Theme
My target audience was college students with a fascination in oceans and related phenomena. The game takes place entirely on the open ocean, with the central gameplay element showcasing the raw "awesomeness" and beauty of the ocean.
The game's story focuses on climate change, specifically on ideas of there being a "Silver Bullet" solution to the problem to be found with technology or innovation. Professor Maren, the main story character, leaves behind traditional science to research a mystical solution to climate change found within the Aqueous Stones.
The gameplay focuses on her struggle against greedy corporations "B.I.G. O.I.L." seeking to steal her stones and research to monetize it for the few, instead of for the good of the many. (I do not condone destroying swathes of enemy ships with giant ocean disasters {It's just game logic}, and I interpret this as a metaphorical struggle more than anything).
The world had been protected from sea level rise by a powerful spirit, Gaia, but that protection is waning, and will eventually shatter. Professor Maren ultimately fails to gather all of the stones in time before the protection barrier keeping the excess melt water up in the artic shatters, resulting in sudden and rapid sea level rise, and the game visually models the effects of sea level rise. Her research is not for nothing however, as she is able to use the stones to save lives by preventing any further climate shifts, but significant damage is already done.
The main theme of the game centers around the risks of relying on breakthrough technology to solve climate change. Sure it may work, but what if it's too late? I hoped to inspire the idea that breakthrough climate technologies should be pursued, but not wholly relied on.
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