Area you can access right from the start of the game apparently is meant to be accessed way later and has had me stuck for four hours just trying to get anywhere without drowning. What kind of game design is this?

Edit: Then I apparently got to the end of the game, 6 hours in, but it was impossible to progress. If I hadn't looked it up I would've been the most confused person the planet, nothing tells you you aren't meant to be there, apart from it being challenging.

Area you can access right from the start of the game apparently is meant to be accessed way later and has had me stuck for four hours just trying to get anywhere without drowning. What kind of game design is this? Edit: Then I apparently got to the end of the game, 6 hours in, but it was impossible to progress. If I hadn't looked it up I would've been the most confused person the planet, nothing tells you you aren't meant to be there, apart from it being challenging.