Thalassophobia: Don’t Play These Video Games If You’re Afraid of the Ocean

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Ignacio Weil

Gaming - September 19th 2025, 17:00 GMT+2

Still Wakes the Deep (2024)

Working on an oil rig in the middle of the North Sea already sounds like the setup for a terrifying experience, but *Still Wakes the Deep* takes that isolation and dials it up into pure nightmare fuel. There are no handy escape pods or friendly ports nearby – just endless freezing waters below and something far worse crawling its way inside the rig. The game thrives on tension, forcing you to feel the claustrophobia of metal corridors while the roar of the sea outside reminds you that drowning is only ever a step away. It’s not just the monsters that will get under your skin here – it’s the ever-present reminder that you’re surrounded by a hostile, indifferent ocean. | © The Chinese Room

DREDGE — Dredge (2023)

At first glance, it looks like a charming little fishing game – catch some fish, sell your haul, upgrade your boat. Easy, right? Not even close. *Dredge* lures you in with its calm aesthetics before twisting into a cosmic horror tale hidden in the waves. The catch of the day might not be something you’d want to bring back to port, and the more you explore, the clearer it becomes that the sea holds secrets better left undisturbed. Suddenly, nightfall turns your cozy boat trip into a frantic race against time and terror. For a game about fishing, it’s shockingly good at making you want to stay on dry land. | © Black Salt Games

Cropped Barotrauma — Barotrauma (2023)

Imagine being locked inside a rickety submarine at the bottom of an alien ocean, with your only lifeline being a crew of other players who are just as likely to save you as they are to doom you. That’s *Barotrauma* in a nutshell. It’s a chaotic blend of teamwork, sabotage, and sheer panic as you juggle leaks, monsters, and the constant threat of pressure crushing your vessel. The real kicker? Most of the time, the scariest thing isn’t the abyss outside – it’s your crewmates making “totally fine” decisions that sink the whole mission. Nothing makes you sweat like realizing your survival depends on someone else patching the hull correctly. | © Undertow Games

Iron Lung (2022)

Minimalist, suffocating, and utterly unsettling – *Iron Lung* proves you don’t need elaborate graphics to terrify players. Trapped in a rusty tin can of a submarine, you’re sent to explore an ocean of blood on a distant moon, and the game wastes no time reminding you that you’re completely powerless. No windows, no weapons, no way out. Your only connection to the outside world is a grainy camera feed and the ominous sounds of… something moving nearby. It’s the kind of game that makes your chest tighten with every groan of metal, every unexplained bump. Less survival game, more “cosmic coffin simulator.” | © David Szymanski

Raft (2022)

Starting with just a tiny wooden platform drifting on an endless sea, *Raft* quickly teaches you that the ocean doesn’t care about your survival. You’ll need to gather scraps, craft tools, and slowly build your floating paradise while keeping an eye out for the ever-persistent shark that wants to ruin your day. But even once your raft becomes more like a mansion, the vast emptiness of the ocean never lets you feel truly safe. Diving below for resources is equal parts necessary and nerve-wracking, because every shadow makes you wonder if you’re about to become lunch. It’s survival, crafting, and thalassophobia therapy all rolled into one. | © Redbeet Interactive

SILT — Silt (2022)

Black-and-white visuals don’t usually scream “horror,” but *Silt* proves you don’t need vibrant colors to keep players on edge. You play as a lone diver exploring a surreal underwater abyss filled with strange machinery, predatory creatures, and environments that feel more like a dream turning into a nightmare. Its hand-drawn aesthetic is gorgeous, but it only makes the dread sharper, like flipping through a haunting sketchbook where every page has teeth. The deeper you go, the stranger it gets, until the ocean feels less like water and more like an endless void designed to swallow you whole. | © Spiral Circus Games

Subnautica (2018)

If there’s a crown jewel of ocean survival horror, it has to be *Subnautica*. Stranded on an alien planet covered almost entirely by water, you’re tasked with scavenging resources and building a base – all while trying not to become dinner for creatures the size of office buildings. The game does a masterful job of luring you into deeper waters with promises of progress, only to smack you with the realization that the ocean doesn’t just end at “deep” – it goes *much* deeper. By the time you’re face-to-face with a leviathan, you’ll wish you never left the safety of your little reef. | © Unknown Worlds Entertainment

Cropped SOMA — SOMA (2015)

While it’s not set entirely underwater, the sections in PATHOS-II’s sunken facilities are some of the most suffocating and terrifying ever put into a game. *SOMA* mixes psychological horror with existential dread, making you question what it means to be human while also reminding you that you’re trapped miles below the surface. The creaking metal, the oppressive darkness outside, and the slow realization that something is hunting you all pile on to create a uniquely unsettling experience. It’s less about jump scares and more about leaving you awake at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering about consciousness and identity. | © Frictional Games

Reveal The Deep (2015)

This indie gem doesn’t rely on jump scares or high-budget monsters – instead, it weaponizes atmosphere. Playing as a diver exploring the wreck of an old ship, *Reveal The Deep* uses silence, minimal visuals, and just enough mystery to make you feel like something is always just out of sight. The game excels at feeding your imagination, making you think about what *could* be in the shadows, which is usually scarier than anything a developer could show you. Short but haunting, it sticks with you long after the credits roll, like a ghost story told at the bottom of the ocean. | © Lazy Monday Games

Depth (2014)

What’s scarier than swimming in the ocean? Swimming in the ocean while knowing a shark is actively hunting you. *Depth* turns this primal fear into a brutal multiplayer experience, where some players are treasure-hunting divers and others are the apex predators trying to tear them apart. The result is fast, bloody, and endlessly stressful in the best way possible. Just when you think you’re safe, a shark can come screaming out of the darkness, reminding you that in the water, humans are never really in control. It’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying – especially if you’re the one holding the spear gun with shaky hands. | © Digital Confectioners

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The ocean is as beautiful as it is terrifying. For many people, the thought of endless dark waters, hidden creatures, and the unknown lurking beneath the surface can trigger a deep fear known as thalassophobia. Video games have found a way to capture this fear perfectly, plunging players into unsettling underwater environments where survival often depends on overcoming claustrophobic spaces, hostile sea life, or the sheer vastness of the deep.

If you’re curious – or brave enough – to explore how video games can turn the ocean into a nightmare, this list will take you through some of the most chilling titles ever made. From indie horror gems to immersive survival experiences, these games prove that the scariest monsters don’t always hide in the dark – they hide beneath the waves.