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Play Overview
Barotrauma (2023) is a cooperative space-submarine adventure set after humanity has fled to Jupiter's moon. You work with other players to steer your submarine, work the ageing machinery, fight monsters and fix the endless leaks. It's a game that revels in not only super detailed teamwork survival but the creeping horror of sea monsters outside the thin metal hull.
It's the near future and humanity is surviving in the oceans of Jupiter's moon. You must travel in your submarine through the harsh waters to team up with (or take on) the four rival factions and ultimately discover what lies in the depths.
Play is as much about the minutiae of submarine management as it is about action. With other players, you need to pick roles to crew the vessel and achieve your goals. You move around on foot to interact with the different elements of the submarine and talk to other crew members. This enables you to collaborate to operate complex on-board systems like the sonar, nuclear reactor, weapons, engines and pumps. It's too much to do on your own, so the only way to survive is clear communication with the other players.
As you progress you learn the on-board wiring, crafting and medical systems. Deciding who is best suited for each depends on which of the 6 player classes you have selected: Captain, Engineer, Mechanic, Medic, Security officer and Assistant. Do your job well and you gain experience and unlock talents to improve your character's specialization. But at the same time, you need to keep an eye on your reputation with each faction and carefully choose who to ally with.
The result is a submarine simulator (the developer calls it a drowning simulator) that creates a scary world in which to survive. Like FTL, you deal with limited resources and uncontrollable elements like water and fire. But more than these, it's the unpredictable and volatile other players that prove the hardest to deal with.
Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Barotrauma a year ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 7 months ago.
It's the near future and humanity is surviving in the oceans of Jupiter's moon. You must travel in your submarine through the harsh waters to team up with (or take on) the four rival factions and ultimately discover what lies in the depths.
Play is as much about the minutiae of submarine management as it is about action. With other players, you need to pick roles to crew the vessel and achieve your goals. You move around on foot to interact with the different elements of the submarine and talk to other crew members. This enables you to collaborate to operate complex on-board systems like the sonar, nuclear reactor, weapons, engines and pumps. It's too much to do on your own, so the only way to survive is clear communication with the other players.
As you progress you learn the on-board wiring, crafting and medical systems. Deciding who is best suited for each depends on which of the 6 player classes you have selected: Captain, Engineer, Mechanic, Medic, Security officer and Assistant. Do your job well and you gain experience and unlock talents to improve your character's specialization. But at the same time, you need to keep an eye on your reputation with each faction and carefully choose who to ally with.
The result is a submarine simulator (the developer calls it a drowning simulator) that creates a scary world in which to survive. Like FTL, you deal with limited resources and uncontrollable elements like water and fire. But more than these, it's the unpredictable and volatile other players that prove the hardest to deal with.
Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Barotrauma a year ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 7 months ago.
Kids not old enough for this yet? There are lots of games similar to Barotrauma. Here are some similar younger-rated games:
Play Style
This is a Communication, Role-Play and Simulation game with Action, Adventure and Strategy elements. You can play this by yourself or as a 16-player online game. You can supplement your crew count with computer characters in either single-player or multiplayer game modes. You can either manually control the other crew members, or give them orders. Although players report that while this "is technically true, in practice, you’re going to spend a lot of time drowning because the AI crew are pretty useless".
You can play this game in the following styles:
Duration
Play Time: This game will take between 30 hours and 60 hours to complete. The nature of the game means you can spend hundreds of hours enjoying the simulation.
Benefits
This game is good if you want to:
Age Ratings
The developer states that the game contains violence, gore, and drug use. This stems from the game being a simulation in which many things can go wrong: parasite infections, creature invasions or simply other players killing their crew mates with guns or welding equipment. There's blood accompanying injury and characters can break limbs. Injured and dead players remain in the world and there are signs of blood. You can also drown. The campaign story includes dialogue with swear words including "*!@?*", "*!@?*", "*!@?*", "hell" and "*!@?*".
Skill Level
12+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Still, it's important for parents and guardians to consider the maturity required to process the game content. It's also important to ensure children understand in-game purchases and have spending limits set-up. You need to be able to deal with high pressure, other people and complex systems at the same time. Part of the fun is the emergent chaos that ensues when the team faces challenges. Being able to communicate well and lead other people is also an important part of the fun.
Costs
Barotrauma usually costs £29.99.
You can purchase the Supporter Pack for more game content.
The following in-game purchases are available:
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
Barotrauma
There are the following additional costs associated with this game:
- In-Game Purchases: Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience.
You can purchase the Supporter Pack for more game content.
The following in-game purchases are available:
Barotrauma - Supporter Pack
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
Game Details
Release Date: 13/03/2023
Out Now: PC
Skill Rating: 12+ year-olds
Players: 1 (16 online)
Genres: Communication, Role-Play, Simulation (Action, Adventure and Strategy)
Accessibility: 3 features
Components: 2D Side-On
Developer: Undertow Games (@UndertowGames)
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Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships. |
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