Test Jeux Video - Anoxemia: Journey to the bottom of the ocean (US Review)

The world slowly recovers from a devastating war fought in the distant past. Play as Dr. Bailey, a scientist tasked with collecting samples from a dangerous underwater region covered in acid. The mission is difficult enough – but things quickly take a turn for the worse when your submarine crashes against the ocean floor… and you lose all contact with the surface. In Anoxemia, your primary goal is to search the ocean floor as you discover and extract samples from underwater caves. Poison drifts, powerful ocean currents, leftover mines, and malfunctioning machines need to be dealt with carefully – and it helps to have the operations drone ATMA on your side. Move fast – or you’ll run out of oxygen! Fortunately, you can equip ATMA (and your suit) with items and upgrades found on the ocean floor – increasing your odds of survival. If you happen to see a flash of light – or hear an echoing noise from the distance – you’ll quickly realize there are some dangers you must face. Dangers you don't even know exist. Dangers from within...

Key Features:
* Experience a unique sci-fi horror story that unfolds at a deliberate pace while you play.
* Explore 38 levels of unique underwater terrain.
* Find and equip several different items and upgrades.
* Solve puzzles that require quick reflexes and clever thinking.
* Enter the mind of your character through an insightful voiced narrative.

The Novias review (4/5):

Anoxemia is a deep sea exploration puzzle game based on item consumables, maze-like navigation and time management. The game starts off with a ship wrecked submarine descending into the ocean leaving the player with limited oxygen (a nod to the game title). Once the opening comic book reminiscent introduction completes, the game has players dive right in. Automatically there is an aura of looming doom and claustrophobic suspense. You start off with two counters, the first, for oxygen and the second, for energy. The oxygen is basically a time sensitive health bar and the energy is the amount of exertion you may utilize. Beware though, the quicker you use your energy the quicker your oxygen timer will deplete.

Now time management may not sound like good fun but when you mix in the count down clock representing the oxygen and energy levels of your character (Dr. Bailey) it literally becomes a race to the finish. Players will discover immediately that you will actually be controlling the ATMA, a drone, and not the character himself but by directing the ATMA you manipulate and direct the character.

Collecting items in Anoxemia is absolutely necessary when trying to progress through the mission you are on and continue to the next for level or map. Items like infected plants initially remain a mystery to their function and purpose but the random oxygen tanks, power cells and dynamite are extremely self explanatory. Any progression through the game is inherently and heavily dependent upon these consumables. So keep your goggles clear and light the way by constantly tapping that sonar bottom to help locate item consumables and avoid naval mines and energy drain spots.

If you find yourself stuck traversing the games ocean's depths not knowing which direction to move in picking up these extra oxygen tanks will be essential, slightly more so than the power cells but regardless all the supplies are finite. When it comes to the massive rock formations blocking passageways the dynamites explosive capabilities will find its use clearing the path but just as in real life be sure to move to a safe distance as it will "end the mission."

Each death in Anoxemia, whether it's suffocation or drowning due to lack of energy (timing out), being crushed by falling boulders, swimming into electric waters or being danger close to the dynamite charge when the fuse is lit simply resets the level you are on and restarts it once more. There is no life counter ending the overall game just the simple yet nostalgic trial and error feel of a one-life game.

The murky hue and cloudy visibility may frustrate but it can also be seen as another obstacle of the game's design and realism to actual deep sea navigation. Momentum of objects and even the flow of the ocean water currents give that extra depth of reality to this back and forth side scroller which most industry games leave out.

Anoxemia at its core is about performing certain task in the most efficient manner possible. The tide may not bring in all gamers but with its silhouetted visuals and the absorption of attention required to learn from previous mistakes it surely makes a splash in the timed puzzle genre. At such a low price don't let this ship pass you in the night!

Anoxemia is now available as a digital download for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 for $7.99 / €7.99
PlayStation Store  Xbox Store