The sea is home to so many fascinating creatures. With its myriad of unexplored areas, the deep sea is the perfect backdrop for a hidden object game. Jellies of the Deep is Catloaf Studio’s first Steam release and takes place entirely underwater. Although unique, this cozy hidden object is highly reminiscent of Under Leaves’ style.
Jellies of the Deep consists of four areas; the Red Reef, the Green Fjord, the Yellow Lake, and the Blue Arctic. Each area has 5 different levels. There are 60 unique jellies to collect. The first level is used as a way to introduce gameplay so it is simpler. In this initial level there is only one jelly to find, but subsequent levels require finding several of them. The goal is to find one or many unique jellies in each level. It will have a slight difference from others, it might be a different pattern, an extra horn, or really anything. What complicates matters is that each level has several types of jellies so you really don’t know which type is the unique one, but it makes for a fun challenge. Another aspect that adds to the difficulty is that as you progress the search area expands. At first there is only one screen to search, but as you play there’s more and more screens being added. The last level has eight screens where you must locate five unique jellies from a multitude of types.
You start the game in a level selection screen. When you complete one level the next one unlocked. After each completed level, the collected jellies are added to a collection which you can view at any time from the main screen. It’s fun to see your collection grow and you can even name them. It’s a great idea and gives credence to the fact that each found jelly is unique.
Jellies of the Deep’s artwork is hand-drawn. The dark colors and ethereal vibe of the backgrounds truly make you feel like you are deep in the sea. They also have a blurred effect which helps create a relaxed atmosphere and makes the lighter colored jellies pop. The drawings are simple, but still very detailed. They have a fun and unique style. The soundtrack also works with the beautiful visual style to create a cozy relaxed vibe with its soothing music. I would have liked a bit more variety, but overall it’s a lovely soundtrack.
There are several interesting mechanics. They are slowly introduced one at a time through the different levels. Each one builds on the next one to create a perfectly balanced progression. The first one introduced is the light jelly which you click on to light up the level. These levels are very dark and you won’t be able to play until you click on the light jellies to illuminate the level. The ghost jellies are translucent until you click them. Then the frozen jellies are encased in ice, once again you have to click on the ice to release them. There’s also a snowflake mechanic which is introduced a bit later in the game. You can click these to freeze the level for 20 seconds. There can be multiple snowflakes in a level and each one gives you a 20 seconds freeze. It can be really helpful especially in larger levels because the jellies are constantly moving, and with multiple screens it can be difficult to locate one single jelly. Lastly, there are geysers that release bubbles. These are on the bottom screens. The bubbles released by the geyser pushes all of the jellies at the top where they condense in a jelly mass so until you click on the geysers to stop the bubbling you won’t be able to find anything. Jellies of the Deep is a simple game and the many different mechanics add a certain albeit small complexity that is very welcome into the gameplay.
It took me around 2 hours to complete the game, but if you’re fast and don’t spend too much time naming each and every jelly it will probably take you less than that. It’s short, but I think for this type of game it’s exactly right. There’s is one feature however thatis missing. There is no hint system. I probably wouldn’t have used it, but some levels can be tricky. It’s not a complicated game in and of itself, but if you fail to find one jelly and can’t continue playing it could become frustrating. A hint system would be a helpful addition.
Jellies of the Deep is a fun hidden object game with interesting mechanics. The beautiful hand-drawn levels and the soothing soundtrack creates a relaxing atmosphere perfect for a cozy gaming session. The later levels are difficult enough to offer challenging gameplay for seasoned players. If you are looking for a fun casual game that you can finish in one sitting, Jellies of the Deep might just be the game for you.
Positives
- 20 beautifully hand-drawn levels
- Collected jellies can be named
- Nice cozy atmosphere
Negatives
- Soundtrack lacks variety
- No hint system
- Some players might find it too short
