Aquanox Deep Descent

About

Aquanox Deep Descent is a first person underwater vehicle shooter, in which players control a variety of customizable ships to engage in fierce battles in the dystopian deep sea world of Aqua. In the near future the Earth's surface has become uninhabitable. What remains of humankind lives in former mining and research stations, deep below the surface of the sea. Born and raised in the only wo…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+12

48%

Audience ScoreBased on 262 reviews

story45 positive mentions

gameplay16 negative mentions

The game has beautiful graphics and a well-designed underwater environment that captures the essence of being deep in the ocean.
The combat mechanics are enjoyable, allowing for a mix of strategy and action as players navigate through enemy encounters.
The storyline, while not groundbreaking, provides enough intrigue to keep players engaged throughout the game.

The AI is often unresponsive and predictable, leading to repetitive and unchallenging combat experiences.
Many players have reported bugs and glitches, including issues with character interactions and mission progression.
The game lacks the depth and immersion of its predecessors, with a simplified crafting and upgrade system that feels underdeveloped.

story
260 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
72%
11%
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it bland, predictable, and lacking depth. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and the attempt to connect with previous titles, others criticize the linear mission structure, poor character development, and pacing issues that detract from overall engagement. Additionally, technical issues and repetitive gameplay further undermine the narrative experience, leaving many players feeling disconnected from the plot and its characters.
- “An amazing game with an amazing story, regardless of what the majority of people say.”
- “The story itself is quite good and I enjoyed it; graphics are more than decent.”
- “The story is engaging enough to keep you interested till the end.”
- “The plot is thin and you never really care about any of the characters; they just don't matter.”
- “The storyline, characters, and events revolving around the narrative are utterly generic and unremarkable.”
- “The story is just contrived, and you will forget about pretty much everyone very soon.”
gameplay
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
65%
18%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and simplistic, often comparing it to older titles in the genre. While some appreciate the underwater combat mechanics and the nostalgic elements, others criticize the lack of depth in combat and exploration, as well as the underdeveloped economy and crafting systems. Overall, the gameplay is seen as average, with a blend of exploration and combat that fails to fully engage players.
- “In terms of gameplay, Deep Descent has a blend of semi-open world exploration and vehicular combat.”
- “The gameplay is unique and fits the setting: a nice blend of FPS close-quarters combat with 6DOF.”
- “Gameplay is great; I didn't expect it to be so dynamic with the dodge system, underwater combat feels good, and the weapons are satisfying.”
- “The story is so bad a high school student could have written a better one as homework, the combat is incredibly repetitive and boring, weapons are dull, ship designs are okay visually, but have very little impact on gameplay, and the only way the designers thought they could make something challenging was to spawn enemy subs right on top of you while you were already fighting 3 or 4 enemies.”
- “Gameplay feels repetitive and boring from the start.”
- “But as you play, as you move through the story you start to realize more and more that it is monotonous, stale gameplay.”
graphics
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
4%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant and colorful visuals that enhance the underwater atmosphere, while others criticize them as feeling outdated and lacking detail for a 2020 release. Many players note that while the graphics are decent and occasionally impressive, they often fall short of modern standards, with some elements appearing cheap or poorly designed. Overall, the visuals are seen as a step up from previous titles in the series, but they do not fully capture the immersive experience expected from a contemporary game.
- “The graphics are great, really well done.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere are pretty good, with some nice touches like water seeping through damage cracks in your canopy.”
- “The graphics and underwater landscapes are gorgeous, really great atmosphere here, I love it so far, well done Digital Arrow.”
- “The graphics look cheap (on the highest settings) and the landscapes are very rough without much detail.”
- “The graphics look outdated and the ultrawide resolution chops off the top and bottom.”
- “Graphically, the only thing that stands out and looks impressive are the 2D character depictions; the 3D engine performance is terrible both in FPS and quality.”
atmosphere
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
32%
10%
The atmosphere of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it falls short of the immersive and vibrant experience found in the original Aquanox titles. While some appreciate the graphics and ambient music, others criticize the lack of depth, character interactions, and the overall feeling of a lifeless ocean. Overall, the game offers a decent atmosphere but struggles to capture the unique charm and intensity of its predecessors.
- “The look of the game creates a nice atmosphere that is fitting for the world of aqua.”
- “Great atmosphere, graphics are very good, good pace.”
- “The graphics and underwater landscapes are gorgeous, really great atmosphere here, I love it so far, well done Digital Arrow.”
- “Brownie points for the salvageables and broken gear on the seafloor though, it could really sell the atmosphere if the devs had bothered to actually make one.”
- “After what they did with Aquanox and the sequel, I had really low expectations for this one, and I knew it was virtually impossible that the creators would capture the original atmosphere and vibe.”
- “It is missing the atmosphere of the old games... the graphics are not bad but they feel bland... combat is okay but again it doesn't feel as dynamic as the older games... same with the story... it's not bad but it again feels kind of bland especially due to the presentation.”
music
