Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Airlock delivers a relentless blend of puzzle-solving and high-stakes action as you navigate the crippled corridors of a nuclear submarine racing against the rising water. Each floor challenges you to locate two hatch keys, with the pressure mounting as the timer ticks down toward inevitable flooding. The core loop—explore, collect, and escape—feels razor-sharp, demanding both careful route planning and quick reflexes to clear each level in time.

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Adding to the tension are the rogue torpedoes that have come loose in the crash. These rolling hazards traverse the hallways unpredictably, forcing you to leap out of the way or suffer a brief stun. This stun not only costs you precious seconds but can also leave you vulnerable to being caught on a level that’s about to go under. The torpedo mechanics introduce a satisfying risk-reward element: dash past at your own peril or find a safer, longer path to your keys.

The difficulty curve in Airlock is steep but fair. Early stages let you acclimate to the water’s rise rate and torpedo patterns with simpler layouts, while later floors throw tighter corridors, more aggressive flooding speeds, and multiple torpedo spawns at you. Adaptive checkpoints between levels ensure you can retry a tough floor without losing all your progress, striking a good balance between challenge and frustration.

Graphics

Visually, Airlock captures the claustrophobic atmosphere of a sinking submarine with impressive fidelity. The metallic sheen of bulkheads, the murky green tints of seawater creeping through cracks, and the occasional flicker of emergency lights all coalesce into a tense, immersive environment. You’ll feel every shudder of the hull as it groans under pressure, heightening the sense of impending doom.

Character models and animations are functional and clear: your diver’s flailing jumps over torpedoes, the slow crawl through submerged halls, and the frantic dash to the elevator all feel grounded and believable. Simple particle effects—bubbling water, sparks from damaged conduits, and rising moisture on control panels—add layers of realism without overtaxing the visuals or distracting from gameplay.

The level design itself is a highlight of Airlock’s graphics. Each deck has a distinct look—machinery rooms filled with pipes and valves, crew quarters with personal items floating in the flood, and torpedo bay sections where weapons still rock ominously. This variety prevents visual monotony and helps orient you as you climb upward, floor by floor, on your heart-stopping escape.

Story

Airlock’s narrative premise is straightforward but effective: a nuclear submarine has suffered a catastrophic crash, and you are its sole hope for survival. There are no lengthy cutscenes or verbose exposition—story elements are woven into the environment itself. Logs scattered around floors hint at the crew’s last moments, the cause of the malfunction, and the growing fear as water levels rose.

This environmental storytelling approach keeps you engrossed without pulling you away from the urgent gameplay. Discovering a coral-encrusted photo of a crew member’s family or overhearing a desperate radio transmission adds emotional weight to your mission. You’re not just gathering keys; you’re piecing together the human cost of this disaster and racing to honor the crew by escaping alive.

While the overarching plot doesn’t twist into complex territory, it doesn’t need to. The simplicity of “escape or drown” drives every corridor sprint and torpedo dodge, making the stakes crystal clear. Occasional journal entries unlocked after each level cast brief light on what happened before the crash, giving a satisfying sense of progression and backstory without overwhelming the core experience.

Overall Experience

Airlock excels at delivering edge-of-your-seat intensity through its tight gameplay loop and atmospheric setting. Each successful elevator ascent feels like a hard-won victory, overshadowed only by the knowledge that the next floor will be even more punishing. The blend of puzzle elements—finding keys and plotting efficient routes—with reactive hazards like rolling torpedoes keeps every moment engaging.

The game’s pacing is masterful. Early floors serve as a tutorial in disguise, while the midsection cranks up the difficulty with narrower corridors and faster floods. By the final levels, you’ll find yourself in white-knuckle races against time, leaping over torpedoes and praying for safe routes. Checkpoints offer relief, but they don’t dilute the sense of accomplishment when you finally breach the submarine’s outer hull.

For players seeking a focused, thrilling single-player challenge, Airlock is a standout. Its accessible controls and clear objectives make it approachable, while its increasing complexity and real sense of danger will entice hardcore fans of time-based puzzles and survival scenarios. If you’ve ever wondered how it feels to outmaneuver torpedoes in a failing underwater fortress, Airlock will not disappoint.

Retro Replay Score

3.8/10