It’s rare these days when I play something I truly don’t enjoy, but I still hate when I have to start a review off this way… Anoxemia is not a good game. There’s nothing engaging about it, the game seems like half of a thought, and all aspects of it- from its design to voice acting- are forgettable. The question now is, do you want to see how far the rabbit hole goes? Read on, my friend.
Anoxemia is a 2D exploration game focused on an underwater researcher and his drone. You go around collecting samples and cataloging the depths as you progress. It plays like a less-interactive version of Aquaria with a Limbo-ish look and feel. It’s interesting that so many years after Limbo, other studios are still cribbing from it visually, without taking any of the important lessons from the game itself. When you think about how bright, colorful, and vibrant an underwater setting can be, this choice in design comes off like the creators of Anoxemia either didn’t have the ability or budget to realize such a world.
While there is plenty of potential in an underwater exploration game, nothing about the execution of it comes together to make the experience engaging or compelling. I’m not going to sit here and try to think of anything remotely positive about the game. It would come off as insincere, and you’d be able to smell it coming off your screen. I don’t wish the creators any ill will, but they’ve totally missed the mark with this one.
Bland visuals that never really change, terrible voice acting, vague objectives, incomprehensible UI, and practically non-existent game play are what awaits you in the world of Anoxemia. I can’t think of a single engaging element that could possibly pull someone into the game. It is what it is; poorly-executed on every possible level.
Instead of continuing to bash on this poor game, let me instead offer you some alternatives. If you’re looking for something 2D that encourages exploration in the action/ adventure/ Metroidvania genre, check out titles like Song Of The Deep, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Shadow Complex, Limbo, Inside, Outland, and Ori And The Blind Forest. Any one of these titles would give you more of what you’re looking for in Anoxemia. Pass.
