Murky Divers – A fun multiplayer game that combines strategy, teamwork, and horror

• DEVELOPER: Embers
• PUBLISHER: Oro Interactive, Drillhounds
• PLATFORMS: PC
• GENRE: Multiplayer / Exploration
• RELEASE DATE: December 12, 2024
• STARTING PRICE: 8,99€
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Murky Divers is a fun multiplayer game that feels like a mix of Lethal Company and Content Warning. With so many multiplayer games released every day, Murky Divers stands out with its polished experience. This game for 1-8 players puts you in the role of scuba divers clearing evidence of unethical experiments in underwater pharmaceutical labs. It uses proximity voice chat, eerie visuals, and creative gameplay to deliver a spooky and chaotic adventure. You need to use sonar to navigate the ocean while collecting, avoiding, or attacking targets you scan.

One of the best parts is how well it mixes strategy, teamwork, and horror. You must work together on a pill-shaped submarine, taking on roles like piloting, power management, and navigation, all while exploring mysterious underwater locations. It’s harder to play solo, but since the game is affordable, it’s easy to get friends involved. Unlike Lethal Company, which only supports four players without mods, Murky Divers allows larger groups, which adds to the fun.

Fun gameplay with a horror atmosphere

Survival mechanics are well-designed, requiring you to manage resources like oxygen and upgrade your submarine with in-game currency. Exploration is key, with procedurally generated environments that make each dive unique. The game ramps up the tension with terrifying sea monsters, like Reaper, and constant danger from the police (more of that later). There’s no formal tutorial, but environmental hints like posters and notes, along with trial-and-error gameplay, help you learn as you go.

The game has a nostalgic horror vibe, with blurry, old-school visuals that fit the creepy underwater setting. Locations like Atlantis are especially impressive, with details like coral reefs, broken glass, and rusty vents. You can also customize your diver with fun skins, like a rubber ducky outfit or the animated Virus skin, adding personality to the experience.

The monster designs are a highlight, featuring creepy and unique creatures that are genuinely scary. But, every enemy in the game has a way to be dealt with; it’s not just a matter of running away or getting instantly killed like in many other games. Additionally, the sound design is excellent, from distant screeches to creaking machinery, building suspense which fit perfectly into the game.

Ending thoughts

Murky Divers’ replayability is one of its strongest assets. Each mission lasts about seven minutes and mixes fast action with funny moments that can make you laugh if you play with others. The tasks like collecting body parts, doing experiments, and finding batteries are easy to understand, but they might get boring after a while. However, unexpected creature encounters and teamwork keep the game exciting for the right players.

One unique feature is the “wanted level.” If you don’t meet your goals or cause too much trouble, you’ll get noticed by the underwater police. These ocean cops add more chaos, making the game more intense and often funny. The 1.0 release introduced a new map called The Laboratories. This map features the abandoned Diver Creation Facility. A great addition is the self-destruct mechanism, which creates extra tension since there’s a constant threat of destruction.

In the end, Murky Divers doesn’t include a proper tutorial. The difficulty scaling can be a bit rough, though you can now adjust it with different difficulty levels and custom sliders. However, this isn’t a game you’ll pick up quickly, especially since the early stages require some prior knowledge to get started. But if you stick with it and don’t give up, it becomes much more enjoyable and offers just as much fun as games like Lethal Company.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4