Harrowing Immersion in Still Wakes The Deep

Written By Ellen Grieve
 

A chilling game of cat and mouse set in the cold heart of the North Sea.

Studio: The Chinese Room

Release Date: June 2024

Platforms: Xbox Series X I S, PS5, PC

Genre: First-Person Narrative Horror

Cultural Authenticity

Set in 1975 on a remote Scottish oil rig, Still Wakes the Deep is an immersive, atmospheric horror experience where players take on the role of Caz, an offshore worker caught in a deadly and mysterious disaster. Trapped on the collapsing oil rig, the player must navigate dark, treacherous flooding corridors, confront haunting unknowns, help the crew, and survive against mounting odds.

The Chinese Room took great care to craft a deep, gripping experience with impactful traversal and a powerful narrative. Speech Graphics worked with The Chinese Room to provide lip-sync animation for all on-screen character dialogue including Davey Rennick, the (very Glaswegian) installation manager of the Beira D oil rig.

As a Scottish company, partnering with The Chinese Room on Still Wakes the Deep held special significance for our team. The game’s authentically Scottish characters provided a unique opportunity to contribute to a faithful portrayal of Scottish culture in gaming.

Davey Rennick in Still Wakes The Deep (Contains Swearing)

A Well-Oiled Machine

Needing to find a solution that could efficiently match their quality requirements, The Chinese Room utilized our SGX Production Tool Suite:

“The options available in the SGX software allowed us to find a good balance between detail and fluidity in the lip sync. Combine that with the batching tools, it allowed us to get working versions of all dialogue-related face animation generated and exported for use in Unreal in less than a week as opposed to months.”


“Overall, Speech Graphics (combined with metahuman face rigs) enabled us, as a small team, to get quality lip sync for the entire game ready for use in less than a week.”

Making Waves

A triumph in narrative storytelling, Still Wakes The Deep made a splash in the gaming world:

  • 4 TIGA Award nominations, including wins for Heritage in Games and Audio Design

  • Technical Achievement and Best Indie Horror Game Awards at The Horror Game Awards 2024

  • 2 nominations for the Music + Sound Awards 2025

  • 2 nominations at the Golden Joystick Awards 2024

Check out the trailer for Still Wakes The Deep below:

 

Trailer for ‘Still Wakes The Deep’ by The Chinese Room

 
Ellen Grieve
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