First off, you instantly notice the awesome graphics, powered by the Gamebryo Engine, that make
Red Ocean really come alive. These do indeed mimic the aforementioned spooky shooter. There are hosts of slick looking weapons effects, from brilliant muzzle flashes to atmospheric water effects, all ultra-realistic and downright sexy. The character models are also quite nicely done, and the guns themselves look very deadly. Add to this some great environmental lighting, ragdoll bodies, semi-destructible surfaces, and you have some nice eye candy. However, often times things are a little too murky for my liking, but it does add to the tension and realism of an undersea facility.
On the sound side, you have a decent beat to mow through enemies, but it’s nothing groundbreaking. The environmental ambience is spot on, with lots of trippy water echoes, bubbles, creaking and so forth. Lastly, the weapon and explosive effects can be deafening, especially in some of the enclosed spaces that abound in this title.