STILL WAKES THE DEEP
A critically acclaimed narrative horror adventure set on a remote oil rig in the North Sea. Winner of three BAFTA Games Awards and praised for its visual fidelity, environmental storytelling, and technical innovation.
Overview
Sumo Digital partnered on co-development throughout all stages of production of Still Wakes the Deep, from early concept art and design through to full-scale development, optimisation, and preparing the game for release.
Project Details
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S | PlayStation 5 | PC
Genre: Narrative Horror Adventure
Partner: The Chinese Room
Our Involvement
Key contributions included:
- World Building & Concept Art: Worked closely with the narrative design team from the earliest stages to help define the vision and visual tone of the project, shaping environments and atmosphere to support storytelling.
- Graphics Optimisation: Leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5, we ensured the game delivered stunning visuals and smooth performance across platforms.
- Advanced Technology Integration: Pioneered water simulation systems and atmospheric lighting, utilising UE5 features such as Nanite for high-detail geometry and Lumen for dynamic global illumination.
Technical Excellence
- Level Design & Creation: Crafted immersive environments that enhance narrative tension and player exploration, ensuring every space feels authentic and atmospheric.
- First-Person Animation: Developed and refined first-person animation systems to deliver fluid, realistic movement and interactions, heightening player immersion in the horror experience.
- Performance Tuning: Fine-tuned rendering pipelines to balance fidelity and frame rate, creating an immersive experience without compromise.
Results
The collaboration resulted in a critically acclaimed title that captivated players and critics alike.
- Awards: Winner of three BAFTA Games Awards, cementing its place as one of the standout releases of the year.
- Reception: Praised for its visual fidelity, environmental storytelling, and technical innovation, setting a new benchmark for narrative-driven horror experiences.
OTHER WORK
NUTMEG!
Discover how Sumo Digital partnered with Secret Mode to create an authentic, fan-focused experiences through effective collaboration, rapid prototyping and iterations on game mechanics created an
Warframe
Discover how Sumo Digital partnered with Digital Extremes to deliver new missions, environments, Warframes, and live-service support for Warframe, a game with over 80 million players.