Watch out boy, she’ll chew you up…
Maneater is a game where you play as a baby shark (doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo) and you grow and evolve as you feed on sealife, levelling up and getting new moves which can let you access previously unreachable areas, it’s kind of like an RPG meets Metroidvania with sharks.
You can also literally go full Jaws on people at the beach as well as attack hunting boats who are literally trying to get you. The story is told via a documentary of sorts, voiced by Chris Parnell (Jerry from Rick and Morty/Cyril Figgis from Archer) and you get to see shark hunters plotting to capture you. It’s all very cheesy but hilarious and well presented. There are a good number of locations for your shark to swim in and evolve, each offering collectible items to grab or destroy, alongside side-quests to nab more XP. Shark hunters won’t be your only enemy in Maneater, you’ll come across deadly crocodiles and other sealife that will fight back alongside the docile ones that are more than happy to be eaten.
Controlling your shark will take some getting used to, but it soon becomes second nature as you rip apart people and fish alike, while barging boats full of hunters trying to harpoon you. Its difficulty is fair and obviously more achievable when you are a higher level and there’s a good amount of content to be found either on the surface or in the murky depths.
Visually, Maneater is a decent looking game with nice detailed locations and the framerate is consistent for the most part. The camera isn’t always your friend when playing, but it’s only a small problem with what is a fun and decent ShaRkPG.
The Verdict
Maneater is a game that is as fun as it is silly. It is surprisingly deep though with it’s RPG and Metroidvania design, while maintaining a good sense of humour.