections with characters beyond just Caz, including his brother-in-law Roy. Despite his limited screen time, Shaun Dooley portrays Roy as a caring guy who genuinely wants the best for his sister and is sincerely trying to help Caz improve.
Still Wakes the Deep masterfully maintains its sense of unspeakable dread, slowly building tension in a deliberate, slow-burn fashion. The initial 20 to 30 minutes are spent exploring the rig, meeting crew members, and learning basic mechanics like opening doors and climbing ladders. Mechanically, it’s primarily a walking simulator with linear paths, which might not appeal to everyone. Personally, I enjoy this style, and Still Wakes the Deep keeps the experience engaging throughout.
The action starts when the oil rig drills into something
strange on the ocean floor. Initially, Caz is dealing with a terrifying but
otherwise ordinary disaster. The rig has taken significant damage, but the
boss, Rennick, is on the speakerphone insisting it’s not a big deal and that
everyone should keep working—despite walkways collapsing into the sea. Even
though Caz is only responsible for the electrical work, everyone has to pitch
in to handle the chaos.
Things gradually get darker when it becomes clear that
whatever was lurking at the bottom of the sea has come up, though exactly what
it is remains a mystery. Hints about what's happening are introduced slowly,
and you can’t miss the unsettling option to use a locker for hiding as you walk
by. The rig starts to be taken over by pulsing tendrils and gooey masses that
look organic, and their "blood" is the same oil Caz and his crew are
extracting from the North Sea. Getting close to these things causes strange
effects on screen and seems to mess with people’s minds, with Caz occasionally
hearing voices.
I’d like to describe the actual horrors Caz faces, but I’m
worried it might spoil too much. Still Wakes the Deep is heavily inspired by
classic horror films like John Carpenter’s The Thing, as well as body horror
and Lovecraftian elements, making Caz deal with something that is completely
overwhelming and unknown. The monsters created by the developers are genuinely
disturbing, and the sound design adds to the terror.
However, the scares lose some of their impact when you
interact with these monsters. Most of the time, you’ll be dodging between
hiding spots, using thrown objects as distractions, or running away. While
these actions fit with Caz’s reluctance to face problems directly, they can get
a bit repetitive. You’ll usually know where monsters might appear, so you can
move around the rig without fear when they’re not around. Hiding is easy unless
you’re very careless. Monsters can be distracted with thrown items, and if they
spot you while hiding, they’ll often give up after a minute and go back to
patrolling. Running away is also simple, so once the initial excitement wears
off, the rest of the chases aren’t as intense.
Admittedly, these issues are pretty common in the genre. In
video games, more interaction with horror usually makes it less frightening. Soon, the game adds a new type of horror—though it’s more
conventional: rising water. As the rig takes more damage, the freezing North
Sea starts flooding in, giving Caz another challenge. He’s a decent swimmer and
can grab onto beams and move quickly with the press of a button. These moments,
as the water rushes in, add some excitement, but the first-person view combined
with dark water and tight spaces can make these parts frustrating to navigate.
I rarely died from the supernatural threats, but I did drown a few times
because I couldn’t figure out where to go. Figuring out where to go is usually not a problem. To avoid
confusion with the oil rig’s complex layout, The Chinese Room makes sure to
only give you one clear path forward, blocking off other routes with locked
doors, barricades, and ongoing work. They also use yellow paint to mark things
you can climb, interact with, or navigate. In this setting, it makes more sense
than in other games where yellow paint is randomly splashed on cliffs to show
handholds.
When it comes to moving around and taking in the often
unsettling scenery, Still Wakes the Deep looks great. It might not be beautiful in the
usual way—when the rig isn’t on fire or being attacked by a sea monster, it’s
just a big metal structure—but the detail and lighting are impressive. I even
showed it to my dad, who worked on North Sea oil rigs in the 80s and 90s (often
in risky conditions), and he was impressed with how accurately The Chinese Room
has recreated it.
In Conclusion…
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5
If you enjoy horror, Still Wakes the Deep covers familiar
ground, including an ending that might frustrate those who want clear answers.
However, it handles these elements very well, offering a tight, well-acted
experience that doesn’t drag on. If you prefer more freedom and gameplay over
storytelling, this game might not be for you. Otherwise, Still Wakes the Deep
is creepy, immersive, and enjoyable.
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