Maneater (PlayStation 4) Review

Ever wanted to swim about as a man-eating shark? Well now you can. Deep Silver’s bull shark simulator allows players to live out their very own Jaws fantasy.
Bull sharks, while not as well-known as their great white cousins, are more likely to take a nibble out of an unsuspecting swimmer than the sharks Spielberg made famous in his 1970s movie. At home in freshwater as much as the ocean, these monsters of the deep aren’t fussy about mealtimes.

Maneater is a very different sort of role-playing game, and unlike any other game I’ve played. It’s close to Ubisoft’s Far Cry games, but even that’s a stretch.

Tongue firmly in cheek, the developers present the game in the style of a lifestyle extreme-fishing TV show, complete with intro credit montage. Throughout the game, a dead-pan narrator adds a dynamic natural-history-style commentary to your underwater adventures.
The game’s prologue puts players in control of an adult shark during a tutorial sequence, eating people, sinking boats and feeding on other fish. You also learn the basics: swimming on the surface with your iconic fin on display, flipping into the air to snatch otherwise hard-to-reach meals, and whipping enemies with your tail.

The prologue ends as a very young bull shark is unceremoniously cut from the belly of its mother. Players then take control of the shark pup as it’s thrown back, the hunter vowing to catch it again, one day.

The intro sequence sets up expectations that the early game doesn’t live up to. Once you’re playing as a younger, less powerful shark, that promised apex predator has trouble fighting off vicious little fish. Stumble upon an alligator and you’re fish food, complete with passive-aggressive comments from the narrator. This sudden vulnerability felt jarring, jarring enough that I put the controller down in frustration.

The game is, however, as much about exploring the very interesting undersea world as it is about terrorising beachgoers. My initial disappointment soon subsided as I got down to the messy business of day-to-day shark life and maturing my shark.

The controls are very simple. You can bite, lunge, tail whip and evade, plus leap out of the water to attack targets on land or in boats. The game auto-targets your prey, but you need to be able to see it to attack it. The camera works against you at first and takes some getting used to. Even once you’ve adjusted, the combat still lacks refinement in the heat of battle.

The game gives players plenty to do, with the water being packed with secrets and collectables. Some areas and items need your shark to be a bit more powerful in order to reach them.

Eating creatures gathers the nutrients needed to evolve your shark. They also replenish health. There are also a number of nutrient crates for an extra boost. Albino fishes and creatures also yield more nutrients.

The gameplay is centred around grottos that act as hubs.They are also fast-travel points. Every area has a grotto that can be discovered. Here you can upgrade your shark’s abilities and evolve. Everything you do gains experience points, which in turn levels up your shark and unlocks abilities. These abilities can be applied to the relevant part of the shark’s anatomy. The first ability is a sonar that be used to spot prey and objectives. There are also heath upgrades and better attacking abilities (such as bio-electric teeth!?!).  Nutrients can be spent further enhancing your sharks unlocked abilities.
The game wants players to explore and have fun with it. There are several distinct areas, from the swampy bayou to a manicured quay-side residential district. Missions are dotted around each one. Your shark might be tasked with eating a string of fish, hunting a particular target, or, of course, tearing through a beach full of humans.

Most fish are nothing more than an appetizing meal, but your shark isn’t invulnerable. Other higher-level predators lurk in the waters. Muskellunge are hostile and annoying, while barracuda offer more of a challenge, especially in numbers. Alligators can be deadly and should be avoided until your shark is mature enough to take them on. Later, hammerheads, sawfish and other sharks join the mix.

The most fun to be had is in attacking foolish swimmers and boaters. Your shark can leap up out of the ocean and attack people on the shore and in boats. The shark can grab swimmers and dive, munching as it goes.
Cause too much of a menace and bounty hunters will start hunting your shark. You can evade them or fight back. Dodging their fire is key to surviving the encounter. Kill enough bounty hunters and their leader will come after you too, and taking them down nets extra XP.

There are some lovely little touches, including collectables that reveal bits of each area’s history, often quite amusing. The whole game oozes a dark humour that’s probably the only sane way to handle what is, in effect, the nautical equivalent of Grand Theft Auto for gory killings.
The visuals are pretty good, nothing to shout about, but they get the job done. Attention to detail and generally interesting environments make just swimming about and exploring a lot of fun. The soundtrack, meanwhile, evokes the essence of John Williams’ infamous theme from Jaws.
Maneater isn’t the biggest game, and you could probably finish it fairly quickly, but that’s not really the point. The game lets players experience life as a killer shark at their own pace, exploring the undersea world on offer and causing as much mayhem as they like.

The early game is a bit of a grind, but as your shark evolves, you can really have a lot of fun with this game.