As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I must say that I have seldom encountered a mobile game as captivating and unique as Ocean Keeper. Having played my fair share of roguelike games and survival titles, it’s safe to say that this gem truly stands out from the crowd.
Guardian of the Ocean Depths – Submarine Saga
Hailing from Ukraine, RetroStyle Games has launched Ocean Keeper, their newest addition to an extensive collection of games that also encompasses titles like Last Pirate: Survival Island and Spirit Run, among others.
At present, the game is undergoing its Early Preview stage, allowing us the opportunity to try out Ocean Keeper directly on an Android device, experiencing the gameplay dynamics it offers.
Table of Contents
- Game Concept
- Gameplay
- Graphics / Visual Presentation
- Sound
- Performance
- Microtransactions
- Uniqueness
- Conclusion
- Final Rating
Game Concept
Ocean Keeper revolves around two fundamental game components: the roguelike and survival aspects, offering a combined gaming experience that’s both engaging and distinctive, particularly appealing to enthusiasts of these genres. Throughout the game, these elements coexist but showcase their individual brilliance according to the stage you’re progressing through.
In my gaming experience, delving into caves and searching for hidden treasures feels more intricate due to the roguelike aspects. When you venture into one, you’ll find yourself in a 2D, grid-like environment where different terrains can be mined. It has an old-school dungeon vibe that I really enjoy, but I haven’t been able to lose myself completely because there’s always a countdown before hordes of monsters swarm my Mech in the overworld.
During this phase, you’ll find yourself immersed in a survival scenario, piloting your Mech over the ocean floor. To overcome the swarms of enemies that attack in each wave, you’ll need to strategically employ different weapons, enhancements, and abilities at your disposal. However, your time for exploration is limited, as you can only venture out to discover new areas, delve into hidden caves, and gather resources for a short while before the next wave starts.
Gameplay
In a natural and easy-to-read manner: Ocean Keeper crafts an alluring, perilous underwater realm that’s open to exploration. This aquatic environment brings to mind the immersive experience of deep-sea adventure found in Subnautica, created by Unknown Worlds Entertainment.
The overall gameplay experience was engaging and didn’t feel repetitive even after multiple sessions. The world environment changed every time I jumped into a new session and this definitely contributed to keeping the game feeling fresh. I needed to quickly identify bottlenecks, open spaces, and caves to prepare myself for incoming waves.
Beyond this, the numerous weapons you can arm yourself with and the array of skills you can utilize, coupled with diverse upgrade options, grant you the freedom to try out various configurations. This flexibility could potentially boost your odds of staying alive. As someone who appreciates strategy games, I found these real-time strategy (RTS) features particularly engaging.
In the game Ocean Keeper, they incorporate tactile feedback, or haptics, into the gaming experience. During the caving phase, I experienced this sensation as I added items to my character, and it significantly enhances immersion. Considering this, I believe that haptic feedback could be expanded. It would have been an engaging addition if the cave had vibrated when time ran out before a wave started or whenever an enemy inflicted damage on your Mech.
In addition to the current features of the game, I propose a few enhancements to make the gameplay more realistic. For instance, implementing a gravity effect could add a layer of realism during the caving phase when players are attached to multiple items. As it stands, moving with more items slows you down, but there’s no resistance or drag when you’re stationary. Moreover, it would be beneficial to allow players to choose which item to drop instead of automatically dropping the oldest one.
Graphics / Visual Presentation
I found the representation of the underwater world incredibly captivating, especially since the game was set at its maximum visual settings. The detailed textures in the 3D-modeled rocks, corals, creatures (including aliens), and surrounding elements were a sight to behold. I was particularly struck by the shadows cast on the floor from the water above, which had a similar feel to the shadow effects seen in “Command and Conquer 3”.
As I ventured into the caves, I encountered a unique graphical style. It was clearly two-dimensional and somewhat blocky, yet it showcased intricate details about your character and abilities. It seems the developers drew inspiration from games like Dome Keeper and Vampire Survivors for gameplay references, and perhaps also took cues from their traditional roguelike aesthetic.
Sound
frankly speaking, I must admit that I’m quite fond of the audio design, specifically the background music. It’s remarkably sparse, incorporating a blend of authentic underwater noises with hauntingly atmospheric space-like melodies to generate a somewhat transitional ambiance as you traverse the caves and the world around you.
Contrarily, during intense battles against numerous adversaries, the music takes on a more heightened tone, creating a sense of tension. The sounds of the Mech and its weaponry might seem familiar to some, reminiscent of classic arcade game audio. Nonetheless, it’s undeniably thrilling, and I think the sound designers have successfully crafted an engaging ambiance.
Performance
On a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, I played Ocean Keeper under its standard settings, and the game operated flawlessly with no performance glitches. Interestingly, even a device as old as those released in 2019 should handle this game effortlessly due to its moderate software demands.
The game allows you to adjust its speed and visuals on your device based on a variety of frames per second (FPS) rates and graphic quality options. This means that if your device seems to struggle with the graphics, you can decrease these settings to ensure smooth gameplay. These customizable options are beneficial and useful for any mobile gamer.
Microtransactions
Excessive microtransactions can sometimes spoil the enjoyment of a mobile game, as they may transform the gaming experience into one that feels like winning is solely dependent on payment instead of skill or effort, diminishing the sense of accomplishment derived from earning in-game items and upgrades.
Ocean Keeper skillfully navigates this aspect, as the in-game market primarily deals with Meta-currency at present. Yet, this currency isn’t compulsory since you can also earn it by playing the game itself. This setup is advantageous because it allows for accelerated upgrade progress if desired, but it doesn’t restrict access to significant gameplay enhancements behind a paywall.
Uniqueness
In most cases, I haven’t come across a game with a similar structure as Ocean Keeper. However, it carries characteristics reminiscent of old-school roguelike games. It combines typical survival aspects yet does so in an innovative way that feels unique and distinct from other comparable games within the genre.
In the realm of mobile gaming, it’s rare to find roguelike or survival games. However, if by chance you discover this game in the app store and take a few spins, I believe you’ll agree – much like me – that it stands out distinctly from other games you’ve downloaded onto your phone.
Conclusion
Although Ocean Keeper is still in its Early Access stage, it gives the impression of a fully-fledged game. Its strong base serves as a rich source of inspiration, and it successfully embodies the various genres it aims to represent.
RetroStyle Games has detailed its upcoming plans for the game, which include adding a story mode, new bosses, and continued optimization. I’m excited about these upcoming features as they have the potential to significantly enhance the game. Additionally, the game is expected to launch on Steam for PC in the near future.
As a gaming enthusiast who relishes the challenge of classic roguelikes, honing my survival and strategic prowess, Ocean Keeper has piqued my interest. I can’t wait for its official launch and am on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the exciting new features it promises to unveil.
| Pros | Cons |
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Final Rating
Our final rating considers the game’s performance across six key areas. Namely, the areas are gameplay, performance, graphics / visual presentation, sound, uniqueness, and the level of microtransactions in the game.
Here is an overview of the scoring in each area:
| Gameplay | 25/30 |
| Performance | 19/20 |
| Graphics / Visual Presentation | 18/20 |
| Sound | 13/15 |
| Uniqueness | 4/5 |
| Microtransactions | 9/10 |
| Total Score | 88/100 |
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2024-09-16 14:01