Here to trigger everyone's thalassophobia, or fear of the sea, is the open-water survival and crafting game "Raft."
"Raft" is fairly simple. You start out on a two-by-two section of raft with nothing but the wood beneath your feet and a makeshift grappling hook. Around you is the wide-open ocean and a neverending stream of flotsam and jetsam that drifts your way (or are you drifting into it? The mind wonders).
Players throw the hook and snag nearby debris, collecting wood, plastic, vines and more to stay alive and expand the raft.
Players must manage their hunger and thirst as they collect resources to maintain and upgrade the raft.
But beware about simply jumping off the raft and swimming over to resources to collect them a hungry shark stalks the raft, and attacks the boat frequently, destroying sections unless driven off.
Alone on the ocean, in a raft, with a great white shark circling? Cue the "Jaws" music.
It sounds terrifying, but "Raft" is also quite calming and wholesome. Each day brings a set of tasks required to survive until the next dawn.
Seawater must be purified. Food, such as herring caught with a fishing pole, or potatoes found in drifting barrels, must be grilled. Every few minutes, the shark attacks a section of the raft and must be fought off.
The game does get deeper and more complex, however. As you drift along, you'll notice the occasional island pop into view on the horizon. Collect enough resources, and a sail and anchor can be built, allowing for a temporary stopover to harvest rare resources, such as seeds and fruits.
The true reward of islands, though, lies beneath the water, where seaweed and deposits of ores can be found -- provided you've found a way to distract the maneater that's still hunting you.
There's an actual storyline, too, although it doesn't begin until the player has acquired enough technology and resources to craft a radio receiver and three antennas.
"Raft" is currently in Early Access on Steam, although it has been there for a while. The first chapter of the story, in which players will start to uncover why the world is covered in water, was released late last year, and the second chapter is due to come out this fall. Once the storyline is unlocked, the player will encounter special named islands that offer unique resources and blueprints.
Players can advance fairly significantly, technology-wise. Early on, jabbing the shark with a sharp stick is the best you can do as your tiny home floats along a current. Eventually, players can acquire a steering wheel, biofuels and engines. Automatic collection nets will snag floating debris as it goes past, and players can smelt ore, grow crops and trees and even raise livestock on the raft.
Not to be forgotten is that "Raft" is also a multiplayer-capable game. Join friends on Steam or invite new pals found through the game's official Discord server, and players can drift the high seas in good company.
The more players that join a game, the more the materials that will spawn to be collected. But multiple sharks can also spawn, which can make some parts of the game more challenging. Also, more players mean more mouths to feed.
Interestingly, there's no limit to how many friends can join your game, nor how big the raft can become. It's limited only by the computing power of your PC, although I wouldn't recommend more than two to four players.
There are quite a few crafting options for raft expansion, too it doesn't have to be flat. You can have ladders and stairs, so feel free to turn your raft into a houseboat with many stories.
"Raft" comes with four difficulty modes Peaceful, Easy, Hard and Creative. In the first three, the difficulty slowly increases, with hunger and thirst draining more quickly and sharks re-spawning faster (yes, you can kill the shark and harvest its meat, but after a few minutes, another will appear).
In Creative mode, players have unlimited supplies and health, so they don't have to gather any materials, research blueprints or worry about survival, and can instead just have fun building the raft of their dreams.
Hard mode has an additional difficulty modifier that makes it really suitable only for confident solo players, or in multiplayer mode players who die cannot re-spawn on their own. Another player will need to grab the body and drag it to a bed to be brought back into the game. Up to five sharks can spawn at a time.
"Raft" is developed by a small Swedish studio of just eight people and originally was a student project. It has been a lot of fun to play.
