The moment the player plunges into the icy depths with Noah Quinn, the veteran diver at the heart of Beneath’s narrative, the micro-studio ambition of Camel 101 is immediately evident. From the surface vessel to the submerged research stations, the game builds on a familiar survival-horror template: dwindling supplies, unknown monstrosities, and a twisting conspiracy that threatens both the protagonist and his daughter. While the story’s premise is strong – a desperate dive into eldritch terror beneath the ocean – the narrative occasionally stutters as it shifts from biotech thriller to full-on supernatural meltdown. The ambition here is commendable, but the transitions sometimes feel rushed or under-explained.
Gameplay leans hard into the old-school survival shooter ethos: scarce ammo, menacing enemies, resource-management and environmental hazards all play key roles. The developers attempt to fuse this with a sanity-based mechanic and creeping dread to amplify the tension. Unfortunately, while the idea is solid, the execution often falters: weapons regularly feel clunky, enemy AI can be rudimentary and upgrade systems sparse or confusing. Yet despite these flaws, the game does succeed in making each encounter a little more fraught, the corridors a little more oppressive, and the decision to shoot or run a meaningful one.
Controls and user-systems follow suit. The arsenal of pistol, shotgun, SMG and even a crowbar evoke memories of classic PC shooters, but on PS5 the feel is inconsistent. The texturing, the frame-rate drops and some UI obfuscation (such as waypoint indicators vanishing) all contribute to moments of frustration that make you feel like this one needed a bit more time. Nonetheless, those who embrace the jitter, the occasional awkwardness and the feel of “the controls themselves as part of the hazard” will find an experience that, while rough around the edges, has character.
Visually and aurally, the game delivers its strongest punch. The lighting, the steam, the industrial decay of the underwater stations and the sound design all work to create that creeping, claustrophobic dread that survival-horror aficionados crave, and it’s very impressive for such a small team. On PS5 the fog-laden rooms, flickering lamps and echoing halls deliver atmosphere in spades. That said, the graphical fidelity is not what one expects from a high-budget PS5 title: texture pop-in, clipping issues and inconsistent visual polish undermine the immersion at times and show Beneath’s modest origins. The soundtrack and ambient noises, however, largely succeed in sustaining a mood of foreboding and alien isolation.
As a whole experience, Beneath manages to evoke the feeling of a bygone era – of ’90s PC horror and early-2000s shooters – and does so with real affection. While the game is “technically uneven,” we had fun with it. That sums it up: for those willing to accept the rough edges, there’s something compelling here. But for players expecting a slick, modern presentation or tightly-polished mechanics, the game can feel like a half finished dive into abandoned depths.
Ultimately, the PS5 version of Beneath is a bold, if flawed, homage to a genre’s past rather than a perfect evolution of it. It offers moments of genuine horror and tense survival, but those are too often shadowed by technical shortcomings, inconsistent combat and unclear narrative beats. For fans of retro-horror who prioritise atmosphere over polish, the journey into this abyss may be worth taking. For others, the rough seas may prove too turbulent, and waiting for a patch or two will feel like a smart choice.
Score: 6.2/10
Press Play Media 