Hydrophobia is an interesting, divisive game. Some people like it, while others vocally hate it, and a PR disaster in the making isn’t doing it any favors. This is a game that’s been on my radar for quite some time and one I was very much looking forward to playing. So, was the long wait worth it?

Hydrophobia is set in the near future, when an out-of-control “Population Flood” has caused humanity to be forced to seek alternative means of survival. One of the options implemented was the creation of an ocean-faring vessel capable of holding a city worth of people, and which is the location of the story. The Queen of the World is having its anniversary celebration and preparing for a momentous announcement from the corporations responsible for its construction, when a terrorist group called the Malthusians board the vessel and take it over. Taking their name after real life economist Thomas Malthus, they hack the security systems of the cruiser and lock everyone out, forcing the digital displays throughout the Queen to display their slogan “Save the World – Kill Yourself” as they begin a  massacre on-board the ship. There is, of course, more to the story and things aren’t as clear cut as they seem, but I’ve strayed a bit into spoiler territory as it stands. The best part of the game is the plot and I found myself really hooked by it. I went and played the game straight through in one sitting cause I was really digging the story.

I have to praise the characterization of protagonist and player character, Kate Wilson. She is terrified and justifiably so, being in way over her head. The way they handle her character is refreshing: she’s not a super badass chick who’s going to take everyone on and save the day, she’s a woman who’s in a bad situation but decides to step up because she’s the only one who can. She also never gets armor, and spends the majority of the game with a weak pistol that can only stun enemies, forcing you to come up with alternative ways to eliminate foes.

The graphics are decent. While nothing really blew me away, the engine handled everything with nary a hiccup or stutter. The music was also adequate; it fits tonally but it also slips from memory with ease. The real showcase is the HydroEngine used the render the water. It’s completely dynamic, so you’ll never see any canned animations. It’s still not a perfect emulation of water, but it’s still a heck of a lot better that what we’ve seen before.  There’s one particular sequence in the game where you find yourself in a hallway that’s ankle deep in water. Each room in the hall has a glass door and each room is also flooded. Shooting a room cause the hallway to flood more until you can get the water high enough that you can swim in it. This allows a few instances of out of the box thinking, where you can rush some situations before the flood hits and do some things a bit faster than you should be able to.  This is something I hope they expand on in the sequel.

Gameplay is a mixed bag, and they’ve quite obviously cribbed quite a bit from different games and genres. There’s a lot of climbing and jumping that feels like Uncharted or Tomb Raider, there are a few stealth sequences that feel Metal Gear Solid-esque, and the combat is third-person cover-based shooter a la Gears of War. Unfortunately, this game is not the wonderful mashup you probably have in mind after all that name dropping; instead, Hydrophobia is really janky and uneven. The shooting mechanics feel off and the cover mechanics are broken. I’ve been killed while ducking behind full cover in the middle of a wall, I’ve popped out of cover without pressing a button, and I’ve been unable to leave cover in spite of my attempts to do so. This, coupled with vague objectives, really detracts from the experience.

The gameplay isn’t the worst part of Hydrophobia, though. The biggest issue I have with the game is the story, despite my praise of the setting and characterization. The pacing and overall structure of the plot is also fine, but it culminates in the single biggest wallbanger of an ending I’ve ever seen in any game. The game literally ends in the middle of a cutscene with a smash cut, one so abrupt and unexpected that I thought my game had glitched. The story ends without resolving the narrative arc for any character and comes after the worst part of the game, play mechanics-wise. The bonus stages you get after the game unveil a brand new play mechanic that may or may not spoil a big plot development in the next part of the series. Furthermore, as engaging as the story may be, there are quite a few things that aren’t adequately explained in the game. I understand the in media res storytelling approach allows a more seamless flow into the action, but when I can’t tell if the “Queen” is a person or a place until halfway through, you might want to fill out the backstory a bit more.

I honestly enjoyed playing though the entirety of Hydrophobia, but the shockingly mishandled ending/sequel baiting left me completely cold. I can’t recommend you get this game for $15. It may be worth it on sale or even full price once the second game is available for purchase, but the audacity of “we got you now” conclusion drops my enthusiasm to zero.