I encountered a few occasions where menus became unusable and I could not proceed. Boss fights on the other hand end up in the other extreme, creating an intense atmosphere that often borders on frustration.ĭiluvion is not without its bugs. The regular enemies encountered often seem too easy, creating a bland combat experience. The combat itself is fulfilling, but the game struggles with an inconsistent level of difficulty. I found the combat to be a bit of a mixed bag. The ship’s crew can be shuffled around in real time between different departments to repair damage or provide buffs. Additionally, enemies have a small circle that shows players how far to lead their shots to hit the enemies. Crosshairs will adjust to show the rough spread of the current weapon, allowing players to hold their fire until their submarine is properly oriented for the most accurate shot. Diluvion is quite generous in providing some guidance to players during combat. Since the rate of fire is generally quite low in the game, good positioning is just as important as accurate shooting. Diluvion’s hands off approach to navigation is quite refreshing as it suits the game’s low-tech nautical theme very well.Ĭombat in Diluvion is simple. The assistance only lasts for a few hundred meters, so players will need to take note of the compass bearings to ensure they stay on the right track. Schools of goldfish are found near landmarks that will help point players in the right direction.
Arachnid Games give players a little help when it comes to navigating to quest areas. The resource system adds a nice twist to navigation, as getting lost can mean death. So instead of having a magical GPS arrow, players must navigate using landmarks and a compass. The developers were inspired by sailors in the past that relied on simple of tools. Navigating in Diluvion is probably one of the game’s stronger suits. The areas where story missions will take the player are often littered with many wrecks to loot, making the story mission feel like a less risky endeavour. The risk and cost of randomly exploring the sea to hunt for loot is simply too great, especially compared following the storyline. The expense of running the submarine discourages freely exploring the open sea. The larger the crew, the faster they will consume resources. On top of managing air, players will need to either scavenge or purchase food to keep the crew fed. Docking to smaller vessels like crippled submarines or small research stations will transfer over a tank or two of air only once, severely limiting a players range. Extra air tanks can be purchased to extend capacity and tanks can be completely refilled an unlimited number of times by docking at a station. The crew needs to breathe air and eat food. The game’s resource management system does work well with the exploration mechanics. The control schemes are simple enough that most people should be able to be able to pick up and play.Įxploration inspired by the early days of sailing is one of Diluvion’s major selling points, but it falls a bit flat. The game provides controller support for those who rather avoid the mouse and keyboard. Torpedoes need an extra step to lock onto the enemy, but generally handle much like the main weapons. Weapons shoot wherever the crosshair is pointing. The sub will attempt to orient itself towards the direction the crosshair is pointing, but fast turns and quick changes in depth can be executed with hot keys. The sub’s propulsion system mimics a sailing ship with different increments of throttle in forward and reverse. The submarine controls in Diluvion are simple. In practice, the gameplay reminds me of space sims on the more casual end of the spectrum. Gameplayĭiluvion is an open world exploration game with submarine combat.
Considering how many potential sailors there are to recruit, it seems like the same two or three lines keep appearing. The writing is decent, though the game could use more lines for random NPCs. It gives the game some context and and a goal, which is something usually unseen in exploration titles. Diluvion’s story provides a nice backdrop to the exploration.
Rumours has it that if someone reaches the end of the Endless Corridor, a new golden age will begin. The survivors were driven underwater where they now scrape together a precarious existence. The Gods punished the humans with the Great Flood, wiping out most of humanity. Humans existed in a perfect world, but ruined a perfectly good thing by going to war with each other. Players will explore a world inspired by Jules Verne in one of nine subs as they discover the remains of human civilization. Arachnid Games seeks to take gamers into those unknown depths in their submarine exploration game Diluvion. Space may be the final frontier, but we humans know more about space than the depths of our own oceans. Price: $19.99 USD – Available Here Video Review Publisher: Gambitious Digital Entertainment