Under the Waves is a narrative adventure about the “devouring power of grief”

Parallel Studio and publisher Quantic Dream announced a new single-player narrative-driven game at Gamescom called under the waves.

In the game, you will dive into the depths of the North Sea and embark on an underwater adventure about the power of sorrow. Set in the tech-futuristic 1970s, you’ll follow Stan, a professional diver working for an oil company, as he faces the isolation of the deep ocean and begins to experience a series of bizarre events beneath the waves.

Exploring caves, shipwrecks, and underwater wildlife will be the key to guiding Stan into the abyss through a series of unforeseen events. As you follow the mysterious manifestation of Stan’s memory, you’ll be faced with the difficult choice of continuing to get lost in the depths or returning to the surface.

To help develop the game, Quantic Dream provided Parallel Studio with a variety of talent and creative tools, such as motion capture, sound recording, animation, quality assurance, localization, and more.

Described as a love letter to the ocean, the game illuminates the importance of ocean conservation through a variety of marine life and subtle messages shared throughout the game experience.

Through this game, Parallel Studio and Quantic Dream have partnered with the European Surfers Foundation, a non-profit association responsible for the protection and improvement of lakes, rivers, oceans, waves and coastlines.

Quantic Dream will provide financial support to the organization through donations and will actively support the cause during and after the competition. Through in-game activations, cross-talk and internal events, both studios aim to expand Surfrider’s ecological information and marine conservation actions.

“This is the most personal and intense job we’ve ever done as a studio,” said Parallel Studio CEO and Game Director Ronan Coiffec. “We’re an independent team of a dozen members and we wanted to convey Everything is poured into this game with great enthusiasm.

“From art to writing, from sound design to technology, we all have the opportunity to make our mark on Under The Waves. We sincerely hope you will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it.”

“Back in 2021, when we announced our partnership with Parallel Studio, we couldn’t wait for players to discover their creations,” said Guillaume de Fondaumière, co-CEO of Quantic Dream. “Today, we are delighted to be able to showcase the unique experience created. In Paris by a very passionate independent team.

“We’ve been able to work closely together to give them all the means they need to create a game that lives up to their expectations and deliver on their most ambitious project to date. We’re also proud to support the European Surfers Foundation, their message And action is at the heart of the Under The Waves theme.”

“For 30 years, the European Surfers Foundation has been working to protect the oceans and keep the public informed of all threats that put pressure on the oceans,” said Penelope Giroud, Marketing and Communications Manager for the European Surfers Foundation.

“This game provides us with a huge opportunity to educate players about their vulnerability, especially through the impact of offshore drilling, among various other topics. We are happy to support the game’s creators in communicating the correct and most influential information and make sure they fit perfectly into the game’s storyline. We look forward to its release.”

Under the Waves is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.