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About Sharks and Minnows
Sharks and Minnows is an indie, single-player survival horror game set in a haunted swim center. One autumn afternoon, a routine trip to the local pool takes a paranormal turn: after emerging from the water, you find yourself completely alone, and every attempt to leave simply leads you back to the water.
To escape, you must complete ten laps. The more you swim, the more your stamina drains, and running out has deadly consequences. Supplies are scattered around the facility that could replenish your stamina, but tracking them down means searching the alcoves of an increasingly unsettling building. The Steam listing highlights full controller support, custom volume controls, Steam achievements, and Family Sharing.
01 / THE GUIDE
Gameplay Loop
The core objective is to complete ten laps to escape the haunted swim center. Swimming steadily drains stamina, and letting it run out has deadly consequences, so every lap is a balance between progress and self-preservation.
Supplies scattered throughout the facility can replenish stamina, but finding them requires exploring the pool's alcoves. This gives the loop a scavenging rhythm: swim, watch your stamina, and detour to search for what you need.
- Plan your swimming pace so a lap never ends with stamina nearly empty.
- Treat supply hunting as part of each lap rather than a separate errand, since detours also cost stamina.
02 / THE GUIDE
Exploration
The facility contains alcoves where supplies may be found, and exploring deeper into them is necessary to keep your stamina topped up across ten laps.
As you search, you get the sense that your exploration isn't solitary. The description warns that if you aren't careful, you may end up trapped forever, so caution is as important as thoroughness when venturing into unfamiliar corners.
- Weigh how far an alcove goes before committing, since deeper searches mean more drained stamina.
- If something feels off about an area, don't push deeper just for one more supply.
03 / THE GUIDE
Survival Mechanics
Stamina is the central survival pressure in the game. It drains the more you swim, and depletion has deadly consequences that end your escape attempt.
The facility's scattered supplies can replenish stamina, but they must be located through exploration. Managing when to swim and when to search is the key to surviving the full ten laps.
- Note roughly how much swimming you can do between supply finds and pace yourself accordingly.
- Don't let a long stretch without finding supplies talk you into risky extra laps.
04 / THE GUIDE
Audio & Controls
The Steam listing includes full controller support and DualShock controller support, along with custom volume controls and stereo sound, which suit the game's haunted atmosphere.
The game is also listed as playable without timed input, so it doesn't demand rapid, precisely timed actions. This supports a more deliberate, exploratory pace.
- Use the custom volume controls to set a level where the stereo soundscape stays clear.
- Because no timed input is required, favor careful, methodical movement over rushed actions.
05 / THE GUIDE
Achievements & Family Sharing
Steam achievements are integrated, offering optional goals alongside the main ten-lap escape.
Family Sharing is supported, so multiple accounts on the same device can access the game through shared library access.
- Use achievements as side objectives to structure your exploration of the facility.
- Family Sharing makes it easy for others in your household to attempt their own escape.
COMMUNITY
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