There are lots of great vehicle simulation games out there. World of Tanks lets players pilot the eponymous weapons of war, Microsoft Flight Simulator models a wide variety of aircraft, and F1 23 gives audiences the ability to see how they’d fare as a Formula One driver. There’s something special, though, about simulators that replicate less realistic experiences, like, say, piloting space fighters and bombers in Star Wars: TIE Fighter or Star Wars: Squadrons or, as the newly launched Stardiver portrays, exploring a hostile world deep beneath the waves in a submersible combat ship.
Stardiver hearkens back to the simulation games mentioned above, putting players at the controls of a fighter craft capable of diving — and fighting enemies — underwater. Rather than try to realistically portray our own planet’s oceans, the game uses a sci-fi lens to allow its creators to conjure up bizarre species and strange new vistas.
The game looks to offer both exciting dogfights and the often unnerving aquatic exploration of Subnautica within this setting. It features exploration, manual and automated resource collection, and a crafting system used to revive an abandoned base and increase the power of the ship. Naturally, there are regular and boss encounters to contend with as well, which will see the player squaring up against other planes, robots, and deep sea creatures. The mix of influences Stardiver draws from looks to come together pretty organically here, and the prospect of taking fighter plane combat beneath the waves is a compelling prospect.
Stardiver is out now and discounted by 11% (making it $13.34 USD / £10.13) until September 24 on Steam. Grab a copy right here.
Otherwise, find more like Stardiver in our picks for the top plane games and action-adventure games on PC.
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