Get Claustrophobic with Survival Horror Game, ‘Narcosis’

Most games are so fast paced today. It seems like we almost need constant action to keep us engaged. But I like to argue that action isn’t all that matters. Sometimes, the story and psychological aspect of a game can take front and center and create a terrifying experience for the player. It can play on your fears or phobias and make you feel a physical response. There’s a game like that across the platforms, and it’s called Narcosis.

Narcosis was originally released in March of 2017 on Steam and Xbox One, and was only recently added to PS4 on July 24th, which is the platform I played it on. Being the story lover that I am, when a game puts so much emphasis on their storyline, I am all in. Narcosis is a first person indie survival horror game created by Honor Code, Inc., and anyone with a fear of deep water or claustrophobia will not like this game, I will tell you that now.

You play a deep sea diver in a special half ton “walking coffin” stranded on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. An accident has killed off everyone in an underwater research facility, and you are alone. You have to navigate the ocean floor, tight passages and the instability of your own sanity as you try to find a way out and more oxygen to get you by. The deeper into the game you go, the more your mind becomes your own enemy… and panicking will take more oxygen.

Immediately when I started playing this game, I could almost feel the pressure on my chest from the tight spaces. The environment was gorgeous. There are so few games that deal with the ocean floor, and this game shows it so dark and alien-like. The controls are a bit clunky, but given that you’re in a massive suit under the ocean, it’s hard to imagine smooth controls for the situation. The story is heartbreaking as you keep coming upon your fallen companions, and the ending is a punch in the gut. There are jump scares, but the game never becomes stale. While the voice acting isn’t the best, it’s not the worst and doesn’t take away from the intensity of the game.

Narcosis is available to play on Xbox One, PS4, and Steam with the ability to play on HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, which I think would greatly improve the experience. The game is only about 2 hours as long as you don’t keep getting lost, stuck or fall off an underwater cliff repeatedly (it can get really dark and confusing). All in all, if you like story driven games, don’t mind a VERY slow pace and are looking to kill a couple hours, Narcosis is a great way to do it.