Platform: PC/Windows - itch.io
Date completed: 11/17/2022
Time to beat: 3 Hours
Rating: 9/10
Similar to: Iron Lung, Outer Wilds

"In a grasp for salvation with sentinels closing in, you've stolen a Nauticrawl. You check the radar, turn a few knobs, press some buttons... then you realize: I don't know how to move this hunk of metal."

Nauticrawl: 20,000 Atmospheres is a game about experimentation. You find yourself inside a Nauticrawl, a highly intricate machine intended to be piloted by trained elites. You are thrown into the deep end with no instructions, no guidance, just a vast selection of buttons and levers at your disposal. Every knob you turn or switch you flick could be the difference between success and failure; you could pilot your Nauticrawl directly into a wall, trigger the eject button, run out of battery or overheat. The game’s replayability lies in the fact that each run is different, and you must constantly work out how everything fits together to improve your chances of escaping. Mistakes are inevitable, but that’s the beauty of the game. Theorize, experiment, repeat.

About a year ago, I stumbled upon Nauticrawl: 20,000 Atmospheres in an itch.io bundle thanks to Completionator’s “What Should I Play” feature. Looking at the cover I thought “Oh! This looks cool.” (I know, terrible practice). But once I opened the game, I was instantly hooked.

This is not the genre of game that I typically enjoy – I like straightforward story games with minimal exploration and direct instructions on what I need to do next. But if you present me with a wall of buttons and levers, of course I can’t help but mess with them. And that is what the entire game is, and it is so incredibly fun and rewarding figuring out what each one does.

It was created by one developer – Andre Int – and was nominated for both the US and EU IndieCade and received an Excellence in Design Honorable Mention from the Independent Games Festival Awards. At the time of writing, the Steam page is 94% positive with 244 user reviews. I cannot recommend this game enough.

I hope you enjoyed this little review (heavily inspired by moho's Backlog Journey)! I plan on posting more in the future with a focus on lesser-known indie games. Cheers!