Raft
Platform: Windows
Cost: $19.99
Rating: Everyone 8+
Score: 8 out of 10
"Raft" is a video game in which you drift the high seas while defending yourself from a shark and collecting flotsam to fancy up your raft. (Photo courtesy Redbeet Interactive)
Read this article:
GAME ON: Drift gently along the high seas with your 'Raft,' your pals and sharks - NWAOnline
- Tracking down mystery boats on the high seas - The Verge - February 20th, 2021
- This 262-Foot Superyacht Concept Comes With Its Own Stage for Concerts on the High Seas - Robb Report - February 20th, 2021
- Will NPFC Protect Pacific Saury by Cutting Fish Catch? China and Taiwan Might Disagree - JAPAN Forward - February 20th, 2021
- 2018 covert op that is embarrassing India - The Tribune India - February 20th, 2021
- Opinion: The other environmental treaties the US must confront - Ensia - February 20th, 2021
- China's New Coast Guard Law and Implications for Maritime Security in the East and South China Seas - Lawfare - February 20th, 2021
- AI can help reduce the risk of HIV in high-risk communities - Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - February 20th, 2021
- 'Wicked Tuna' rivalry gives way to cooperation | Local News | newburyportnews.com - The Daily News of Newburyport - February 20th, 2021
- Croatia claims that BiH's Right to the High Seas Access has not been endangered - Sarajevo Times - February 20th, 2021
- This Sea Dragon Skyrim mod brings a dash of Sea of Thieves to Tamriel - PCGamesN - February 20th, 2021
- Sea Of Thieves: 10 Tips And Tricks To Know Before Playing - TheGamer - February 20th, 2021
- A TikToker Captured Australias Own Black Hawk Down Moment On The High Seas Of Sydney Harbour - Pedestrian TV - February 20th, 2021
- WCU professor emeritus explores the adventures of early women explorers in new book - Western Carolina University News - February 20th, 2021
- NEWPORT AREA WEATHER REPORT: Feb. 20-21 - newportri.com - February 20th, 2021
- The Staggering Decline of Oceanic Sharks and Rays The Revelator - The Revelator - February 20th, 2021
- The Future Of The Aircraft Carrier - CNBCAfrica.com - February 20th, 2021
- Hillicon Valley: Congress prepares to hold hearing on SolarWinds breach, Big Tech content moderation | Tensions rise between Capitol Hill and... - February 20th, 2021
- PES University will launch satellite to monitor ships - The New Indian Express - February 20th, 2021
- Sea of Thieves is now cross-platform compatible thanks to steam network. - Joplin Business Journal - February 20th, 2021
- What's the secret to BTS' Jimin's shoulder reveal? Seven highlights from V Live for 'BE Essential Edition' - MEAWW - February 20th, 2021
- Life and death on the Mediterranean Sea - Morning Star Online - February 20th, 2021
- This 262-Foot Superyacht Concept Comes With Its Own Stage for Concerts on the High Seas - Yahoo Lifestyle - February 17th, 2021
- Uppena movie review: Romance on the high seas - The Hindu - February 17th, 2021
- Amid rising seas, 'dry' resort is wetter than it likes - Minneapolis Star Tribune - February 17th, 2021
- Review: All the Tides of Fate by Adalyn Grace - The Nerd Daily - February 17th, 2021
- A Deep Dive Into the Sea Shanty Craze, And Why Chicago Was Ahead of the TikTok Trend - WTTW News - February 17th, 2021
- Is This the End of the Ocean Beach Pier? - OB Rag - February 17th, 2021
- While sailing the Caribbean, Athens man, crew rescue members of capsized cargo ship - Online Athens - February 17th, 2021
- Sea of Thieves Season One Still Doesn't Address One Big Problem - GameRant - February 17th, 2021
- Get To Know The Star of Nickelodeon's New Show 'Santiago of the Seas' Kevin Chacon! - Just Jared Jr. - October 10th, 2020
- The Need for a Network of Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean - The Pew Charitable Trusts - October 10th, 2020
- Japan seeks to boost catch limits of prized bluefin tuna - Thehour.com - October 10th, 2020
- Graham Elders grand adventures led to the publication of a novella - SooToday - October 10th, 2020
- 10 Behind The Scenes Facts About Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - Screen Rant - October 10th, 2020
- SECDEF Esper Calls for 500-Ship Fleet by 2045, With 3 SSNs a Year and Light Carriers Supplementing CVNs - USNI News - October 10th, 2020
- Avast! Boss Audio's new weatherproof touchscreen brings CarPlay and Android Auto to boats - The Verge - October 10th, 2020
- Changing dynamics in the SCS and increasing Chinese aggression - Modern Diplomacy - October 10th, 2020
