He’s the first one you really see. Not just a shadow or a wet sound in the vents, but a person—or what used to be a person—twisted into something that defies every law of biology. If you’ve played through The Chinese Room’s latest claustrophobic horror, you know that Still Wakes the Deep Gibbo isn't just another monster to hide from under a desk. He is the emotional anchor of the game’s first act. He’s the moment the stakes shift from "industrial accident" to "cosmic nightmare."
Gibbo, or Gareth Gibson, starts the game as your mate. He’s the kind of guy you’d grab a pint with in a rainy Scottish port. He’s anxious, sure, and maybe a bit out of his depth on the Beira D oil rig, but he’s human. When the "Anomaly" is breached and the rig begins to buckle under the weight of an ancient, unknowable infection, Gibbo is the canary in the coal mine. His transformation is slow, painful, and deeply intimate.
What actually happens to Gibbo?
It’s messy. Honestly, it’s harrowing. Unlike many horror games where the monsters are just "the infected," Still Wakes the Deep treats its mutations like a cancer that has lost its mind. After the initial explosion, Caz (the player character) finds Gibbo trapped. He’s already changing. You can hear it in his voice—that desperate, rattling panic. He knows something is fundamentally wrong inside his own skin.
The transformation triggered by the Anomaly isn't instantaneous. It’s a biological takeover. The "stuff"—that pulsing, iridescent, fleshy growth—doesn't just kill you; it incorporates you. For Gareth Gibson, this means his body is stretched and folded. By the time you encounter the fully mutated version of Still Wakes the Deep Gibbo, he has become a mass of elongated limbs and weeping tissue, fused into the very architecture of the laundry room and the maintenance corridors.
What makes him stand out among the other crew members like Trots or Rennick? It’s the voice. Even as a multi-limbed horror crawling across the ceiling, he’s still calling out. He’s looking for his mum. He’s apologizing. It’s the "body horror of the soul." The game uses 3D audio to make his whimpers follow you, creating a sense of guilt that is way heavier than simple jump-scare tension.
The technical mastery of the laundry room encounter
The Chinese Room is famous for Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Dear Esther, so they know how to build an atmosphere. But the laundry room sequence with Gibbo is a masterclass in scripted tension. You aren't just running; you are navigating a graveyard of a man's former life.
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You see his jacket. You see the mundane tools of an oil rig worker scattered among the gore. The contrast is the point. The developers used a specific "geometric growth" system to render the mutations, meaning the fleshy bits look like they are actually consuming the environment. When you see Still Wakes the Deep Gibbo moving, it doesn't look like a pre-baked animation. It looks like a struggle.
Why Gibbo’s death hits different
Most players feel a genuine pang of "I’m sorry, mate" when they have to bypass him. He represents the loss of innocence for the crew. Before Gibbo turns, there's still a hope that this is just a gas leak or a structural failure. Once you see what he’s become, that hope dies.
There's a specific bit of dialogue where he mentions being cold. It’s a common trope in near-death experiences, but here, it takes on a literal, terrifying meaning as his blood is replaced by whatever the Anomaly is pumping into him. You're watching a friend become a landmark.
Dealing with the Gibbo "Chase"
If you're looking for a way to "beat" him, you’re playing the wrong game. You don't fight in Still Wakes the Deep. You endure.
- Sound is your enemy: Gibbo reacts to the environment. If you knock over a bucket, he’s on you.
- The vents are a lie: Well, they aren't a lie, but they are cramped. Gibbo’s long, spindly limbs can reach further than you think.
- Don't look back: The game uses a "fear" vignette that blurs your vision when you stare at the mutations for too long. It’s not just a visual effect; it slows your movement.
The encounter is basically a lesson in humility. You are a small man on a big rig, and your friend is now a part of the ship. You have to use the environment—clambering over crates and timed sprints—to get past him. There is no glorious victory here. Just survival.
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The thematic weight of Gareth Gibson
Let’s talk about the "Scottish-ness" of it all. The game is set in 1975. These are tough men. Hard men. Seeing a character like Still Wakes the Deep Gibbo reduced to a sobbing, mutated mess undermines the "tough guy" persona that dominated the oil industry of that era. It’s a subversion of masculine tropes. He’s vulnerable in the most grotesque way possible.
The voice acting by Alec Newman (who plays Caz) and the rest of the cast adds a layer of reality that most AAA horror games miss. When Caz talks to Gibbo, he isn't talking to a monster. He’s talking to Gareth. That distinction is why the game stays with you long after the credits roll. It’s the realization that every monster you hide from was someone you had breakfast with that morning.
Is there a way to save him?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: The tragedy is baked into the code.
Some players have searched for secret endings or triggers to prevent his infection, but the narrative of Still Wakes the Deep is a tragedy in the classical sense. It’s about the inevitability of the end. Gibbo is the first domino. His fate is sealed the moment the drill hits the wrong spot.
How to navigate the Gibbo sections without losing your mind
If you're struggling with the stealth, you need to understand the AI pathing. Gibbo doesn't just wander randomly. He patrols based on specific "nodes" of interest.
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- Observe the twitch: Before he moves, his model usually undergoes a slight spasm. That’s your cue to move to the next piece of cover.
- Use the yellow: Like many modern games, yellow paint or tape indicates climbable surfaces. In the Gibbo sections, these are often the only way to stay out of his reach.
- Distractions work: Throwing objects is a core mechanic. Don't hoard them. If you can throw a wrench to the far left corner of the room, do it. It buys you exactly four seconds—enough to reach the airlock.
The horror of the "In-Between"
What really messes with people is the "In-Between" state. Gibbo isn't dead. If he were dead, it would be easier. He’s in a state of perpetual transition. The lore of the game suggests that the Anomaly is a form of "perfect life" that doesn't understand human pain. It thinks it's helping. It thinks it's connecting everyone into a glorious, unified whole.
To Gareth, that "unity" feels like his bones being turned into liquid.
When you encounter Still Wakes the Deep Gibbo later in the game (or at least the remnants of what he was), the visual storytelling tells you everything. The way the fleshy tendrils mimic the shape of the laundry equipment shows that the infection is trying to make sense of our world. It’s mimicking us.
Final takeaways for the player
Still Wakes the Deep is a short experience, usually clocking in at around 4 to 6 hours. Because of that brevity, every character death matters. Gibbo isn't just "Monster #1." He’s the personification of the rig’s downfall.
To get the most out of these encounters, play with a good pair of headphones. The sound design is where the real horror of Gibbo lives. You’ll hear his breathing change from human gasps to wet, rhythmic pulses. It’s disgusting. It’s brilliant.
Actionable Steps for Players:
- Check your brightness: This game is dark. If your blacks aren't calibrated, you’ll miss the subtle movement of Gibbo’s limbs in the shadows, leading to a quick death.
- Focus on the subtitles: Turn them on. Sometimes the dialogue Gibbo mutters during the stealth sequences provides hints about his location or his level of awareness.
- Take breaks: The body horror in this game—specifically regarding the "human" elements of the monsters—can be genuinely upsetting. There’s no shame in stepping away after the laundry room.
- Revisit the early rooms: If you play through a second time, look at the photos and notes in the crew quarters. Knowing what happens to Gibbo makes his early-game banter significantly more impactful.
You won't forget the first time you see him in the dark. Nobody does. Just remember: it's still Gareth in there, somewhere. And that's the scariest part of all.