Stranded Deep

Stranded Deep is one of those games that does not get the attention it deserves. It is a very interesting take on the survival genre and it does it better than most other games. If you have an interest in survival games or have just watched Bear Grylls on TV and thought that you could do that! Stranded Deep is a game you need to try and survive.

We Are Going Down

There is not a lot of story to Stranded Deep, but that is not what this game is about. You are on a plane and that plane is going down in the Pacific. Your survival is really the only story that this game has and it works very well.

This Is Not Kansas

Stranded Deep features random maps for you to play on (although there is a map editor) so no two playthroughs are ever the same. Sometimes you get lucky with where you wind up and other times it is absolutely brutal!

The game has these really cool dynamic weather effects and they have a pretty drastic effect on gameplay. It is very frustrating when you are trying to do something and the weather is having none of it and I actually mean frustrating in a good and gameplay enhancing way.

Build To Survive

Stranded Deep requires you to use the limited resources that you come across in order to build the essentials for survival. These, of course, are things like shelter and items for hunting food. It does this very cleverly and when you do come across something that you can use on one of your expeditions it is a very exciting feeling. The game is quite realistic in that you do not have some kind of invisible bag to put a million things in. You are limited to what you can carry so you have to think about what is really necessary. This can make it challenging when you have gone out to find something, found it and then unexpectedly come across something else. Do you take what you want out for or do you take the new loot? Speaking of loot there are some cool hidden treasures for you to find on the island and in the deep…. That is right you can actually go swimming in this game! Here you can find more items that can help your survival and there are even shipwrecks to explore.

The Elements Of Survival

You have different vitals that you have to keep an eye on. These are hunger, thirst, blood, and health. Mother Nature is going to give you a beating so keeping these up is vital. Hunting for food is something that you will have to do, but before this, you, of course, have to scavenge for stuff that you can hunt with. It is a never-ending circle of survival that you must deal with.

One thing that I really liked was when you would think all was lost and then you come across something really cool. Be it a treasure or something like a spear gun that is going to kick your survival up a few notches. Exploring the seas and the islands is honestly a very exciting experience.

Stranded Deep is a game that I had a really, really good time with. It is the kind of game I could easily see myself firing up every few months to have a play through. It is fun, exciting and the way it deals with survival is very well done and I do enjoy the somewhat realistic approach it has. The game is not perfect from a technical point of view (speaking of technical it is technically still not fully finished) so there are a few bugs here and there. Even with that being said, this is a game that is highly recommended.

8.5/10

Pros:

• Handle survival in a more realistic way
• Crafting is very fun
• You have lots of areas on land and underwater to explore
• There is a lot of strategy involved
• Dynamic weather effects are very well done

Cons:

• There is no story at all really
• Some bugs and glitches every now and again