01Which games we log
Games set on or under the sea, on islands or along the coast that readers in the UK can buy and play now on a current console, computer or phone. Games that are paid for once and then leave your wallet alone get preference.
02How we play them
For many evenings and usually to the end of the main story. Before writing, we try the online and co-op modes, look at every store and add-on, switch on the family settings, test the comfort and accessibility options and keep a note of how long normal sessions run.
03What a score weighs
- World: how alive the sea, the islands and the creatures feel.
- Play: controls, pacing, puzzles and how well the game teaches itself.
- Care: comfort settings, accessibility and how kindly it treats your time.
- Stopping: how clearly it saves, how long a sitting runs and how strongly it tugs you back.
04Scores and bubbles
One editorial score out of five, in tenths, shown as five bubbles: whole points fill whole bubbles and the last fills by the fraction. The score also sets a visibility band:
- Crystal clear (from 4.6): One of the finest games of its kind we have played: plan an evening around it.
- Good visibility (from 4.3): Excellent, with a murky patch or two that the review spells out.
- Fair visibility (from 4.0): Very good if it is your kind of game; the review explains who will love it.
- Murky (below 4.0): Uneven in places, but worth a dive if the style is yours.
05Depth
Depth describes how intensely a game holds you, never how good it is:
- 10 m, shallow: an easy, unhurried pace with room to drift and look around.
- 18 m, mid-water: absorbing problems and plans that hold your attention for a while.
- 28 m, deep: quick reactions and constant action that pull you right in.
06Bottom time and safety stops
Bottom time is the typical sitting we timed, in minutes. The safety stop is the natural moment to finish, usually where the game saves after a chapter, a trip or a day. Neither affects the score; they are there to help you plan.
07Surface intervals and air checks
The planner lays a 10-minute surface interval between two games and calls a short air check every 30 minutes inside a long dive: stand up, look into the distance, drink some water.
08Comfort notes
Motion sickness, dark water, flashing light, volume, eye strain and long sittings matter in every game set at sea. Every review records what we noticed and the settings that made a difference. The game’s own health and safety notes still come first.
09Where the facts come from
We note platforms, online modes, chat, accounts, add-ons and costs while playing, then compare them with the official site and store pages. For prices and ratings, those pages always have the final word.
10What we never do
We never sell a place in the log, never accept money for a score, never make up a fact and never review a game from its trailer or a press release.