This underwater survival horror is designed to "test your thalassophobia," and that's a nope from me

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Death in the Water 2 lets you flashbang a shark, so at least you're not totally defenseless

Death in the Water 2 kraken
(Image credit: Lighthouse Games Studio)

Death in the Water 2 is a new survival horror game designed to "test your thalassophobia," and thank goodness, it's launching on PC next week.

I don't know anyone who isn't at least a little afraid of the deep sea - with its assortment of utterly godless killing machines like sharks, lampreys, giant squids, and those abominations with sharp teeth and lamps on their heads - and Lighthouse Games Studio seemingly aims to exploit that universal fear. According to National Geographic, we've still only explored about 20% of what lies beneath the surface of the ocean, and Death in the Water 2 presents a world where your darkest and wildest fears of what lurks in the void are brought to life.

In this single-player wave-based shooter, you're brought deep underwater to fend off not only real-life horrors like sharks, but also (hopefully) fictional creatures including sirens and a giant mind-controlling kraken. With each dive, you're given a relatively calm window of opportunity to explore an open world map "that will test your thalassophobia," but after that the kraken will turn the underwater fauna against you and you'll be forced to survive or "join the endless ranks of the drowned."

With each subsequent dive, the difficulty will increase, but ideally so will your preparedness. Your expandable arsenal of weapons will include chum grenades, sniper spearguns, and shotguns. You'll also be able to unlock perks, one of which lets you summon a pod of dolphins to assist you in your battle for survival.

Death in the Water 2 hits Steam on January 26.

For more frightful fun, check out our list of the best horror games available now.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.