Platforms
- PCMar 14, 2024NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
- PlayStation 5Mar 14, 2024NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
- Xbox Series X|SMar 14, 2024NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
- PlayStation 4Mar 14, 2024NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
- Xbox OneMar 14, 2024NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
- Nintendo SwitchMar 14, 2024NAplayscoreNA0 CriticsNA0 Players
- AndroidMar 01, 20237.9playscore8.52 Critics7.61.86K Players
- iOSMar 14, 20238.3playscore8.04 Critics9.2326 Players
18 critic reviews · 0 community reviews across all platforms
Microtransactions
This game includes in-game purchases. For more info, visit our microtransactions guide.
Critic Reviews
- Whilst Highwater starts with some rather lovely visuals and whimsical charm, it soon devolves into a tedious, languid affair that failed to launch. If you can endure the droning voices and hackneyed lyrics in here, you may enjoy this turn-based nautically-induced apocalypse adventure.
Greg Hicks · Apr 07, 2024 Reviewed on PS5Read full review - Highwater could be the dictionary example of an indie game: it is based on a trending topic with social implications, it marches to its own tune without trying to fit into one specific genre, it has a distinctive visual and musical style that build a great atmosphere, and the developers cannot be bothered to fix the bugs they left in the game. It is an artistic production and a social statement that would badly need some polishing and fixing to be a completely enjoyable video game. By smoothing down the edges it can become the atmospheric trip the developers imagined, and the magic wouldn’t be broken by the hiccups.
Cosmin Vasile · Apr 04, 2024 Reviewed on PS5Read full review - Highwater from developer Demagog Studio is a powerful and cautionary tale of environmental damage and how people have to survive it when the world collapses. The game hits all the right notes with the story it wants to tell, while not letting the turn-based backbone and strategy steal the story’s spotlight.
Nathaniel Stevens · Mar 24, 2024 Reviewed on PS5Read full review - A very worthy addition to the Demagog repertoire, Highwater builds on the gorgeous and provocative world of the studio’s other games with a story-driven escape from a flooded planet. It is a sharp critique of late stage capitalism, but it populates the devastated world with a touching story, wholesome characters, and surprisingly engaging combat.
Kirstie Summers · Mar 18, 2024 Reviewed on SwitchRead full review - Highwater could easily become one of those end-of-times comfort games; very relaxing with an interesting world to explore. Sometimes it might feel a bit empty and the combat does get slightly repetitive, but overall I had a great time playing and exploring this land.
Gareth Brierley · Mar 16, 2024 Reviewed on Series X|SRead full review - Highwater is a fun little strategy game about the end of the world, and the struggle of a small group of people trying to survive. The strategy gameplay has some rather creative ideas, albeit ones arguably not exploited to their fullest. Some of the game’s elements, primarily the long, largely uneventful boat trips between combat encounters, may be polarising to those seeking a more densely-packed and fast-paced experience. However, if you can get on its level, sit back and enjoy the music and engaging narrative, you’ll likely have a good time with Highwater.
Tom Quirk · Mar 15, 2024 Reviewed on Series X|SRead full review - Highwater is an excellent adventure game that puts a magnifying glass up to the growing issue of climate change and the ambivalence that humans can have towards the state of the environment. While the story is bogged down by inconsistent writing, I found plenty to enjoy in its combat system and its ancillary storytelling.
Donovan Erskine · Mar 14, 2024 Reviewed on PCRead full review - Highwater's well told story, and surprisingly deep gameplay, made it hard to put down. It's not quite like any other narrative adventure game I’ve ever played. Combat and menu design can be a little clunky, but ultimately every encounter serves as a deliberate and well crafted puzzle. This is a very fresh take on a post apocalyptic story that oozes with satire, dark humor, and some oddly cozy end of the world vibes.
John Rairdin · Mar 14, 2024 Reviewed on SwitchRead full review - Highwater tells a fairly interesting story about a planet on the brink and offers solid, if simple, tactical gameplay, which I mostly enjoyed. Add in a great art style and a winning soundtrack, and there’s a lot to interest fans of the strategy genre. The rest of the world around all of this largely lets the game down but the players Highwater grabs will get lost in the beautiful tragedy of it all.
Andrew Thornton · Mar 14, 2024 Reviewed on PCRead full review - There are moments of beauty in Highwater, most of it instigated by environmental design – I loved coming across surprises and marvelling at how even after catastrophe, human beings continue to do their thing. But unfortunately, as much as I love the game’s aesthetics and very competent turn-based combat, it doesn’t have all that much to say about its complex themes, and finishing it felt like a relief.
Tessa Kaur · Mar 14, 2024 Reviewed on PS5Read full review
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About the game
Trailers & Screenshots:
Highwater is a story-driven 3D adventure game with isometric turn-based combat set in the flooded, post-apocalyptic space between the raging War Zone and Alphaville. Navigate the world by boat, discover islands, and find new allies to help battle foes in turn-based combat.
Amid the Great Climate Catastrophe, the flooded region of Hightower has become a kind of safe zone between the two dry regions: the nearly global ravaged land of the War Zone, and the fortified city of Alphaville, where the ultra-rich live behind giant walls.
With life on Earth becoming untenable for humans, and rumors of an escape to Mars floating around, Nikos begins a perilous journey, picking up friends along the way. First to Hightower, then beyond to cross the impenetrable border of Alphaville, battling insurgents and stealing food along the way. Will Nikos and his friends manage to sneak into the rocket in time?
Developer: Demagog Studio