It’s always nice diving into a game when you have an intimate relationship with the developer in terms of their catalogue. While I can’t say that I’ve played everything Capybara Games has made, I’ve been following them since their first console release, which was Critter Crunch. I got 100% of the trophies in that and I’ve been enamored with everything they’ve put out since. When Below was announced in 2013, it was one of the reasons I considered buying an Xbox One. It didn’t end up launching until 2018, and finally made its way to PS4 in 2020. I haven’t touched my Xbox since before it launched, so was it worth the wait?

If you missed it the first time around, this is a game that was trying to capitalize on the success of the roguelike/rogue-lite genre that was booming in 2013. It seemed everything launching at the time had rogue-lite elements to increase playability, and this certainly does that with the randomly generated dungeons. Coming out now, I’m not sure if it missed the boat, or it’s so far removed that it’s fresh again. It definitely has twists and turns throughout, so let’s take a deeper look at what makes it one of the studio’s most polarizing games.

This version comes with two modes: Survival and Exploration. Survival is the default mode that the game launched with back in 2018. This is likely what people would refer to as soulsborne, merely because you have to play methodically and slowly, as one wrong step can kill you. And death here means you start from the beginning, although you can reclaim your gear if you’re able to make it back to your corpse. Luckily, there are also shortcuts to unlock and campfires that you can set as quick travel locations to make it more palatable. The entire journey takes place on an island, and each time you die, a new adventurer sails up to travel to the depths of the landmass. With absolutely no hand holding to be found regardless of the mode you play, it’s up to the player to learn everything about the game, which can be both frustrating and satisfying.

The Explore mode isn’t wholly free of danger. It’s not like all the monsters and traps are no longer in the game. However, it is much more forgiving, and ramps up the accessibility for those that don’t have the time to dedicate to these types of experiences. And honestly, this is one that’s worth diving into. While the ending and the events leading up to it aren’t entirely unique to the game, as there’s an illustrious PlayStation game that it reminds me of, I will say that it’s one of those games that hit home emotionally and make you think deep about what just happened. Adding a mode that focuses more on the exploration than the survival tactics was smart, and will undoubtedly help people see it through to the end.

Capy’s games all have something unique, and that’s their aesthetic. Looking from one of their games to the next, it’s almost impossible to tell there is a through line for them. That’s especially true of this, which may be their most hauntingly beautiful game yet. I’d say the closest they’ve come to this in terms of grandeur is Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, which is completely different. Sadly, most of the beauty is shrouded in darkness. While the outside world is easy enough to see, I had to sit on the ottoman instead of the couch to have any semblance of where I was going, even if I was using a torch. Being that you’re underground it makes sense that this would be the case. The enemies you fight drop pieces of light that you can collect which will otherwise light the area, so it’s a bit of risk/reward. However, it’s worth noting that a good amount of my frustrations stemmed from not being able to play in a well-lit room or from the comfort of my couch, which is one of the few times I’m able to play games.

Beyond the visual aesthetic, we have the wonderful compositions of Jim Guthrie once again. Perhaps this is what makes me think of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, as he worked with the team on that game as well. The (very) long intro sequence uses his music beautifully, and while there’s not always a song playing, you notice when there is – the campfire being one of my favorite places to sit a while just to listen. Getting someone that understands atmosphere in music was huge for this experience, as it would’ve paled in comparison.

If you’re a big fan of games that put difficulty on a pedestal, you’ll probably find yourself enjoying the survival mode of Below. If you prefer games that respect your time, the Explore mode was made for you. It’s not the swan song everyone expected it to be for Capy, but it’s an emotional ride and one that’ll likely stay with you for a while once it’s over.

8 out of 10

Pros

• Beautiful Environments
• Haunting Score
• Explore and Survival

Cons

• No Instruction
• Too Dark to See

Below was developed and published by Capybara Games. It is available on PC, PS4, and X1. The game was provided to us for review on PS4. If you’d like to see more of Below, check out the game’s official site.

 

Here at GBG we use a rating method that you are more than likely familiar with – a scale of 1 to 10. For clarification, we intend on using the entire scale: 1-4 is something you should probably avoid paying for; 5-7 is something that is worth playing, but probably not at full price; 8-10 is a great title that you can feel confident about buying. If you have any questions or comments about how we rate a game, please let us know.

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