- Africa: Continent Urged to Protect Sea Life - The Streetjournal - October 10th, 2020
- Kevin Chacon Talks Santiago Of The Seas Exclusive Interview - BSCkids - October 10th, 2020
- COVID-19 Leaves Fisheries Observers in the Dark - The Maritime Executive - October 10th, 2020
- Most of My Friendships Were Toxic, But Now Im So Lonely! - The Cut - October 10th, 2020
- Xitler Isnt Going Down Like Hitler; To Stare Him Down, Trade Should Be The Worlds Weapon Of Choice - Swarajya - October 10th, 2020
- Kyndra Sanchez to star in Nickelodeon series Santiago of the Seas - Animation Xpress - October 10th, 2020
- Genting and Royal Caribbean to relaunch Singapore cruise operations - TradeWinds - October 10th, 2020
- Dog saved on the high seas - kdvr.com - September 4th, 2020
- Vault of the Ancients update brings dogs and treasures to Sea of Thieves - PC Invasion - September 4th, 2020
- Piracy in 2020: the trends you need to know - Lexology - September 4th, 2020
- 'We are closer to the other side of this crisis every day' Cruise boss confident of a return to sea - Telegraph.co.uk - September 4th, 2020
- How Chinas Massive Fishing Fleet Is Transforming the Worlds Oceans - Slate - September 4th, 2020
- Apps and after: Chinas growing naval muscle will have to be jointly countered - The Times of India Blog - September 4th, 2020
- The human impact of organized crime in fisheries extends far beyond the ocean - GreenBiz - September 4th, 2020
- The Italian Navy Arrives in World of Warships: Legends - War History Online - September 4th, 2020
- 42 Crew, Nearly 6000 Cows Missing After Ship Sinks In Storm-Tossed Seas Off Japan - NPR - September 4th, 2020
- Can the world unite to combat illegal fishing? - Equal Times - September 4th, 2020
- Ocean Infrastructure Has Basically Created Cities at Sea - Gizmodo - September 4th, 2020
- Urgent action needed for small-scale fishers to withstand the climate crisis says new WWF repor - WWF International - September 4th, 2020
- Reducing inequalities to save the planet - ScienceBlog.com - September 4th, 2020
- Is China Behind a Recent Insurgent Attack in India's Northeast? - The Diplomat - September 4th, 2020
- Alta Mar High Seas Season 4? Is There Any Possibility? - The Buzz Paper - August 10th, 2020
- GAME ON: Drift gently along the high seas with your 'Raft,' your pals and sharks - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - August 10th, 2020
- Alta Mar High Seas Season 3: Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer And All New Latest Information Here - World Top Trend - August 10th, 2020
- Alta Mar season 3 cast: Who is in the cast of High Seas? - Express - August 10th, 2020
- High Seas Season 4 Expected Release Date, Cast Info and Every Other Detail - News Lagoon - August 10th, 2020
- Shark Week 2020: How The Pandemic Added To This Years Programming - Forbes - August 10th, 2020
- Oil Leak Stopped from Bulker as Mauritius Prepares for the Worst Case - The Maritime Executive - August 10th, 2020
- What series to watch this weekend on Netflix, HBO and Prime Video: The extraordinary Playlist of Zoey and the High Sea | Entertainment - Explica - August 10th, 2020
- Information sharing with regional partners aims to reel in transnational crime syndicates - Mirage News - August 10th, 2020
- African states are critical in advancing ocean governance - The Patriotic Vanguard - August 10th, 2020
- No end to South China Sea disputes without code of conduct - The Star Online - August 10th, 2020
- Tuesday's weather: Mainly fine and cool, but high seas in Western Cape and fire alerts elsewhere - News24 - August 10th, 2020
- High Seas Season 4 : Will The Spanish Series Return For On Netflix? - Topbuzztrends.com - August 10th, 2020
- 'They just pull up everything!' Chinese fleet raises fears for Galpagos sea life - The Guardian - August 10th, 2020
- High Seas (TV Series 2019 ) - IMDb - August 10th, 2020
- High seas | maritime law | Britannica - August 10th, 2020
- 'High Seas' Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It? - August 10th, 2020
- High Seas (TV Series 2019 ) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb - August 10th, 2020
- High Seas Trading Co.- Hawaiian shirts | Aloha Shirts ... - August 10th, 2020
- Releases of the week on Netflix: High Seas, Slender Man and more - Checkersaga - August 10th, 2020
- The best and most beautiful boating holidays in the UK and Europe this year - iNews - August 10th, 2020
- Maintaining Command of the Sea: Maritime Doctrines of Pakistan and India - Modern Diplomacy - August 10th, 2020