Waking Tides is an adventure Lovecraftian-esque game, developed and published by AirshipFx. When we start a new game, we are welcomed to Waking Tides before taking part in a short tutorial that showcases the controls.

We’re also introduced to the intriguing “AR” feature, an optional mode that will help you find the key and unlock the door, although you can complete the experience without it as well. It’s such a fascinating idea to use QR codes in this type of way. It adds a bit of extra interest to the game without giving away exactly where we need to check out.

It was a lot of fun playing and learning the ways of the game, with some dark themes and adventure being the focus points of Waking Tides. During one of the first areas, we were required to get into a locked room, and when we found the QR Code, we were affected by a bit freaky jump scare, and I did indeed jump when it first happened, as I wasn’t really expecting something like that.

You also have a health bar, and if it gets to a certain level, the screen will be affected and it will be quite hard to actually see anything. This adds to the excitement when playing, as you need to make sure your health is high enough that it won’t affect the screen.

I also really enjoy the game sounds and music. When first loading into the game, we’re greeted with great voice-acting that introduces us to the title and gives us some information, but this isn’t the only time we get narration and it gives more to the game. Sometimes it can be difficult to really dive into a game when there isn’t any narration, but with Waking Tides that’s not something we need to worry about.

Once again, the music is phenomenal, as it adds to the feeling of the game by building the suspense. The sound effects are also masterfully selected, making it feel like you’re actually in the world of Waking Tides, and when this happens, it makes you really enjoy the game and the world that we’re in.

In the end, I really enjoyed playing Waking Tides and seeing what it has to offer. The story is really rich and interesting, and I could easily play through the title over and over again – it’s that enjoyable. The music brings the entire world together and it makes everything feel cinematic, while the sound effects make the environment feel realistic.

Environments are brilliant and exciting, allowing us to adventure and see the dark-themed things that are throughout the game, and the QR or “AR” Mode/feature was an interesting choice that paid off. I haven’t seen it used before in many games, so that’s something that I was looking forward to when I first started playing, and I was not disappointed.

It was a lot of fun playing Waking Tides and I would be willing to play it again tomorrow!

Written by: Mitchell Batchelor