Ten years after the harrowing, eerie, and grotesque events that led to the destruction of the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland, Siren’s Rest promises to bring the strengths of its predecessor into the depths below, as you descend into a diving bell to investigate the wreckage and perhaps offer some closure — or at least answers — for those left behind.

Within its 1.5-to-two-hour runtime, it largely succeeds, even if it doesn’t quite learn from the occasional flaws that slightly tarnished Still Wakes the Deep’s otherwise chilling storytelling and immersive atmosphere.

Just launching *Still Wakes the Deep* again brings a sense of unease. As soon as you select *Siren’s Rest* from the main menu — which displays the intact Beira D — the game immediately drops you beneath the ocean surface, and you can’t help but think, “Oh no, this is already going to be bad,” as memories of the original game resurface.

Back to the abyss

It’s May 14, 1986 — less than a month after the Chernobyl disaster, and also just days before my own birth, making it a grim time no matter how you look at it. You are Mhairi, a determined young explorer inside a diving bell being lowered by Hans, your caffeine-dependent colleague who checks in via comms.

Meanwhile, Rob is already outside, guiding your descent toward the remains of the Beira D. The dialogue is spot-on — believable and unsettling — and from the start, it's clear the team knows nothing of the horrors that transpired on the platform before its collapse. But why would they?

Once movement becomes available, chances are you’ll head straight to the video settings and switch to performance mode to deal with the inconsistent frame rate. Like the original title, Siren’s Rest performs best not in “quality” mode, but only when motion blur and film grain remain enabled for that authentic retro aesthetic.

There’s more than a hint of Control in this DLC’s visual style, particularly in its use of all-caps act titles and the ominous red glow of flares — an increasingly important element throughout the experience — yet it quickly establishes itself as something distinct from both Still Wakes the Deep and other underwater exploration games like Soma or Narcosis. The blend of now-outdated technology, such as your umbilical cord and aging flashlight, combined with the grime and dim lighting of your surroundings, heightens the sense of impending doom.

Admittedly, the umbilical cable is one of the first elements to break immersion. At first, it acts almost like an unseen antagonist — resembling an alien tentacle that might give you an unexpected scare during the opening moments — but later, in tighter spaces, it frequently catches on invisible obstacles or passes through solid walls. This is far from ideal, especially considering how much Siren’s Rest emphasizes optional discoveries.

Collect them all

Interestingly enough, Still Wakes the Deep lives on within the death and decay of past characters. As Mhairi, Hans, and Rob communicate, you begin identifying the bodies of the lost along the way, though only a few lie directly on the main path.

The level design, especially early on, thrives on indecision. Exploration often presents a binary choice — the optional detour sometimes stretching out just long enough to make you wonder whether it's worth continuing or turning back. You may find yourself retracing your steps just to ensure you haven’t missed a collectible or, more disturbingly, a corpse to photograph.

You really don’t want to skip these side stories either. Each discovered body reveals details about their past, almost like an episode of Bones unfolding in real-time. Fortunately, the highlighting reticles for discoverables are forgiving — essential in the murky depths where items could easily be hidden. Still, after just fifteen minutes, you’re likely convinced you’ve overlooked something.

The craft of misdirection

Siren’s Rest excels in storybuilding, but with its more open-ended approach compared to the original, you may miss key sights, sounds, or jump scares.

The gradual emergence of unnatural formations is expertly handled, supported by subtle horror cues that often rely on stunning lighting effects. However, due to the full 360-degree view afforded by the underwater setting, you may end up looking in the wrong direction at the wrong time. The first two potential scares were completely lost on me because I wasn't facing the intended direction — apparently drifting unknowingly toward a trigger point for an animation.

Throughout, prompts can also disrupt immersion by staying on screen too long or taking up unnecessary space. Some appear too late. There are also glitches — while I can overlook the umbilical’s apparent defiance of physics, some issues forced me to restart. One particular rusted door caused my right analog stick to stop working entirely. In another instance, while following a certain path, my flashlight turned off randomly and killed me without any warning or indication that I had done anything wrong. Likely a case of poor guidance, but reloading trapped me behind a wall.

Then, as things intensify in the third act — without revealing what happens in the final stages of Siren’s Rest — chance plays a larger role than it should, leaving you uncertain about what went wrong. Still, eventually, you push through.

Is Siren’s Rest worth the dive?

At $12, the Siren’s Rest DLC for Still Wakes the Deep delivers some truly memorable moments. Yet, it falls short in both length and impact when compared to the original game — particularly in terms of fear, isolation, and the sense of inhumanity, none of which reach the same intensity.

Even so, after finishing Siren’s Rest, I booted up the original game again. Already two hours in, this new DLC has made me appreciate The Chinese Room’s 2024 masterpiece even more, and it’s compelling me to return to Siren’s Rest soon with fresh eyes. Perhaps the second run will reveal its true charm — that’s certainly been the case with Still Wakes the Deep.

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