Sewer Shark

About

Sewer Shark is a 1992 FMV shooter that leans into its quirky premise with straightforward gameplay. You guide a crosshair to blast ratigator mutants clogging underground tunnels, making occasional directional choices to navigate the maze. The plot follows a rookie pilot battling infestations to earn passage to a sunlit paradise, Solar City, while fending off a bureaucratic villain and a robotic sidekick’s running commentary. The game stands out as an early example of full-motion video in gaming, using live-action scenes and voice actors like Robert Costanzo to create a campy, unintentionally memorable vibe. While the gameplay loops are simple, its retro charm and absurd dialogue, like warnings about "sewer gators", have earned it a niche following among fans of 90s tech curiosities. Short sessions and a brisk story make it a quick dive into a forgotten corner of arcade history.

Storyline

Sewer Shark takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where environmental destruction has forced most of humanity to live underground. The player takes on the role of a rookie pilot in a band of "sewer jockeys", whose job is to exterminate dangerous mutated creatures to keep a vast network of sewers clean for "Solar City", an island paradise from which the evil Commissioner Stenchler (Robert Costanzo) gives his orders and critiques. The player's copilot, Ghost (David Underwood), evaluates the player's performance throughout the game, while a small robot named Catfish (voiced by Robert Weaver) scouts ahead and gives directions. The player is later assisted by Falco (Kari G. Peyton), a female jockey who believes that there is a hidden route to the surface. Falco is later captured by Stenchler, who threatens to mutate her into one of his mindless minions. This plot is thwarted when Ghost and the player reach Solar City.