Anoxemia casts the player as Dr. Bailey, a scientist sent to collect samples from a contaminated seabed. After his submarine crashes and communications fail, he presses on with ATMA, an operations drone whose increasingly suspicious behavior complicates an already desperate mission. The story-driven setup makes isolation and uncertainty part of the exploration, not just background atmosphere.
Searching underwater caves means finding and extracting samples while navigating hazards such as poison drifts, strong currents, leftover mines, and malfunctioning machines. Oxygen is a continuing concern, while ATMA can help with navigation through tools and upgrades that must first be found. The game combines environmental dangers with puzzles calling for quick reflexes and careful thought; its voiced narrative also reveals Dr. Bailey’s thoughts as events unfold. The store describes a substantial set of distinct underwater levels, framing exploration as a sequence of dangerous spaces rather than a single open-water expedition.
Anoxemia is listed as single-player, so its play format centers on one person’s journey through the story and its hazards. Bailey’s precarious progress with ATMA rather than cooperating or competing with other players.
