(SNAPP Reviews aren’t really full-fledged game reviews as much as they are just a way for us to give you a quick “heads-up” on whether a game is good or not. It usually means that we haven’t finished the game yet, but have played a good enough chunk to know if it’s worth your time or money.)
Below The Ocean is a side-scrolling platformer that was recently released on the App Store by Trong Pham. The game has you playing as a deep sea treasure hunter as you try to make your way through an underwater labyrinth of platforms and puzzles. BTO really took me by surprise with its unique air tank mechanics. Throughout each level you are tethered to your air tank and need to make it to the next one to progress. This creates some pretty unique puzzles. You’ll even use your line to swing and boost yourself to different areas. There are 4 different “expeditions” with each one taking quite a while to get through. The level design is really well done and the game does a great job implementing new mechanics keeping things from feeling too repetitive. My only issue is that the ads are aggressive and unpredictable. Ads pop up after you die and usually you’ll have to sit through two of them (one long and one short) before returning to the game. Sometimes you can die and nothing will pop up, while other times it feels like they are popping up after every death (And you will die a lot!). Unfortunately, there’s no IAP to get rid of this problem. Monetization aside, Below The Ocean is a really solid game. The one-bit visuals are absolutely beautiful and the on-screen controls get the job done. There’s not much else to the game outside of the four expeditions. No upgrades or cosmetics to deal with. If you’re a fan of puzzle platformers, definitely check this one out.
Below The Ocean is also in this week’s SNAPP Roundup!
Paul (@hashtagNOEN)
🤿🤿🤿(If you appreciate my work, please support the website by joining the SNAPP Patreon or making a one time donation via PayPal.)🤿🤿🤿
