GAMbIT Magazine Issue #24 February 2017 | Page 10

G A M E R E V I E W

DILUVION

Review by J . Luis
Diluvion is a game about exploring the depths of the ocean in a Jules Verne-inspired world in rickety subs alongside crotchety sailors . The game is a sort of survival RPG that sees you traveling from hub to hub , meeting the remnants of a thinned out human race that ’ s been forced under the sea . There are no sprawling cities or worlds here , and all you are left with is broken ships and structures where humanity is fighting for space and air . No idea where all the air is coming from , but it ’ s a video game and I can cut it some slack .
The game sees you captain a very steampunk sub ( you can access 9 subs through your journey ) and simply explore this really interesting underwater world . Along the way you are going to loot structures , fight pirates , recruit sailors , upgrade your sub , do lots of trading and discover all sorts of wonders . Taken as a whole Diluvion is a bloody fantastic experience in a captivating world and I found myself lost in the game for hours on end .
The game itself has two distinct styles going on at once and that ’ s a bit jarring at first . The world is rendered in full 3D and every looks amazing . Your sub looks like it ’ s pulled straight from a steampunk novel and enemy vessels are also wild and diverse in looks and style . The hubs are all unique and this cool mishmash of broken ships and stations welded together . Humanity in this underwater world looks like it ’ s one rivet away from becoming extinct .
But the game changes everything when you zoom inside of ships or structures . Diluvion switches to a 2D format and while it ’ s a big change , it really works out for the best and helps give the RPG section of game its own style . It ’ s in this mode where you talk to your crew and others to move the story along ( it ’ s pretty linear , but the game does have one ) and where to handle ship and crew upgrades as well as exploration of locations .
You can hire crew with the loot your trade in and they will mill about your sub or help man stations you assign them to . Crew are varied and can all be upgraded with relics you find on your travels so you may just
Genre : Action , Adventure , Indie , RPG Developer : Arachnid Games
Publisher : Gambitious Digital Entertainment Platform : PC

" Forced into the deep oceans by a Great Flood that occurred countless centuries ago , humanity now lives trapped under a thick layer of unbreakable ice and their survival hangs by a tenuous thread ."

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