The Still Wakes the Deep logo is informal, representing a psychological horror video game. At the same time, the emblem is characterized by restraint and simplicity, which create a calming effect far removed from the terrifying atmosphere.
Still Wakes the Deep: Brand overview
The British studio The Chinese Room developed the first-person psychological horror game Still Wakes the Deep, published by Secret Mode. The game was released on June 18, 2024, for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows.
The idea originated from Dan Pinchbeck, co-founder of The Chinese Room, who envisioned a project centered on an oil platform. Development began under his leadership, but after his departure in mid-2023, art director John McCormack took over. The setting, a 1975 North Sea oil rig, was chosen to emphasize an atmosphere of terror and isolation.
To ensure authenticity, the developers conducted detailed research, including reviewing archival footage from British Petroleum and consulting engineers with firsthand experience on oil platforms. This approach helped create a convincing depiction of the challenges and loneliness of platform life.
The team drew inspiration from films such as Annihilation, Solstice, Sapphire and Steel, and Suspiria. Mysticism and body horror were incorporated to build tension while allowing players to interpret the story in their own way.
When first revealed in June 2023, the game was praised for its atmosphere, visuals, and soundtrack. However, some reviewers criticized its short duration and linear structure.
This release marked The Chinese Room’s return to horror, showcasing their expertise in crafting immersive, atmospheric experiences with compelling narratives.
Meaning and History
What is Still Wakes the Deep?
This first-person horror game is set on an isolated oil rig in the North Sea. Players must survive using their wits rather than weapons, facing a mysterious creature and dangers lurking in the platform’s corridors and decks. The game combines survival and psychological horror, immersing players in an atmosphere of fear and isolation. The story draws on Scottish folklore and maritime traditions, while realistic sound design and a carefully crafted visual setting intensify the tension and sense of peril.
2024
The main distinctive feature of the Still Wakes the Deep logo is its simplicity. However, beneath that simplicity lies a complex world of chilling horrors. The black abyss speckled with white dots resembling distant stars amplifies the oppressive atmosphere. All elements are dark, with a slight “dusting” resembling the Milky Way, which reduces the aggressiveness of the visual identity and hints at the magnitude of the problems reflected in the game’s storyline.
The emblem is text-only, with no graphic details. The designers chose this approach to focus on the verbal and psychological impact on the viewer. The inscription consists of the title split into two levels. The most significant words are displayed in a larger font, making them bold and expressive compared to the adjacent ones:
- In the first line, the largest word is “Still.”
- In the second line, “Deep” stands out visually.
Meanwhile, “Wakes” and “the” are less prominent, with the smaller words modestly positioned alongside the larger ones. The title uses letters uniformly: uppercase, sans-serif, smooth, and bold, differing only in size. The size difference disrupts the lines’ proportionality, as they are neither center-aligned nor edge-aligned. However, this does not detract from the emblem’s structure. On the contrary, it looks perfect, as the smaller ones harmoniously complement the larger parts of the text.
Another interesting feature is that the last glyph (“P”) extends a line dripping downward, resembling a knife blade splattered with paint. This adds an element of horror to the logo while making it dynamic. It is the only graphic hint, as the rest of the symbols appear frozen with fear: perfectly straight and visually motionless.