Written by Matthew Escalante, Entertainment writer
The world seems calm within the steel walls of the SSN Orca.
The sounds of humming machinery fill the room.
Various monitors stand in front of you dimly lighting the room, showing the undamaged hull of the submarine and your immediate surroundings via sonar.
But something is off, the radar was detecting something in the area.
But that was impossible, the Orca had been traveling through open water.
The fragile submarine began to shake, the mellow sounds of the engine were swallowed by the roar of gunfire.
The source of this noise was the deck gun, something required on almost every submarine.
You had hoped you wouldn’t have had to use it today, or any day in the matter of fact.
The radar lit up again, the object was getting closer.
An indescribable wail resonates through the submarine.
You bash the alarm next to the console.
The sound of the alarm joins the chaos, red lights flash, creating a symphony and scene from hell.
It’s time to make or break…
Barotrauma is a 2D, co-op, submarine simulator with horror and survival elements. Released on June 5 2019, the game is still in early access and available on steam. The game was developed by Undertow Games and Fakefish.
Barotrauma takes place on Europa, Jupiter’s 6th moon. Below its frozen surface lies a whole new world, filled with humanity’s attempts to colonize the watery depths along with plenty of horrifying creatures.
Players are put into the role of submariners that are responsible for taking on certain missions whilst dealing with a variety of crises that threaten both your submarine and your crew — may it be aggressive lifeforms attempting to decommission your sub or a traitor amongst your ranks.
The crew is responsible for the submarines every need, such as electronics, piloting, repairs, etc.
The crew is divided into several classes which are each responsible for their tasks. These classes include the captain who pilots the sub, the mechanic who repairs breaches and various machinery, the engineer who operates complicated electronics, the medical doctor who is responsible for the lives of the crew, the security officer who watches for suspicious activity or operates weaponry, and the assistant who can adapt to the situation. Of course anyone can do any task technically, but doing what your class excels at saves time and resources. Your ability to work together and act under pressure will be tested.
A variety of game modes are available in Barotrauma, such as casual, role playing, serious, and more. The game even allows you to customize your own crew members, submarines, creatures and even game modes. Some game modes have endings while others can go on as long as you like.
You probably have never heard of this game, but I believe it is a great example of what a small independent company can do. The development team still cares for the game, allowing for a steady stream of updates and allowing it to improve. If you are looking for a game to spend an afternoon with friends, Barotrauma may be just the game.