Darkwater (v1.0 & Multiplayer)

A frozen ocean sealed beneath an alien moon’s ice provides the claustrophobic hunting ground for Darkwater, a co-op extraction horror game built around desperate submarine survival. Up to four players share a customizable vessel, though solo captains can take on the same hostile waters alone. The mood is tense rather than purely action-driven: every trip beyond the safety of the hull risks fuel shortages, mechanical failure, hostile crews, and something enormous moving in the dark. Its blend of deep-sea dread and sci-fi scavenging makes even a routine supply run feel like a gamble.

Players pilot their submarine across the under-ice surface, use sonar to probe the black water, and manage weapons and systems when danger closes in. Missions revolve around searching abandoned stations and underwater facilities for fuel, supplies, and clues while trying to bring the haul home alive. On-foot excursions expose the crew to infected divers, alien crabs, and predatory angler fish, while enemy submarines turn the ocean into a tactical battlefield of torpedoes, harpoons, decoy mines, and depth charges. Progress comes through expanding the vessel with additional decks and specialist cabins that improve stealth, hacking, combat potential, and the crew’s chances of surviving longer expeditions.

Darkwater stands out by treating the submarine as both a mobile base and a vulnerable shared responsibility, not just a vehicle between objectives. Crews can negotiate with rival survivors, engage them at range, or attempt an aggressive boarding action using manned torpedoes, giving encounters more uncertainty than a straightforward monster hunt. Resource pressure and upgrade choices encourage careful planning, while the scattered mystery beneath the ice gives exploration a purpose beyond collecting loot. Players who enjoy the teamwork chaos of Barotrauma, the extraction tension of Hunt: Showdown, or the oppressive atmosphere of underwater horror should find plenty to like, especially with a regular group willing to communicate.