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the soundtrack weak, forgettable, and lacking in intensity during key moments. While some appreciate the ambient tracks and simple, immersive qualities, others criticize the repetitive nature and overall dullness of the music compared to previous titles in the series. Overall, the soundtrack fails to leave a lasting impression, often blending into the background rather than enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “The music - with explosive, intense, and gripping tracks - is easily my favorite element of Aquanox, and I highly recommend you check out the OST at the very least.”
- “Nice graphics atmosphere, great ambient music, and decent storyline.”
- “Electronic bassy bombastic music playing loud as you try and win battles by lining up your movement predicting reticule just right while avoiding torpedoes.”
- “The soundtrack is weak and completely forgettable.”
- “The music tempo tends to raise and lower as enemies are within range; this can happen multiple times within a few seconds and can be annoying.”
- “The soundtrack, while okay for the ambient tracks and even the lighter combat sections, is severely lacking during the more dramatic moments.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly with minimal load times and stability, the 3D engine suffers from poor performance and low graphical quality. Users noted that the 2D character art is impressive, but the 3D aspects detract from the experience, leading to an overall negative optimization rating despite some polished AI and atmospheric detail.
- “The game runs smoothly, load times aren't longer than a few seconds, and I only had one crash during my playthrough.”
- “[*][b]Performance & optimization[/b]”
- “[*][b]Performance & optimization[/b]”
- “Overall optimization rating: bad”
- “Graphically, the only thing that stands out and looks impressive are the 2D character depictions. The 3D engine performance is terrible, both in FPS and quality.”
- “Game is very stable (no crashing nor stuttering for me), AI is quite polished and there's quite a bit of detail and atmosphere.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a lack of engaging voice acting and a flat storyline that fails to foster any real emotional attachment to the characters. Many players felt disconnected from the narrative, leading to a cold and unsatisfying finale, particularly for those unfamiliar with the series. Overall, the emotional experience is deemed lacking, making it difficult for players to invest in the game's story or characters.
- “Remember in the original, how your main character was a bit emotionally deadened, and everyone teased him for it?”
- “The finale will leave you pretty cold, as there is no real resolution and you will have developed no emotional attachment to the characters or story.”
- “The voice acting was subpar, making it hard to connect with the characters emotionally.”
- “The story felt flat and unengaging, leaving me indifferent to the emotional stakes.”
- “Overall, the gameplay lacked excitement, which diminished any emotional impact the game could have had.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and self-awareness, with players finding amusement in intentionally bad plot elements and quirky character interactions. Notable moments include darkly comedic lines and humorous scenarios, such as the sight of nano animals behaving oddly. Overall, the humor is light-hearted and often relies on wit and absurdity rather than edgy content.
- “Plot that is hilariously bad”
- “Emerald 'Deadeye' Flint was hardly ever edgy or serious; if anything, he was easygoing and would usually carry a good sense of humor and wit.”
- “I did see some nano animals swimming against an invisible wall; it was funny until I started shooting one of them.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by various glitches and bugs, including audio issues and freezing during screenshots, which can disrupt gameplay. While most glitches are minor, some players report significant inconveniences, particularly with the cooperative interface for joining friends. Overall, while stability issues exist, they are not uncommon in modern games.
- “There are also audio glitches; sometimes the voice lines just don't play during a conversation sequence.”
- “Taking screenshots freezes the game for several seconds, that's why the review has none.”
- “Buggy broken missions; you will need to restart a lot.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for its weak tutorial and confusing introduction, which detracts from player engagement. Some reviewers feel that character designs and names appear unfinished, suggesting a lack of polish. However, there are mentions of character development occurring through interactions and voice work, indicating potential depth in relationships as the game progresses.
- “I only played an hour, but the weak tutorial, confusing introduction, enemy-filled levels, soulless menu, and character designs turned me off.”
- “Some of the names, places, and character designs seem like temporary content that should've been replaced in the final version.”
- “Character development occurs across the game with interactions between you and the characters' voices.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over its lack of quality and functionality, particularly in online modes that fail to work as intended.
- “Do not waste your money on this half-attempt of a game; it is just a cash grab. The online modes, which is why I bought it, don't even work, so that's great!”
- “Half-baked cash grab.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unfulfilling, with bland quests, shallow characters, and a lack of unique ship designs contributing to a monotonous experience. The in-game economy and crafting systems are criticized as unnecessary, while combat lacks depth and variety, leading to a sense of dissatisfaction with progression and upgrades. Overall, the grinding feels more like a chore than an engaging part of the gameplay.
- “Quests are bland, tedious, and cheap (both main and side); the storyline is banal and predictable; characters are shallow and undeveloped; crafting is tedious and unnecessary; fights require no brainpower; ship upgrades are few and far between and leave you feeling dissatisfied and unimpressed.”
- “Weapon change is a bit tedious, especially in fights.”
- “The atmosphere is sort of there, but not really; the ocean feels dead and doesn't give off that feeling of dread and mystery present in the first Aquanox.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users feel that the game lacks sufficient replayability, indicating that once completed, there is little incentive to revisit it.
- “The only thing it lacks for me is replay value.”