Sunless SeaReview by Jamie Ross
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Created by Failbetter Games
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It takes a lot to drag me away from my comfort zone when it comes to gaming. Survival games and MMOs are where I spent most of my time, so I have largely been unaware of the rise of the “roguelike”. I am still not spot on with the definition, but the genre seems to involve procedurally generated levels and some kind of permanent death feature. And so, whilst I was browsing Steam, I came across one such gem, called Sunless Sea.
In Sunless Sea, you play as a ship’s captain plying the vast inky blackness of the Unterzee. Set in an alternative history where London has sunk into a vast cavern miles below the surface world. The underground ocean is inhabited by demons, sea creatures and pirates, plenty to keep the budding adventure on their toes. Players pick a story for their character at the beginning of each play through, ranging from becoming the richest chap in all London to finding the remains of your long lost father. Each story will result in different quests to complete at the various ports you visit as you chug your merry way through the long dark. |
The world of Sunless Sea is based on a browser game called Fallen London, so already has a rich backstory for players to immerse themselves in. The dark comedy of the world is plain to see, be it an island inhabited by two warring factions of rodents you must help (I robbed them), or a city where all postmen eventually flee the drudgery of their ordinary lives (I robbed them). However, there are also some truly frightening characters you will meet on your travels, such as one ruffian who will be very upset if you do not continue to smuggle crates of trapped souls for his mysterious master (I was too scared to rob him). One small gripe may be that the world has too much of an established backstory. I feel that I am missing out out some of the in jokes and minor plotlines because I haven’t played Fallen London. Maybe that was the plan of course…
Death in Sunless Sea means death. You can write a will for your successors, but beyond that, you don’t leave much for your heir if you meet your death. Not only do you start fresh, but the islands you have discovered in your previous trip shift. This makes each play through an entire new adventure, with previously easy trade routes suddenly separated by vast tracts of creature infested water. At times this can be a tad frustrating, with important quest hubs suddenly impossible to find, but again, I think that is the whole point.
Even without the shifting map, I found that at times the game was irritatingly difficult at times to get hold of specific items or make enough money to get by. Even the starting quests required me to find vast amounts of expensive materials to bring to a quest giver. Usually I had neither the fuel to get to the island that sold the required item, or the money to purchase it. Even if I did manage to scrape together enough coin to complete the mission, the reward raley seemed worth the effort. Often I would make a loss on these ventures. As I grew in experience as a Zee Captain, I found that it was more effective to simply sail almost at random, hoping I would come across the desired cargo through looting enemy vessels or as the result of a random encounter.
As my first real taste of this time of game, I can certainly say it left me wanting more. The incredibly realised, darkly humourous world dragged me into its inky depths and has refused to let go. The characters I have met so far on my travels have been just the right mix of interesting and terrifying, and I still find the need trying to help the waifs and strays I encounter (or rob them). Perhaps some balance with the the rewards for completing quests would allow for a smooth progression through the main story, but at the same time could take away from the edge of your seat smuggling runs, where making even the tiniest profit can mean the difference between life and death. Not bad from a game that's largely text based.
Death in Sunless Sea means death. You can write a will for your successors, but beyond that, you don’t leave much for your heir if you meet your death. Not only do you start fresh, but the islands you have discovered in your previous trip shift. This makes each play through an entire new adventure, with previously easy trade routes suddenly separated by vast tracts of creature infested water. At times this can be a tad frustrating, with important quest hubs suddenly impossible to find, but again, I think that is the whole point.
Even without the shifting map, I found that at times the game was irritatingly difficult at times to get hold of specific items or make enough money to get by. Even the starting quests required me to find vast amounts of expensive materials to bring to a quest giver. Usually I had neither the fuel to get to the island that sold the required item, or the money to purchase it. Even if I did manage to scrape together enough coin to complete the mission, the reward raley seemed worth the effort. Often I would make a loss on these ventures. As I grew in experience as a Zee Captain, I found that it was more effective to simply sail almost at random, hoping I would come across the desired cargo through looting enemy vessels or as the result of a random encounter.
As my first real taste of this time of game, I can certainly say it left me wanting more. The incredibly realised, darkly humourous world dragged me into its inky depths and has refused to let go. The characters I have met so far on my travels have been just the right mix of interesting and terrifying, and I still find the need trying to help the waifs and strays I encounter (or rob them). Perhaps some balance with the the rewards for completing quests would allow for a smooth progression through the main story, but at the same time could take away from the edge of your seat smuggling runs, where making even the tiniest profit can mean the difference between life and death. Not bad from a game that's largely text based.
