Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss Review – Hauntingly poignant journey below the waves

Underwater levels in video games terrify me. I have no idea why. I’ve never had a negative experience with water during the 33 years of my life, yet pixelated waves cause me to tense up, especially when I sink below their foaming white peaks.

It’s interesting then, that someone like me should jump at the chance to review a game like Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss. The title might not give away its watery environment, but the images from its gameplay certainly do; images that I saw before agreeing to review the game.

Call it a momentary lapse in judgement, a brain fart, or just a sudden loss of sense, but I accepted my mission with vigour, ignorant of the fear that would grip my heart the whole time I played.

Watch the trailer for Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss

Realisation soon hit me, of course. But by then it was too late.

While I initially regretted my eagerness, I soon found myself grateful for taking the plunge, for I found a stunningly crafted experience that haunts me still. It lingers like the chill of autumnal air. The sensation isn’t unpleasant, though I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that there is a continuous eerie sense of dread that follows you throughout this tale. Arguably, it comes with the territory of investigating a sunken wreckage.

There’s so much I want to tell you about this melancholy story, however, many of its secrets are best experienced first-hand, and thus I’ll keep my review free of spoilers. The only way to truly immerse yourself is to go in armed with blissful ignorance. I’ll certainly speak of my experience, the atmosphere, and the playability of this Team17 Digital game, but it’s up to you to uncover what happened to your former crew.

I liken my time with Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss to my experience as I walked through the many memories of What Became of Edith Finch. There are ghosts here, but not necessarily the spectres we fear when we dangle our legs out of our beds at night. Instead, we’re haunted by loss, of human connection that transcends all experiences both good and ill.

Narratively speaking, this is a strong experience from beginning to end. Woven like the delicate threads we read of in Sherlock Holmes, we must act as investigator to follow each strand to the crux of this mystery. I mention the great detective, not simply because of his association with mysteries, but because of how certain gameplay elements mirror his powers of deduction. By collecting clues, we must then piece them together to form a whole, with that one solution part of a far bigger puzzle.

It sounds like a daunting task, and in some ways it is, yet you’ll not feel overwhelmed despite the wealth of information coming your way. This is because the game informs you when you’ve made enough progress to solve one of the secrets hidden onboard. It’s a welcome feature that ensures you always know how far along in the plot you are, provided you update and solve mysteries as you go, of course.

Team17 Digital

This constant stream of information is made more manageable through dossiers on the various crew members. Every time you learn more about a character, those details will update, which in turn might help you if you become lost during your investigation. Which brings me to my next point: scan the map religiously. If an area is highlighted as a place of interest even though you’re sure you’ve discovered everything hidden there, go back and search again. I can guarantee you’ll have missed something.

There’s so much depth here, yet all those layers of intrigue and character development end up being part of the game’s downfall. Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss is by no means a poor game, nor would I trust anyone who describes it as such. Nevertheless, it’s essentially a walking simulator, albeit a very attractive one.

If you removed the ambient creaks of the ship as it groans under the weight of the sea, or cut the talented cast of actors who lend their voice to the experience, it would be devoid of much of the depth I’ve so fondly remarked on throughout this review. Similarly to the puzzle pieces of this mystery, you need all elements for the final image to become clear; remove one and it doesn’t work.

Your journey through this evocative world is steeped in history, memories, love and loss, but you're simply walking through it to add yet another puzzle piece to the board. There’s no action, at least not in a traditional sense, and therefore its appeal can start to wane towards the end. Personally, I felt the story overstayed its welcome. Although, I will concede and say I was most impatient to learn the truth of the events that befell the crew, so maybe that played a part in my longing to see the finish line.

I also think it’s important that I mention how I experienced multiple game crashes during my playthrough; though again, I place the blame on me because I was playing on my Steam Deck. Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss is a sizeable game. Consequently, it put my poor Deck through its paces, and ultimately, the hardware sometimes failed. This hasn’t impacted my overall score for the game, though. However, I want to draw attention to the issue in case it happens to PC users as well. I only have my own experience to speak of, so I can’t say if crashes are a common occurrence or not.

Even if they are, I’d argue they’re a minor inconvenience at best. Nobody wants their game interrupted, but if I have to endure a couple of issues to experience such an emotive tale, I will do so without hesitation. I still don’t know what made me want to play this game. Nonetheless, I’m indebted to past Emma for taking that leap of faith, for I found a hidden gem nestling beneath the waves.

Pros: Fantastic voice acting, attractive visuals, intriguing storyline

Cons: Walking simulator, slow burn, too drawn out

For fans of: Riven, Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishment, What Remains of Edith Finch

Score: 8/10: Excellent

Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss is available on Steam. A code for review was supplied by the publisher. Find a complete guide to GAMINGbible's review scores here.