Sharks and Minnows: Viral Indie Horror Game Grabs Internet’s Attention

Sharks and Minnows is a short game, but one that shows the world what the liminal horror genre can be in the industry. The problem with liminal games is that the atmosphere requires the space to be essentially abandoned, which means there is almost no interactivity to be found. While that is not an issue on its own, developers seem to have often defaulted to slow, boring games that focus on walking instead of engaging. Collin’s Game Company has taken that concern and erased it, bringing a pool-related horror that brings paranormal activity and killer sharks to the front and center.

The Steam Page has short but meaningful descriptions. “Find supplies to maintain your stamina. Complete ten laps. Escape.” Yes, it really is that simple, but in practice, Sharks and Minnows is so much more.

Sharks and Minnows is an exploration-based survival horror game where players are trapped within a haunted swim center and must complete ten laps to escape.

Players must scavenge the facility in order to keep their stamina as high as possible. Swimming causes stamina to drain and running out mid-lap will have deadly consequences.

If the situation gets desperate enough, many players will have to venture into the dark corners of the haunted building in order to find secret stashes of supplies.

Various hazards will be encountered while traversing the environment. Players will need to use their wits in order to overcome these obstacles because if they fail, they may end up trapped forever.

The gameplay does not give a lot of game lore. Players do not ever really find out why they are trapped, or why the building is taken over by sea creatures and paranormal monsters. Instead, they focus on the irrational fears that players can relate to. What it does do well, however, is add the horror. Bloody Disgusting gave a great review of this experience that is meant more to be frightful as opposed to in your face.

Speaking of scares, I appreciate how most of the game’s frights have more to do with slowly escalating challenges and an increasingly spooky atmosphere instead of over-the-top jump-scares with supernatural pursuers. In fact, knowing that there are never any monsters on land makes the desperate swim towards safety even more thrilling – especially when you’re low on air and know that there’s a hammerhead shark headed your way.

I’ll admit that the game’s frequent surprise death scenes can feel a bit unfair during your first run, but frequent checkpoints make sure that these moments usually feel more scary than frustrating.

Sharks and Minnows is not perfect. There are flaws in level design, game mechanics, graphics, and storyline. Limited replay value is also not ideal. But the positives outweigh the negatives, and that is why the game is growing fast and viral, through word of mouth. Hopefully, the growth of the game can allow for some expansion.

Final Thoughts

Sharks and Minnows is short, and once players are done, that is pretty much it. Given the price and the fact that it is an indie game, the game packs a memorable punch. It has received very positive ratings on Steam overall, and more and more YouTubers are talking about it. If you have a fear of water or water creatures, perhaps this game is for you, or maybe you just want to experience a solid foundation for liminal horror. The game is currently available on Steam.