Aphotic Descent

About

Aphotic Descent is a single player survival simulation game with horror, drama, mystery and thriller themes. It was developed by Broiled Squid Studios and was released on May 4, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In Aphotic Descent, you play as a diver whose submarine crashed at the bottom of the ocean. With no other option for survival, you must make your way to a nearby underwater research facility facing terrifying creatures, all while descending deeper and deeper...

Skip User Reviews

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Great atmosphere and art direction with a unique underwater horror vibe, often compared favorably to Subnautica.
Engaging lore and story presented through collectibles and voice acting, adding depth and immersion.
Creative enemy designs and puzzles with enjoyable exploration mechanics, especially impressive for a small student team.

Combat is clunky and difficult, with frustrating instant-kill mechanics and unclear boss instructions.
Buggy gameplay and technical issues including clipping through objects, occasional soft locks, poor optimization, and UI scaling problems.
Level design and mechanics can feel confusing or tedious at times, particularly the opening maze section with overly fast enemies and lack of checkpoints.

graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics feature a unique, nostalgic pixel art style with a distinct aesthetic reminiscent of old DOS and PlayStation 1 games, which some players appreciate for its atmosphere and artwork. However, many find the visuals dated, low-resolution, and lacking polish, contributing to a janky feel that detracts from the overall experience. While the art and narration add charm, the graphical execution may turn off those expecting more refined or modern visuals.
- “Love the artwork and atmosphere, though some bosses can be unfair and a few visuals unclear at times, with enough trial and error I figured things out.”
- “The game is structured in a loose chapter system, each prefaced with nice artwork and pleasantly pulpy narration.”
- “The artwork was beautiful!”
- “The low-fi graphics are a bit of a letdown, and the game suffers from a lack of polish and professional standards, making it janky and unpleasant to play.”
- “The graphics are fairly mediocre and dated, which will turn off many gamers and contributes to the game's failure to attract an audience despite being free.”
- “The graphics give old DOS game vibes combined with PlayStation 1 visuals, resulting in an outdated and unappealing look.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
15%
14%
The atmosphere is widely praised for its strong, stylized underwater setting that effectively creates a creepy and immersive mood. While the artwork and level design enhance this atmosphere, some gameplay elements like overly quick enemies and unclear visuals occasionally detract from the experience. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout aspect that complements the game's plot and design.
- “Love the artwork and atmosphere, though some bosses can be frustrating, the overall visual design is compelling.”
- “I am a big fan of the stylized underwater atmosphere.”
- “Atmosphere was great and the level design was well made.”
- “Love the artwork and atmosphere but bosses can be one-shot machines at times and some aspects were visually unclear.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
14%
29%
The story is generally interesting and engaging, with a unique approach and rich lore that enhances the experience. Players appreciated the ending and attention to detail, though some found certain mechanics frustrating, which occasionally impacted the narrative flow. Overall, the story successfully maintains player interest and offers a rewarding exploration of its world.
- “The story was interesting, and I liked the ending!”
- “Really enjoyed the game and the attention to detail in the story.”
- “The gameplay is simple yet engaging, and there's a surprising amount of lore/backstory that enriches the player experience.”
- “Speaking of things that don't go well for our protagonist, let's talk about the story.”
- “The story was interesting but scattered throughout the environment.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The gameplay is simple yet engaging, featuring unique mechanics and an intriguing story that adds depth. However, some frustrations arise from occasional unresponsive controls and unclear mechanics, which can hinder the overall experience.
- “The gameplay is simple yet engaging, and there's a surprising amount of lore/backstory that enriches the player experience.”
- “The story is fairly interesting, and has fairly unique mechanics.”
- “While the ideas, gameplay, and direction in art are pretty unique - the graphics, animation, and general feel of the game are a bit lacking.”
- “The mechanics of the game are pretty simple; you are in a diving suit at the bottom of the ocean - you're lucky to not be meat paste, so it is understandable that you may be lacking in versatility.”
- “While the ideas, gameplay, and direction in art are pretty unique, the graphics, animation, and general feel of the game are a bit lacking.”
- “The story is interesting and keeps you looking for more, but I did get frustrated with some mechanics not working or lack of input being received. Figuring out how the game mechanics worked for different areas gave next to no understanding, and I had to brute force my way through until it 'worked.'”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is subtle and situational, often arising from scripted spooky moments and occasional amusing bugs. While it can elicit some chuckles, it is generally understated and not a major focus.
- “On other occasions, it is a strictly scripted sequence of walking around an abandoned house as doors slam behind me and small ghost children laugh in the distance – I mean, I get it, I imagine it would be quite funny to watch someone bumble around in the dark groping for a light switch.”
- “Are they holding out on me or do they think it is funny to see me hide from the crustacean on the mossy knoll?”
- “I had a couple of funny bugs, nothing too disrupting.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered tedious due to the lack of manual saves or checkpoints, forcing players to repeat entire sections upon death. This repetition makes progression feel frustrating and time-consuming.
- “If you die in a level, you have to redo everything, repeating every single step, making it very tedious since there are no manual saves or checkpoints as far as I know.”
- “The game itself is not terrible, but it gets terribly tedious.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music was well done, complementing the overall experience alongside strong voice acting. Users generally praised the quality and effectiveness of the soundtrack.
- “The music was also well done!”
- “Pros: music and voice acting were good”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues and a subpar experience for players.
- “Game is not optimized”