Highwater: Everything We Know

Netflix Games’ post-apocalyptic turn-based RPG Highwater is currently in line to receive the console treatment, thereby allowing those without a ticket to the subscription platform the opportunity to soak up the nautical fantasy world on Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and Switch. However, if you’ve yet to soak up all the details on the quirky title, then be sure to read on for all the essential jargon and whatnot. Here’s everything we can tell you about Demagog Studio’s Highwater, as well as its transition over to consoles.

What Is Highwater?

Highwater is a mixture between being a 3D adventure game and a turn-based RPG, both of which culminate in a wholehearted story-driven tale about new beginnings and friendships during troublesome times. In the game, players follow Nikos—a local who, like many others who’ve been left to rot on the outskirts of the lavish metropolis of Alphaville, sets out to find like-minded friends in a desperate attempt to escape the waterlogged boroughs and plant roots in a new world. Story aside, the game also features a wide array of environmental puzzles, isometric combat systems, and emotionally rewarding cinematic encounters.

In the words of its creators, Demagog Studio: “Highwater is a whimsical, 3D adventure game with an isometric turn-based puzzle-combat system set in a flooded, post-apocalyptic world. Navigate by boat, discover islands, find new allies to help battle foes, and experience a humorous tale about friendship in this melancholic and atmospheric escape.”

Story

Set outside of the wealth-stricken walls of Alphaville—a booming metropolis in which only the rich feast and thrive—players will watch over several other folks, all of whom have been left to traipse the outer borders that have been claimed by the high tides. With the world edging closer toward global catastrophe, you will need to embark on an epic quest to flee from the remnants of Earth and into a new world. From that, there’ll be love, laughter, and whole lot of camaraderie between like-minded friends, all of whom share the common goal of wanting to secure a new home far away from the walls of Alphaville.

”With life on Earth becoming untenable for humans, and rumors of an escape to Mars floating around, Nikos begins a risky journey, picking up friends along the way,” the game’s blurb reads in part. “First to Hightower, then beyond to cross the impenetrable border of Alphaville, battling insurgents and stealing food along the way. Will Nikos and his friends manage to sneak onto the rocket in time?”

Gameplay

Highwater boasts a good selection of gameplay elements, most notably its isometric turn-based puzzles and combat mechanics. Aside from all that, it also offers an admirable amount of semi-open world exploration, environmental curveballs, and hearty dialogue segments.

“Float along the vast waterways freely in your boat and explore the many different islands of a beautiful world where you’ll encounter danger, interact with fellow citizens, gather resources, and fight for a chance to escape to a new life,” the elevator pitch reads in part. “Take on your enemies in a classic turn-based combat system where careful tactics and puzzle solving will help you come out alive. Interact with the environment and items around you: knock down a tree, push a shopping cart into an enemy, or duck behind a turned over car to gain the advantage.”

Development

To cut to the chase, Highwater is being developed by Demagog Studio, a firm best known for Golf Club and its recently released parkour-centric platformer, The Cub. Aside from those two projects, the team has also worked with Netflix to bring Highwater to its gaming division, which led to its initial launch on handheld devices back in 2022. This time, however, it’ll be shaping up for a release on consoles and PC, with the most obvious launch platforms being Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. It will also be available on Nintendo Switch, too.

“Our approach to original IP entails: A. a sharp idea about modern life; B. storytelling with engaging characters; C. rich world-building; D. stories told through nonlinear media with focus on gaming,” Demagog Studio writes in its official website. “We call this approach Constellation Storytelling.”

Trailer

With the game already being available on Netflix, it comes as no major surprise that there’s a bit of footage of Highwater on Demagog Studio’s streaming platform. You can check out the latest gameplay trailer for the upcoming console release above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Highwater will be launching on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam at some point in 2024. But as for whether or not it’ll release on older consoles in the future is still something of a mystery. For the time being, though, it appears that it’ll be locked to current gen hardware.

Edition-wise, there isn’t a whole to touch base on. Aside from it already being available on Netflix through a handheld device or the PC app, there’s only the standard edition on consoles to look forward to. That said, if there is anything special in the works, then Demagog Studio is likely to post an update over on its social handle. Failing that, then there’ll no doubt be an update of some sort on one of the primary console’s respective storefronts.

Interested in staying up to date with Demagog Studio’s Highwater ahead of its upcoming console launch? If so, then be sure to check in with the team over on their official social handle here. If anything changes ahead of its release, then we’ll be sure to fill you in on all the key details right here on gaming.net.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Highwater when it arrives on its chosen platforms? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.