Time travel mechanics in video games have always been interesting, with titles like Majora’s Mask coming to mind with how deep they can become. But what about using those elements in a cinematic adventure game? Indie studio My Next Games combines time-traveling puzzle solving with a striking Batman Beyond-inspired art direction with Hank: Drowning on Dry Land.
Playing the short demo and watching the latest trailer, there’s much to discuss with this exciting upcoming indie title.
What is Hank: Drowning on Dry Land?
My Next Games describes the dark adventure with the following;
The time-traveling vigilante Hank thought he was going for a nice drink, only to find himself poisoned! Paralyzed, he lies on the floor, drowning in a puddle of spilled beer. As his brain withers away, the hero embarks on a journey through his own subconscious.
Will he find something there that can save him? In order to save the day and outsmart the infamous villain, Hank will have to jump in time, not once but multiple times. With each time jump, he will create another version of himself. When he reaches a point where there are many versions of Hank from many distinctive timelines running around who is to tell, which one is the real? And at the same time, who is the player taking control of the superhero?
Hank’s Personality – Story Impressions
Between the short gameplay demo and the following music video, performed by the music group Cinemon, Hank’s an interesting character.
He has some dialog in the demo, implying that he’s unfamiliar with the villain that’s after him, but when completing the demo, you find out the person you are saving… Is yourself.
And the mere concept of his powers, being able to make ‘time clones’, that cannot interact with one another, makes him a unique hero you don’t normally see. I’m excited to see Hank’s journey and curious to see if he will overcome his demons, physical and personal.
Demo Impressions
On Steam, a demo for Hank: Drowning on Dry Land is accessible, and playing through the demo was enjoyable. Hank is controlled with the analog stick/A & D keys and you can interact with objects by pressing the K key. Hank can see the ‘critical object’, with the demos being a pod surrounded by explosives by pressing the Space Bar.
But with only so much time to complete your goal, how can Hank overcome his challenges? Utilizing time portals, Hank can ‘reset the clock’, giving him more time to complete his goal.
In the demo, Hank needed to press three switches but to do so, he needed to be in three places at once. That is where his time clones come into play, but Hank cannot bump into them, otherwise he creates a time paradox. You can press the U Key to rewind time, giving you a chance to fix a mistake.
As seen with my gameplay, I died on my second try at the demo, but I managed to move Hank effectively and stopped the bombs from going off. Overall, I came away from the demo positive about the full game and can’t wait to see what other puzzling adventures Hank will experience next.
Presentation of Hank: Drowning on Dry Land
If the time-bending puzzle gameplay doesn’t grab you, the striking art direction will. Sporting a thick cell-shaded art style, Hank and his world popped off my screen. And details like the comic-pannel pop-ups when checking the ‘critical object’ or when something happens off-camera is awesome.
If I were to compare the visuals to anything, it would be the developer’s inspirations, being DC’s Batman and Superman animated series from the 90’s. Watching those shows growing up I enjoyed seeing that inspiration on full display.
Closing Thoughts
I enjoyed my time playing Hank: Drowning On Dry Land. While the demo was short, it gives a great window into a potential cult classic indie experience.
Sporting striking visuals, enjoyable puzzle gameplay, and promising an engaging time-bending narrative, My Next Games is making a game to keep an eye on as 2025 progresses. Stay tuned for future updates on Hank: Drowning on Dry Land and you can Wishlist the game on Steam today.
