It’s Still Out There is a 2D strategy game by an independent developer, named OcO. In the game, you wake up in a haphazardly put-together underwater base. You're confused, alone, and feel like your lost colleagues are nowhere to be found. This had to be a quick scouting mission, but now, with no clue as to what happened, all you can do is swim deeper and hope what lies in the abyss won’t gaze back into you.

It’s sink or swim

Unlike the bleak setting that the main character finds himself in, It’s Still Out There is an enjoyable, well-made game. There is no jump scares but, the sound design creates an eerie ambiance; it makes the world feel much larger than it actually is. If you’ve played Subnautica, you may know the feeling. Coupled with the vibrant cool colors and atmospheric scoring, the game immerses players in this world despite being a completely two-dimensional game. 

You will find the base building to be easy to follow - even if you’re a casual player. There are a few types of building blocks you can use which make for some interesting creations. However, when creating a crafting station or stair block, you can easily break objects or walls around it. The game would greatly improve if it presented the items’ names when you hover over them and if they’re already in your inventory. 

This will be helpful in preventing damage when you’re in the ‘deep room’ with the keylocks. An example of this is the scene when you’ve just gotten out of the temple. It was hard to tell the character was already teleported out of the temple until he made a quick left turn. Another odd occurrence is that you cannot pass through the sides and the bottom of the stair block when you’re holding the multi-tool. 

A simple yet eerily fun survival game

It’s Still Out There is as fun to play as it is enjoyable to look at. Despite being a 2D game, the tasks, scoring, and graphics make the world feel massive. Players will feel vulnerable but determined to get out of the sea and rejoin civilization. The developer says the game is complete, but a few updates and debugging would greatly improve the experience and the ability of the player to finish the game.