Wake is a platform game where the player takes control of an engineer who has to escape a sinking ship. The water is constantly rising and the player has to get out of the ship before he drowns. There is no combat in the game and therefore the only way to die is to drown which happens when the player runs out of oxygen. The focus of the game involves exploring the ship as well as solving puzzles, overcoming traps and searching for rewards. The player can run, jump and swim as well as pick up and use items. Items include keys that can be used to open metal doors. There are also wooden doors that the player can break through with the use of an axe. The player will also come across pill cabinets where he can get adrenaline that can be used for enhanced speed and jumping. The are also other items that are lying around and the player is encouraged to find them all.

Traps include fire and turrets. The player can touch fire but too much contact and he might ignite. He will then have to douse the flames or faint until the water reaches him and he will wake up. Different kinds of turrets exist. Some fire in a fixed direction while others follows the player. As with the fire the player can take only take some damage before he faints and the water catches up. At times there are power cuts on the ship which leads to lights and turrets going out. The player then needs to use flares that light up the whole area around the player for a limited time or torches which offer a smaller but permanent light.

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