OVERALL RATING		3.5
Presentation		3.0
Control		3.5
Gameplay		3.0
Fun factor		4.0
User Rating		3.5

Inspired by epic sea-faring disaster movies like The Poseidon Adventure, Dead Water is a tension-filled race against time for survival.  Your aging cargo ship has struck an iceberg giving you only minutes to escape certain doom.  As the seemingly only surviving crew member, you must make your way to the top and out of the ship before it sinks.

As the ship plunges deeper into the ocean depths, the water level continues to rise forcing you to make quick decisions and find the exit.  You must collect keys to open hatches, use dynamite to blow your way through obstacles, and swim through eel infested sections.  Always try to stay ahead of the rising water for if it fills the area, you will have but a few seconds of oxygen to reach your goal.

The levels are set up as puzzles that will have you running or swimming back and forth finding the necessary items to keep moving.  While you can climb ladders and destroy objects, many times you’ll also have to wait for the water to reach a certain height in order to gain access to an important section.  By this time, the exit door might be completely underwater forcing you to swim through dangerous conditions.

At the end of each level, the amount of time it took you to complete it will be tallied and if you picked up any gold coins along the way, they will also be added to your score.  However, getting a higher score should not be as important as getting off the ship and staying alive.

Dead Water is a game that instills the tension and fear that come with the thought of drowning on a sinking ship.  That tension is further heightened by its good use of music.  While it does offer three difficulty levels, even in the easiest you’ll have a wicked time trying to get through some of the stages.  Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for some of you aquaphobes), the game is short but it does manage to deliver a new and unique experience that many will enjoy.