HIGHWATER - A forecast of what the world will be like? | Review

A reflection on our contemporary world

Highwater takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that was flooded after a huge ecological catastrophe. The major cities are submerged, and now those who survived the disaster need to find not only scarce resources in a world where fertile land, fauna, and flora are almost non-existent, but also hope to resist attacks from oppressive and violent groups.

The game's story follows Nikos, an orphan teenager, and his friends Rimbaud, Laura, and Josephine, who decide to try to infiltrate a spaceship that will be sent to Mars in order to escape the Earth's precarious conditions and lack of resources. The narrative focuses on the journey of these young people in search of a minimally dignified life, while facing different adversities and challenges in a hostile and devastated world.

The atmosphere that Highwater creates is very interesting and makes us reflect a lot on the current issues of our world, as we humans continuously damage the Earth's environment without much concern for the consequences that are already appearing. Various tasks and missions that we encounter in our journey in the game make us face various social problems, such as social inequality, children without resources (whether for leisure or food), or militias taking oppressive control in areas where there is an absence of the State.

All this setting - because it is something very tangible and close to the issues we have today - leaves me very reflective and somehow makes me take the game more seriously - is built through very well-constructed dialogues that confront you with the loss of loved ones or activities that, today, for us, are trivial things. In addition, the scenery - very beautiful, by the way - full of islands formed by abandoned buildings or constructions amidst a vast blue expanse, with a very pleasant and, at the same time, somewhat melancholic soundtrack, leads you to a relaxing and reflective experience at the same time.

A hostile world to be explored

The game's story is told as you explore the islands made of buildings, as it is there that you find newspapers and books that inform you about the context. It is through exploration, also, that you encounter enemies, whether insurgents or animals, which you must overcome if you want to continue your adventure.

Although the art is very beautiful and relaxing, perhaps it is at the moment of exploration and combat that some players may not have much adhesion to the game. This is because Highwater offers us very simple gameplay that can end up being repetitive or lackluster for those looking for something more frenetic or action-packed.

Exploration, despite being one of the fundamental elements of the game, is not very rewarding, as it only provides you with elements of the game's lore or consumable items that you only use in combat - and, to be honest, I never used any consumable items at any point -. As for combat, because it is quite simplistic and/or minimalist, many players may find it boring or tedious. Combat takes place in turns and mechanically the game allows you to walk, use skills (whether for attack or support), or consumable items. In short, there is no new element when compared to a turn-based combat game from the 90s or 2000s, such as a Pokemon from Gameboy or one of the early Final Fantasy games.

Finally, I would say that what drives the game and keeps the player engaged in the experience is the story of Nikos and his friends. The narrative and the journey of the main character is what captivates and motivates you to continue with the game.

A minimalist and beautiful art

In a somewhat poetic way, it is interesting how they bring a minimalist art style to portray a world swept and erased by water. As if it were a universe that has been reset and now has few details other than destroyed and abandoned buildings and water spread everywhere.

Although it is a simple art style, with little texture, not very deep world design, and trivial animations, the game's visuals are very beautiful and certainly one of the key points to make the Highwater experience more enjoyable. The minimalism certainly adds and brings an implicit message - beauty is present in many extremely accessible and trivial things that we do not value in the face of a world full of stimuli -.

Finally, besides the very beautiful visuals, the game also features a very pleasant soundtrack, the Highwater Pirate Radio. During the moments when you advance through the city in your motorboat, the radio accompanies you bringing very pleasant soundtracks that make your experience much more enjoyable. In short, the sound effects end up being simple and minimalist, just like the visual art. Thus, in combat or ambient sounds, the audio may seem a bit empty.

For this review, Highwater was played on the Windows platform (PC) through Steam. We would also like to thank Rogue Studios for providing us with the game and allowing this content to be created!