Deep Sea Narcosis

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Trapped in a walking coffin miles below the vast expanse of the ocean is the setting of Narcosis. After a massive seismic event that caused the deaths of multiple crew members and the destruction of an underwater research facility, you must traverse through the treacherous landscape to make it to safety. The dangers you find range anywhere from limited oxygen, to giant spider crabs that dominate the deep regions of the ocean. Confined to your underwater dive suit, you rely on your survival instincts, your flashlight and the little oxygen you manage to find to make it through the barren wasteland you’re trapped in.

(That's a big squid)

When I started playing Narcosis, I felt the sense of isolation it gives the player almost immediately. With almost no sound at the bottom of the ocean floor and the limited sight that comes along with that sent chills down my spine. Shortly after the start of the game, I was attacked by what seemed to be a zombie or maybe a ghost in a dive suit. Shortly after this, the diver disappeared and I was safe. Rattled and confused, I was unsure of what was going on in my character’s head. Whether it was that I was being tormented by spirits, or my character was in shock were both on the table. I wasn’t sure which I believed to be true.

(Ummm, do I want to know?)

I realized soon after this that I wasn’t alone, although it felt like I was, not including my character’s potential imaginary friends. There were also some scary ocean creatures that didn’t like that I was disrupting the sanctity of their homes. As I made my way into a small cave I saw what looked like an army of little minions in front of me. This wave of creepy crawlies turned out to be little crabs, that when they got around me caused my character to panic and rapidly lose oxygen. This wasn’t the worst part though. My eyes widened in fright as I looked up from the little crab army. A looming figure with massive legs stood before me. The likes of which I had never seen before.

(Never should've come here)

A giant crab stood before me, I later discovered that this kind was a spider crab. Needless to say, this creature wasn’t particularly happy that I made its little friends run away. I frantically tried to stab the massive crab with my diving knife, but it was no use. Suddenly I watched as blood rose around me and water filled my suit, the crab had stabbed me. I was infuriated and ready for round two with the murderous crab. This time I played it smart and did my best to avoid the thing entirely. After I returned on life two, I hid behind some rocks allowing it to pass by me giving me enough room to boost by with my jets and escape the clutches of its claws.

(One of the dead crew members)

After the cave, I wasn’t sure what else I could expect in Narcosis. It seemed like the whole game was out to get me which kept me on constant edge. With it seeming more and more like I was on my own, it didn’t seem likely others made it through the dangers I had encountered so far. The narration in the game led me to believe there were other crew members somewhere that might be trying to get to safety as well. I didn’t know this at the time, but every crew member I found on my journey was deceased, many of whom died in unpleasant ways.

(I should really get going)

Fast forward a few hours and I’m in a shuttle headed to the base with an escape pod. I had made some great progress and had even gotten into communication with some survivors who were coming to help me. I thought maybe everything would be ok, then as I looked out the window, the familiar lights of a sub came rushing toward me. Everything went dark. Somehow, I managed to escape the crash however, the people who came to save me ended up crashing and dying because of it. I was stuck at the bottom of the ocean surrounded by my favorite aquatic friends, spider crabs. It turned out this wasn’t even the worst part of my experience, there was still so much to come.

(These things are literally everywhere)

I don’t want to spoil the rest of the game but I will say that the ending has a pretty mind-blowing twist. I myself am a huge fan of endings like the one in Narcosis. The incredible experience, the story, graphics, and the horror aspects made my playthrough unforgettable. If you enjoy horror games or find the ocean to be particularly scary I highly suggest giving Narcosis a try. It was a rollercoaster ride that kept me on edge at every turn and I’m glad I got a chance to play it.