The deep sea, despite being dark and unknown, has its loyal admirers. Codename: Ocean Keeper is an upcoming roguelike indie game by RetroStyle Games that takes place underwater, on the ocean floor filled with sea monsters and caves. In this review, I will share my honest impressions of the game so far.
Please remember that the game is still under development and has not been released yet, so there may be changes. You can keep up with its development or add it to your wishlist on the game’s official Steam page.
Before You Play
First of all, let me preface this by stating that the game is scheduled for release in July. It will be available on PC, Mobile, Steam Deck, and Switch platforms.
There are 9 supported languages: English, Russian, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Polish, Ukrainian, and Swedish.
To meet the minimum requirements, you’ll need a 64-bit processor and operating system, at least 4 GB of RAM, and 2 GB of available storage space. For processing power, an Intel Core i5 or its equivalent is recommended. Graphics-wise, a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or equivalent card is the minimum threshold. Be aware that Windows 7 support ends on January 1st, 2024, so Windows 10 or later is required for Steam users.
For Linux players, the minimum requirements are similar: Ubuntu 12.04 or later, an Intel Core i5 or equivalent processor, 4 GB of RAM, and a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 or equivalent graphics card.
Gameplay
Exploring the deep sea can be terrifying in real life, and Codename: Ocean Keeper captures this atmosphere well (although for me, the timer warning of approaching hordes of sea monsters was even scarier).
The game plunges you right into the action. You find yourself at the ocean floor’s depths, piloting a huge spider-like robot built for both exploration and combat. The game uses WASD movement and features easily memorable hotkeys like “E” for collecting ores and “U” for accessing the menu, where you can upgrade your digger, mech, or machine gun, depending on your needs.
One of the first things you need to understand is that you must make upgrades during the time window after you defeat the waves. There is a timer for when the next wave comes, so you can’t be hiding in the cave forever either. If you don’t make enough upgrades, you won’t be able to defeat the sea monsters, and your mech will be destroyed.
There are caves all over the ocean floor where you can collect various resources, among them, you can dig out legendary artifacts and get powerful modules that will be installed on your mech.
Battling the monsters is the hard part. You have to kite back and aim. The good thing is that at least the guns fire automatically. If you die, it’s permadeath. There is no map or a saving button either. Merciless, right? The life of the pilot in Codename: Ocean Keeper is tough!
Customization
As previously stated, upgrading your weapons is incredibly important. Your sole goal is to survive, and for that, you need to gather as many resources as you can.
There is a vast array of weapons to choose from to fit your play style. Most of the resources can be obtained by digging in caves and collecting materials, artifacts, and meta-currency from them and then using them to upgrade your mech according to your playstyle.
Some of the weapons I’ve seen around:
- Sniper Rifle
- Jamming Missile Launcher
- Rocket Gun
- Machine Gun
- Railgun
- Detonation Charges
- Napalm Bomb Launcher
You should be able to customize your mech further but I couldn’t access the “Customization menu” for some reason.
Visuals and Audio
There is a deep sea audio track that’s mysterious and another one that is more aggressive for combat, both fitting the overall theme well. However, I would love to see more audio tracks added for variety.
The visuals are simple but effective, complementing the game’s atmosphere. I just wonder how big the actual world is, it would be nice if there was a feature to zoom out.
Overall Impression
With its simple design and movement, one might expect the game to be easy. However, while these elements are indeed beginner-friendly and not overwhelming, finding the right balance between time management for digging, exploring, and fighting off sea monsters can be challenging, especially as you advance through the levels and encounter more of them.
All in all, fans of roguelikes will likely be pleased with the challenge and the ability to tailor their playstyle to strategically tackle challenges.
