I always thought that the most stressful moment in Finding Nemo was when Gill and his crew executed their plan to escape the dentist's office. It was probably too much suspense for a three-year-old to handle! Fortunately, I get to relive that childhood stressor all over again with Barely Breathing.

On the surface, it might sound like a horror game, but it is actually a very fun and charming 3D platformer. You play as a little fish with big dreams of reaching the ocean. To get there, you must parkour your way around an apartment using any available liquid to traverse the house.

The Mechanics of Barely Breathing

The gameplay involves navigating a domestic environment by utilizing water sources. You can tip over glasses or swim up storm drains, all while using the seemingly infinite pots of water scattered around the house.

To master the movement, you must utilize several key features:

  • Using liquid to move between surfaces.
  • Splashing liquid to create puddles to close gaps.
  • Timing your movements, as puddles will dry up after a short period.

The premise is simple, but the platforming from Shades Games is done surprisingly well. It provides a level of challenge that remains rewarding without feeling impossible.

Overcoming Obstacles in the Demo

During my time with the demo, I was faced with a working fan that proved to be a major hurdle. My first attempt was laughably bad; I got caught by the spinning blades and launched across the room, landing on the dry floor for what felt like Finding Nemo's bad ending.

After reassessing the situation, it became clear that I didn't have the dexterity to jump through the swirling blades. I eventually found a switch lying nearby on the floor. After splashing some water down, I made my way to the switch and flopped around until I turned it off. With the fan disabled, I was able to flop onto the static blades and jump to a nearby shelf.

The demo ended shortly after this point, which was unfortunate as I was really starting to get the hang of playing hacky sacks with a fish's body. The good news is that we won't have to wait too long to continue the adventure towards the open sea, as Barely Breathing is set to release sometime later this year.

In the meantime, I'll be heading back into the demo to perfect my fish trick shots; this fish's owner won't know what hit them by the time the full game releases.