Dry Drowning

Dry Drowning is an intriguing, engaging, if flawed visual novel. While it's more expansive than traditional visual novels, it still lives and dies on the story, character and writing, which are strong and interesting, though let down by a rough localisation. However, even with this, it's well worth checking out, looking and sounding both fantastic, with an outstanding soundtrack that really adds to the game.

Dry Drowning is a fun experience that uses its format well and has clearly been created by people with a lot of love for the genre. Even if you don’t ordinarily play visual novels, I think there’s a lot more to keep you engaged than you would expect. There’s a real sense that your choices craft the narrative and Mordred’s journey, and whilst there is a lot happening the game does a good job at keeping you on track. If you’re in the mood to play detective, you’ll definitely find something to enjoy here.

Dry Drowning is a dark, interactive murder mystery novel with a compelling story that is represented well on the Nintendo Switch. The otherwise gripping story is marred slightly by some poor user interface design choices but otherwise delivers everything you'd look for in a top-notch visual novel!

Dry Drowning reminds me a little of another game that I went into with absolutely no expectations, and went on to become one of my favourite games of all time: Tokyo Dark: Remembrance. Both are heavily inspired by noir and horror elements, though Tokyo Dark is Lovecraftian and Dry Drowning is more cyberpunk. Both games share a bold willingness to discomfort the audience, an interest in social commentary relevant to the real world, and an unrelenting intensity and urgency in the storytelling. I very nearly missed Dry Drowning because it very much looks like the low-budget visual novel that many other critics have accused it of being. I'm not sure what they were playing, though, because if you actually listen to what the game's saying, and pay attention to the literary genres that it belongs to, this is really quite a remarkable experience.

In short, playing Dry Drowning is a pleasure from all points of view: from the purely playful side, the title of Studio v proposes a visual novel formula with shades of Noir and Thriller perfectly amalgamated into a narrative that fascinates from the first moment, accompanied by an artistic sector that is simply amusing, while from the most introspective and mentally stimulating part, the game offers settings that seem to cling to us in a vice of raw realism cloaked in a dystopia that moves away from us but not too much: within these the characters and our consciences move together with theirs. Nova Polemos is truly an exasperated version of our cities, and the dilemmas that Mordred foley faces are, under a terribly human magnifying glass, the same ones we are subjected every day. Society, morals, interest are the bonds that we must bring into life as in Dry Drowning. Under the aegis of which of these will we take our steps within one of the most interesting games of recent years? And in our lives?

I was pleasantly surprised by Dry Drowning. The setting was interesting, the choices mattered, and the story was compelling enough to make me want to see it through to the end. While not all of the socio-political story elements were original, there were still plenty of mysteries and twists that kept me captivated.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Dry Drowning. It’s got a lot going for it – excellent writing, a deep, riveting story, and plenty of replayability with branching paths and multiple endings. The few flaws the game does have are more a minor nuisance than any kind of real hindrance. If you’re looking for something Phoenix Wright adjacent, but with a dark, intense slant, I definitely recommend giving Dry Drowning a shot.

If you’re looking for a dark and gritty murder mystery, filled with suspense and crime-solving, Dry Drowning is for you! With multiple endings, lots of Moral Choices that alter the narrative and events, and creative puzzles to solve, this is much more than a Visual Novel, it’s an interactive serial killer hunt with you in the driving seat. The soundtrack builds the atmosphere, pulling you into the futuristic dystopian city, but the lack of voice acting means you’re not fully absorbed by the immersion. One thing to note, some of the text is comically small, so if you have bad eyesight, playing it on the TV may be your best bet.

The city of Nova Polemos is a haven for those with power, but a nightmare for everyone else. This Dry Drowning Switch review steps in the shoes of a detective entangled in the politics and mystery of this visual novel thriller. But does this gritty cyberpunk gumshoe story sink or swim?

Operating somewhere between a visual novel and a classic adventure Dry Drowning is a bit of an odd bird...