Darkwater is a co-op survival extraction game developed by Targon Studios and published by Playstack. While the game is still in early access, we are seeing quite a lot of content, most recently with the Invasion Update.
Darkwater in a nutshell
Describing Darkwater with one genre is a bit of a challenge. The most applicable term would be “extraction,” but there’s a lot more going on here. Darkwater features horror elements, base-building, and deep sea combat.
Co-op survival games are experiencing something of a boom right now, especially those centering around extraction. You’ve got games like Lethal Company and R.E.P.O. taking the spotlight, but Darkwater shows a lot of promise to be something unique.
It can be challenging to innovate on a simple formula, but Darkwater has done so remarkably well. The core gameplay of the genre—in which players go from location to location extracting valuables to sell—is unchanged in Darkwater. However, the auxiliary aspects like crafting, base-building, and vehicle combat add a lot of depth to the experience.
The goal in Darkwater isn’t to meet a quota: it’s survival and progress. As you get further and further into the game, expect to encounter worse and worse conditions. That means you’ve gotta make decisions about things like buying fuel, upgrading weapon systems, and choosing where your next destination is. I found that variety of gameplay to be incredibly refreshing and an overall improvement on other similar games.
Outside of the gameplay, Darkwater’s aesthetic is also really unique. Not only are you in a submarine at the bottom of the ocean, you’re in an alternate reality 1930s where somehow humanity was able to colonize an alien planet. Turns out, the planet froze over and now you’re stuck. Sucks for you.
Playing the game
Darkwater can be played solo, but it is definitely meant for multiple people. You’ll struggle even with just two players. Exploring outposts isn’t all that hard for one person, but submarine combat is a nightmare when you’ve gotta navigate, fire weapons, reload, and repair leaks simultaneously all by yourself. Darkwater has a limit of 4 players, but it’s definitely a more the merrier type of situation.
Co-op games are just as driven by player interactions as they are by game design. I’ll share an anecdote as a microcosm of the Darkwater experience. My friend Daniel and I were playing Darkwater and got all the way to the final sector of the game. We were feeling pretty good; we had done relatively well in combat, had a lot of fuel left, and had even acquired a shotgun to deal with monsters. Most of the challenges we had faced thus far we had dealt with. The only challenge we couldn’t overcome? Our hubris.
We entered the last sector and were immediately annihilated in submarine combat. As our sub was filling with water, Daniel was still determined to man the torpedo station. As a mercy I crept up behind him and blew his brains out with a shotgun. I then met my fate with acceptance as my drowned corpse sank to the icy depths.
As it turns out in Darkwater, nothing is guaranteed. Strategies that worked before suddenly weren’t viable and we paid dearly for not being able to readjust. The main reason we failed so terribly was because we had stocked up on fuel rather than upgrade our sub’s weapons. This moment was a truly beautiful moment because it exemplifies the survival genre. Every single purchase and decision has consequences, positive and negative. If you buy fuel, you’ll be able to get to the next destination, but you might not be prepared for combat since you skimped on mines.
Looking forward
The one part of gameplay I do have concerns about is the horror theme. Sure, it’s spooky at first being in a submarine in a hostile environment where no one knows what’s going on, but the threats soon become more nuisance than scary.
To illustrate my point, in games like Lethal Company, you’re more often running away from monsters than attacking them. When Daniel and I encountered a monster in Darkwater, our tactic was usually to observe and then beat to death with a sledgehammer. I don’t actually recall using the stealth mechanics added in the Invasion Update because we just kinda ran towards whatever threat was there.
Part of this was because the enemies were relatively easy to take on, and because the environment was plentiful with things like blunt weapons and health packs if we did encounter a monster. This works great if you want your game to be more survival than horror, but I do enjoy some sinister tension. I’m hopeful that additional enemies can provide the increased spookiness I so desire.
Another area that I hope to see improvement in is the level and environmental design. Don’t get me wrong, it’s already incredibly aesthetic and very inspired. However, in a world filled with media that is visually too dark, I actually found the levels to be too well lit. I never really worried about getting split up because I could see Daniel very clearly most of the time. The abundance of light sources was definitely helpful for fending off enemies and keeping track of where you were, but it diminished the spookiness of the atmosphere a bit.
Many of the levels also felt a bit small, especially for a game meant to be played with friends. There’s not much room to wander around and get lost, wondering if your friends went and got killed. I’m optimistic that these concerns will be addressed as more locations are added.
Closing thoughts
To be clear: I have no significant worries about this game. I had an absolute blast playing it. There are some areas that need polishing, but that’s true of any game, especially ones in early access. I am very excited to see what Darkwater develops into. If Targon Studios keeps up what they’ve been doing, I can see this game becoming a big hit in the co-op survival genre.
