

Pakicetus Redux
Polymorphic Games · 2025 · Action, Adventure, Action-Adventure, CRPG, Exploration
PC
This game is free to play. Get it on Steam →
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About Pakicetus Redux
In deep-sea action-adventure game Pakicetus Redux, take command of the escort submarine Salvation as it travels along with your mother ship to undertake missions along a seafloor rift valley. Balance resource collection, upgrades, and the fate of human civilization as you battle an emerging enemy bent on stopping your search for a new home.
Three hundred years ago, the wanton disregard for the environment by old-world society led to catastrophic natural disasters. Fearful for humanity’s survival, a small group of scientists calling themselves the Pakicetus retreated to the bottom of the ocean and established your home, Bastion. However, the halls of Bastion have become crowded and resources are running low, threatening the entire colony’s survival.
You have been selected to help locate a safe site and build a second home for the “The Pak”. Take command and captain the escort submarine, Salvation, as it accompanies the Pak’s only colony construction vessel, The Forge. Choose between possible missions and explore the abyss while gathering essential resources along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Eruptions, rock falls, earthquakes, and an unknown enemy are the only things separating your ship and crew from a new colony and saving your home and the future of humanity.
Three hundred years ago, the wanton disregard for the environment by old-world society led to catastrophic natural disasters. Fearful for humanity’s survival, a small group of scientists calling themselves the Pakicetus retreated to the bottom of the ocean and established your home, Bastion. However, the halls of Bastion have become crowded and resources are running low, threatening the entire colony’s survival.
You have been selected to help locate a safe site and build a second home for the “The Pak”. Take command and captain the escort submarine, Salvation, as it accompanies the Pak’s only colony construction vessel, The Forge. Choose between possible missions and explore the abyss while gathering essential resources along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Eruptions, rock falls, earthquakes, and an unknown enemy are the only things separating your ship and crew from a new colony and saving your home and the future of humanity.
Explore
Explore realistic mid-ocean ridge environments as you choose between missions on an overview map created from actual bathymetry of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. While exploring, hunt for resources to fuel upgrades and new abilities. Use the ship’s database of geologic knowledge to master gameplay and improve your understanding of the technology and environment to help you succeed. Take advantage of the opportunities provided by the deep; they are few and far between.Choose
Choose between two or more options for your next mission. The Salvation has the essential function of defending and supplying the Forge as it travels and prepares to construct a new colony for the Pak.Collect Resources
Find and gather four different resources that you will need to maintain and upgrade your ship. Collect serpentinite and basalt rocks off the seafloor and filter the hot water plumes of hydrothermal vents. Keep an eye out for geologic events such as earthquakes that could point you toward richer resources waiting to be harvested.Upgrade
Decide what technologies to research and systems to upgrade – everything takes resources and the clock is ticking. Do you force your way past the enemy via sophisticated weapons systems, avoid dangers by enhancing your engines and employing stealth, or make your way to the end through deployment of novel sensors and construction of resource collection building that defend and repair the Salvation? What strategy will you employ?Story
Your crew was born here in the deep. Only myths of the old world exist, but their knowledge of the seafloor is near complete. As your crew communicate to you during the colony expedition, you will learn why humanity retreated to the ocean. In addition, as you discover hidden journals of a "Pak" founder, you will uncover where this mysterious enemy came from, and who created them.Science
Enjoy a window into the marine geology of the deep-sea. In game geologic events, seafloor morphology, and the resources you gather are all based on scientific data and actual scientific exploration of the Earth’s deep ocean. What would you expect form a game funded by the United States National Science Foundation? Game development was supported by National Science Foundation grant #OCE-1753354.What Steam players say
Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.
✦ AI summary
Players have mixed feelings about this student project. Some appreciate the focused gameplay loop and find it entertaining for its brief playtime, particularly recommending it to aspiring game developers. However, others criticize it as academic work that doesn't belong on Steam, arguing it lacks the depth of professional games, and specific control issues like the inability to use mouse controls for submarine movement detract from the experience.
⠀7 found this helpful
peanut would love some pets and treats :) 🌸> フ | _ _ l /` ミ_xノ / | / ヽ ノ │ | | | / ̄| | | | | ( ̄ヽ__ヽ_)__) \二つ4 found this helpful
"Pakicetus Redux" is just another student project dumped onto the Steam store, one of thousands. It's from University of Idaho in somewhere in the USA. Student projects might look better than amateur shovelware, but they aren't real games. This is just a glorified homework assignment. It lacks the depth and value you get from professionally developed product because it was made for a grade, not for players. Schools, colleges and universities shouldn't be using Steam to show off student projects. It might be fine for the school's marketing, but it clutters the Steam store with pollution... we have to sort past all these short student tech demos just so we can find real, full games from professional developers. This is a case of a game dev college putting its own interests before the interests of gamers. The students made what sounds like a pseudo-educational game, but is really just an arcade style third person vehicle shooter (that has nothing to do with everyone's favourite prehistoric mammal, the titular pakicetus). I'm frankly disappointed to not see a single pakicetus in the game. There's a little collection and stuff but this is mostly just third person vehicle shooting.…4 found this helpful
It would be much more fun, fluid and comfortable if I could use the damn mouse to move the submarine.1 found this helpful
I really liked the gameplay loop. It's fun, can be completed in a few hours, and useful for devs to play. You'll see what I mean. I recommend it for anyone looking to be a game dev.
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