CorpseOcean is a free-to-play horror game developed by Kira. In this deep-sea simulation, you take on the role of a submersible pilot tasked with recovering organic material from a navy submarine at the bottom of the ocean. Detect objects under the water and find your target vessel by using sonar and following the set coordinates.

What seems to be an easy and scenic underwater recovery mission immediately turns into a horrifying chain of events that would put your very life at risk. Its old-school graphics, reminiscent of Half-Life, and its vague gameplay direction feel like Gardens of a New World.

Prepare to get lost in the water

The first thing you’ll notice upon playing CorpseOcean is its low-quality graphics largely reminiscent of those released from the turn of the millennium. Its combination of grainy video style, polygonal objects, with a few real footage mixed in makes the game feel nostalgic. It goes with good sound effects, mostly silent with occasional interjections from bubbles rising and your sonar beeping. There’s also something surprising when you start hitting objects.

There’s also no problem when it comes to controls since they’re intuitive and can be remapped on the main menu. You can use the mouse to look around your submersible–check coordinates and status and view your objectives–and the keyboard to move in the water. There are also other features for your submersible such as a scanner, lights, and flares to help you navigate at the bottom of the ocean.

Perhaps the most challenging part of the game is that you don’t have any sort of guide going under. If you can’t read coordinates or identify points from your sonar, it might take you longer to finish the game. There are no easy guides or a lot of markers. While it makes the game more realistic, it makes it extremely difficult for people without relevant real-world skills.

A challenging exploration

Overall, CorpseOcean is a fun and challenging experience. Its visuals and sounds help create a retro experience that is also suspenseful and immersive. By leaving you alone in the depths of the ocean, with no comprehensive guide of where to go next, you’ll learn to rely on your submersible’s equipment as well as your own navigational skills. If you’re looking for a bit of a challenge, this one’s a good shot.