Hydrophobia - The Game Journal Review

Title: Hydrophobia

Developed By: Dark Energy Digital

Published By: Microsoft Game Studios

Early in Hydrophobia there is a sequence where you have to take Kate Wilson, the game's protagonist, into a flooded room and up through an elevator shaft filled with water. Taking what is, essentially, a leap of faith that she can go this long distance, Kate pushes herself through the dark waters, navigating around obstacles in her path. As she begins to run out of air, the edges of the screen become distorted and Kate makes some gurgling noises as if she is swallowing water. As Kate presses on the feeling of fear starts to set in. Will I make it to the surface of the water? Where is the surface? Then, you see it. The end is in sight, the surface near. Kate gasps for breath as she treads water. She made it, but just barely. It's moments like these where Hydrophobia is at its best. 

Hydrophobia has, hands down, the best water tech I've ever interacted with in a video game. The water flows with a natural motion and looks realistic. The first time you open a door and see the water flood in, it truly feels like you are seeing something new. It's tech that begs to be played with. Fortunately, Dark Energy Digital realizes this. Water plays a role in some of the in-game puzzles. You will, at times, raise the water level of a certain area by opening doors and letting the water flow in. Additionally, after you finish the game, you will be able to play Challenge Rooms wherein Kate will have the ability to manipulate the water, using it against her enemies. 

Unfortunately, Hydrophobia suffers from some odd design decisions which take away from its better points. For example, there is an odd logic to the in-game hint system, at some points the game will mark where you are supposed to go with an on-screen waypoint that shows the direction and distance you are from it. Other times there is no waypoint at all and you'll have to rely on the sometimes tough to understand Scoot, another security officer on the ship who offers Kate guidance through her earpiece, or you'll have to try to make heads or tails of the game's map which can be be frustratingly slow and difficult to use. 

Another odd piece of logic is that you are limited to using only a stun pistol throughout the entirety of the game. Thankfully, you are presented with different ammunition, such as exploding gels for the pistol which does add variety to the ways it can be used. The gun itself isn't the problem, as it gives you a chance to play around with the game's physics, you can push items around with the quick tap of the trigger or you can charge your shot which can break objects, make barrels explode, or knock out an enemy, leaving them to drown. The issue I have is that for some reason you are not allowed to pick up the guns of your fallen enemies. It's seems like an odd design choice and doesn't really make any sense. 

The combat itself is a bit hit or miss. While you will have to fight enemies, and you are able to take them out in different ways, the combat itself rarely rises above simply being something to do. In other words, while the physics based gun play is interesting, it never feels natural, like in a lot of other shooters. Then again, I don't consider Hydrophobia a shooter. There is a lot more to it than the interactions you have with enemies. There are sections where you'll have to do a bit of platforming, but these sections felt more frustrating than anything as controlling Kate during them felt unwieldy. Faring better is the use of the MAVI system. Using this tool, you are able to glean extra information from the levels that are hidden from the human eye. You'll also have to hack into the computer system at times, using the thumbsticks to match a wavelength. Though I'm usually cold to hacking mini-games, I actually found this quite pleasant. 

There are items to be collected scattered throughout the ship. Most of the items themselves have no tangible effect on the gameplay, though you can pick up notes from fallen enemies which do add context to the story, making things a lot clearer as you progress. 

I find I have mixed feelings for Hydrophobia. On one hand, the water tech is excellent, and its use in the gameplay is more than just window dressing. Dark Energy Digital should be applauded for what they've come up with in that regard. I also really like the physics employed, not only by the water, but also by the weapon you use. It lends a sense of unpredictability to the game, which I appreciate. Unfortunately these high points are interspersed with some frustrating elements and odd logic choices. So, ultimately, we have a game that ends up being merely average in spite of having an element that is at the top of its class. This is the first title in a series, and I do have hope that Dark Energy Digital will create a better experience in the next chapter, to go along with the excellent water tech they've developed.