Hell Dive – A haunting past of an ocean

• DEVELOPER: Teacup Games
• PUBLISHER: Teacup Games
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: Horror
• RELEASE DATE: January 7, 2024
• STARTING PRICE: 7,79 €
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

If we’re going to talk about a short horror game where you pilot a tiny submarine, it would be a crime not to mention the most prominent title: Iron Lung. This minimalist, yet dread-driven game from David Szymanski quickly became an indie horror gem, resulting in a rise of similar productions centered around submarines. Although Hell Dive is clearly inspired by above-mentioned title, it surely present itself as its own thing, focusing more on atmospheric exploration, supernatural encounters and resource management.

We all live in a spooky submarine

In Hell Dive we play as Daniel, a maritime operative who works alone in his submarine. He is given a mission to revive COLONY 1265, an abandoned deep-sea mining and research facility. With the help from AI companion VIRGIL, he must navigate seven interconnected facilities scattered across the ocean floor and reactivate their systems. However, each step brings closer a chilling truth hidden in the darkness. Something is watching as you descent deeper into the unknown.

What I found interesting about this game is how rapidly my expectations keep changing during the gameplay. At the very beginning we are introduced to the mechanics of navigating the submarine through tight underwater tunnels in order to find forgotten stations, much like in Iron Lung. However it quickly turned out that piloting a submarine is only small portion of the actual gameplay, which is majorly based on entering those facilities, exploring them and fixing their systems.

For that matter, we need to keep track of the flashlight’s battery, fuel and other supplies, which implies that it’s more of a resource management type of game. Nevertheless, that impression also didn’t last long, as after the first station I realized that running out of necessary materials is highly unlikely – if you’re brave and observant enough, you will be able to gather more than you need from each level.

The rules of exploration are straightforward and predictable: every station turns into a labyrinth that you have to traverse in search of inactive engines. The objective is always the same, while the setting changes every time – we investigate places such as slaughterhouse, mine, hospital, nursery, and even the hotel from The Shining. The horror themes in this game are relatively common, not to say clichéd, however the scares are both well-placed and well-timed, especially when you didn’t notice there’s a threat going after you (got startled for good at the first chase, not gonna lie.)

Terrors hidden beneath

Hell Dive, despite its simple and a little unpolished graphics, has an atmosphere comparable to the unsettling aura of The Backrooms. The similarities concern not only eerie spaces, but also different creatures haunting them, which guarantee unique challenges on each level. Although I wouldn’t necessarily call it a “psychological horror” game – it feels more like a “walking simulator”, resembling classic horror productions. This impression is also enhanced by fairly simple rules and mechanics, as well as a short duration of this title, which can be completed in one hour or so.

One thing I had issues with since the very start of the game was… the brightness. I know, something so trivial can easily be changed, however the default settings make it almost impossible to see anything. Another aspect that in my opinion would use an improvement is the overall story of the game – the background of the main character and his mission could be more clarified and crucial for the ending, which gets cut abrupt too suddenly.

Ending thoughts

Hell Dive is a solid title for anyone interested in a short, but strong experience. It mixes some original ideas with references to already known stories, which results in an interesting blend of genres and themes. While it’s still quite rough around the edges, the game offers an enjoyable adventure that can be finished in one sitting. Whether you’re a fan of deep-sea horrors or not, you definitely won’t get bored while diving into Hell Dive.

Review copy provided by the publisher

2.8