*Sources of screenshots are listed in their respective file-names.

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I’m returning to my base after a successful mining run 350 meters down. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of taking too many spears and not enough food. My hunger level is steadily increasing.

65%…70%…80%…

A school of fish begin to stream by. I slice at a few with my knife and eventually eat enough to bring my hunger level down. There’s blood in the water, but no worries. Only a few meters to–

In FarSky* you play as Nathan, whose submarine has broken into pieces all over the Ocean. Your mission is to retrieve these pieces and get back to the surface while surviving in a hostile yet visually striking underwater world.

Like Nathan, players are dropped into the randomly generated environments of FarSky with little direction. The simple act of surviving-of crafting better equipment and exploring an underwater world-infuses FarSky with a sense of wonder.

When you jump off a plateau, using small jets to float over a seaweed forest…

When you hear the sound of something…large-you twist around and there’s nothing there…

When you look up to see a whale singing over your base…

Note: no whales were harmed during the production of this review. Honest.

When you first dive below -300 meters…

…the effect is amazing.

There are several modes of play available:

1. Adventure

Adventure is the standard story mode. Since discovery plays such a vital part in FarSky, players are largely left alone.

Want to know how to make equipment like the spear gun or water scooter? What about how to expand your base? You’ll have to figure it out-your success will mean that much more in the end.

2. Survivor:

Survivor takes the core experience of Adventure (finding materials, making tools, improving your survival skills…) and transforms it into a desperate challenge.

Predators such as sharks are more prevalent. You get no indication where your submarine’s pieces have landed and you only have one life.

Be careful.

Note: many, many sharks were harmed during the production of this review.

3. Sandbox:

Sandbox throws the story of Adventure and Survivor out the window in favor of a different tale-your own.

Whether you want to look for chests on the ocean floor or build a massive base like the one pictured, Sandbox allows you to do what you want-when you want:

As with almost any “sandbox,” the mileage you get out of this title will largely depend on your ingenuity and fascination with FarSky’s world.

Conclusion:

FarSky feels a bit limited compared to more “endless” titles such as Minecraft, due to its focus on realistic underwater exploration/mining/combat.

However, the combination of striking graphics and survival gameplay under the sea (along with a notable absence of objectionable content) make this a fantastic alternative.

Potential Concerns:

None to my knowledge

Buy Now! (PC)

*This title was received for review. See our statement of ethics here.
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*More articles from Video Games and the Bible.