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Trapped miles underwater with their air running out, players will have to tangle with sea life and the creations of their oxygen-starved minds in Narcosis, a horror game about being stranded alone on the sea floor.
Players are able to move around in their high-tech diving suit, which will keep them alive as they explore the ocean’s depths. However, oxygen is not infinite, and as players enter high-stress situations involving dangerous sea creatures or other life-threatening moments, they’ll start to breathe erratically, using more oxygen. As their air depletes, sights and sounds will distort, creating unsettling visions and making time and space move unpredictably.
Players are expected to carefully explore the world of Narcosis, avoiding dangers to keep their breathing at a normal level even as they’re thrust into progressively more uncomfortable, lonely, and unsettling places. They aren’t entirely defenceless as they do so, though, and are able to use a knife, flares, and their flashlight to wound or frighten of any dangerous creature that comes their way. This exertion also costs oxygen, though, so players will need to consider that while fighting back.
Narcosis is available now on Steam and the Humble Store, with an Xbox One release coming in April. The game is also playable on HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.
