DEEP 8

About

DEEP 8 is a single player role playing game with fantasy, drama, violence and science fiction themes. It was developed by IndependentArt and was released on June 17, 2022. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Deep 8 is an indie game, mostly inspired by 90s classical RPGs like Final Fantasy. Explore vast worlds, a deep and thrilling story with mildly erotic themes and a Skillbased Roundbased Fighting system.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+22

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews

story11 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Deep 8 features a unique and engaging combat system with a mod system that allows for deep customization and strategic gameplay.
The game tackles mature and complex themes, providing a thought-provoking narrative that stands out in the RPG genre.
Visually impressive for an RPG Maker title, Deep 8 combines creative sprite work and atmospheric music to enhance the overall experience.

The game suffers from pacing issues, with some levels and combat encounters feeling unnecessarily difficult or unbalanced.
The translation quality is inconsistent, leading to awkward dialogue and occasional confusion in the story.
Certain themes and elements, such as sexual content and disturbing subject matter, may be off-putting for some players.

story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The story of the game is a complex and ambitious narrative that intertwines heavy themes such as self-hate, tragedy, and the struggles of human interaction, often presented through unique and flawed characters. While it starts strong with engaging character development and unexpected plot twists, some players feel it falters towards the end with rushed conclusions and unresolved threads. Overall, the narrative is both thought-provoking and dark, offering a refreshing twist on typical RPG tropes, though it may not be suitable for all audiences due to its blunt handling of sensitive topics.
- “The story unfolds in a very satisfying way.”
- “The story and characters are not the typical RPG fare and, in my opinion, a refreshing twist on many tropes.”
- “Deep 8 is a grand and ambitious sci-fi RPG with a very personal story amidst a vast space as well as a great war.”
- “The story goes straight into very heavy themes and, in my opinion, sabotages itself repeatedly in the process.”
- “While there were some laughs, there was a lot of 'oh no's mixed in, as the story often veers off into disturbing directions.”
- “The story unfolds in a lot of unexpected, often horrible, ways while still retaining the atmosphere of a light-hearted JRPG affair while experiencing harsh dystopian scenarios in-game, no holds barred.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The gameplay is characterized by its unique charm and inventive mechanics, blending traditional RPG elements with engaging mini-games and challenging combat. Players appreciate the well-designed worlds, deep customization options, and the rewarding nature of the mechanics, despite some initial difficulty in mastering them. Overall, the game successfully combines nostalgic JRPG features with modern twists, resulting in an enjoyable and memorable experience.
- “The best part about this game overall is that it has its own charm, its own identity to some extent - even if a bit insane - and actual fun game mechanics that keep you on your toes.”
- “It uses a pretty old version of RPG Maker but still manages to pull off some incredible visual effects and gameplay mechanics I've never seen before, even in newer versions of the software.”
- “The worlds are well-built and the combat and skill mechanics are unique, allowing for customization.”
- “Combat starts out harsh and unforgiving rather than the game easing you into the mechanics.”
- “Some gameplay additions can be a bit harder to get around, like the jumping for example, but the dev seemed to know many people struggled with it and created an option to auto-jump.”
- “The gameplay is close to what you would expect from late Super Nintendo JRPG or early PlayStation JRPG.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While "Deep 8" features some grinding typical of JRPGs, players find it manageable due to an engaging combat system and quality-of-life features like instant speed boosts for travel. The game's tight mechanics help mitigate the grind, making it less tedious and more enjoyable overall.
- “The game can be a little bit grindy at times.”
- “I don't normally like grinding, but it wasn't that bad in this game.”
- “Drawing inspiration from typical JRPGs, Deep 8 is a little grindy at times, but this is compensated perfectly by the fun combat system.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game showcases impressive graphical fidelity with detailed particle effects, parallax scrolling backgrounds, and 3D-modeled cutscenes, enhancing the overall visual experience. However, the character artwork has received significant criticism for being unattractive, though some players feel it may suit the game's themes. Overall, the graphics are a mixed bag, with strong recommendations despite the character design flaws.
- “A lot of effort was put into graphical fidelity, including particle effects, several backgrounds with parallax scrolling, and 3D-modeled in-game cutscenes.”
- “The character artworks are atrocious in my opinion, but you get used to them, I guess.”
- “It gets a high recommendation from me, at this point, even if the artwork of the characters is extremely atrocious, which can't be said often enough but maybe that fits the bill as well.”
- “A lot of effort was put into graphical fidelity like particle effects, several backgrounds of parallax scrolling, and 3D-modeled in-game cutscenes.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music and sound design in the game are highly praised for enhancing its unique identity, with users noting that the soundtrack fits well with the overall atmosphere and includes cool custom tracks.
- “The music and sound design give this game even more of a unique identity.”
- “Cool music/custom soundtrack.”
- “Music and atmospherics fit quite well.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The sound effects are often jarring and disrupt the immersion rather than enhance it.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is uniquely captivating, blending bizarre 3D visuals with fitting music that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the juxtaposition of light-hearted JRPG elements against a backdrop of unexpected and often grim storytelling, creating a distinctive and immersive environment.
- “The very special atmosphere, with its bizarre 3D.”
- “The music and atmospherics fit quite well.”
- “The story unfolds in a lot of unexpected, often horrible ways while still retaining the atmosphere of a light-hearted JRPG affair while experiencing harsh dystopian scenarios in-game, no holds barred.”
- “The story unfolds in a lot of unexpected, often horrible, ways while still retaining the atmosphere of a light-hearted JRPG affair while experiencing harsh dystopian scenarios in the game, no holds barred.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is marked by a strong sense of progression in both the narrative and the characters themselves, particularly as the story unfolds beyond the initial slow start. The inclusion of characters' inner thoughts alongside their dialogue adds depth, enhancing the player's understanding of their motivations and emotions. Despite initial reservations about character design, the game's darker themes and creative storytelling ultimately contribute to a compelling character experience.
- “Throughout much of the game, there is a good sense of progression in both character development and story.”
- “You always know what the character is thinking, as when they give their normal dialogue, there is also a blue parenthesis section that represents their inner thoughts. It's a nice level of character development.”
- “While the first 20-30 minutes of the game didn't get me hooked, there was soon a moment in which it became quite evident how dark and also creative this game would be.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its unique character models, which evoke an "uncanny valley" effect that some players find amusing rather than off-putting. This distinctive style contributes to the world-building and incorporates tasteful, mature humor, though players should be prepared for moments that may push boundaries.
- “The character models are kind of funny; they're a bit 'uncanny valley', but it didn't bother me. It has its own unique style and doesn't look like the thousand other games I've played before.”
- “This is used as part of the world-building and is as tasteful and mature as the nature of it allows, but it is also sometimes used for humor, so be warned.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers appreciate the game's unique approach and creativity, contrasting it with typical corporate cash grabs, suggesting a preference for innovative designs over aggressive monetization strategies.
- “This game feels like a soulless corporate cash grab, prioritizing profits over player experience.”
- “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “I appreciate the creativity, but the constant push for in-game purchases ruins the overall experience.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers note that the sci-fi setting serves as a backdrop for exploring profound emotional and sexual themes, suggesting a deeper narrative that transcends typical genre conventions.
- “The sci-fi setting serves as a backdrop for exploring profound emotional themes, creating a deeply resonant experience.”
- “The game masterfully intertwines heavy emotional elements, making players feel a strong connection to the characters and their journeys.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the emotional depth of the story, which transcended the typical boundaries of the genre.”