Deepening Fire
- April 19, 2023
- VeryBigDog
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Deepening Fire" is a 2D Soulslike game with original parrying skills, developed by one person. It features 20+ bosses, 10+ large maps, free character customization, and multiple endings. The game promises a rich narrative experience with hidden secrets, and no random maps or repetitive scenarios. It boasts over 25,000 words of dialogue, 100+ weapons and equipment, and supports Chinese and English languages.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and sound design, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- Combat is centered around a parry system that, while challenging, can be satisfying for players who enjoy timing-based mechanics.
- The game offers a variety of classes and weapons, allowing for some experimentation with builds.
- The combat lacks diversity, with many weapons feeling similar and the gameplay heavily reliant on parrying, which can become repetitive.
- There are significant issues with navigation, including the absence of a map and confusing level design that can lead to players getting lost.
- The game has several bugs, including a frustrating healing mechanic that can prevent players from using healing items when needed.
- gameplay21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Gameplay in the game is a mixed bag, with exploration being enjoyable but combat mechanics feeling overly simplistic and frustrating. Players find the parry system janky and obligatory, while the lack of clarity around certain mechanics, like "pasts," detracts from the overall experience. Despite its challenges, the game offers a fun and interesting experience, particularly for those who appreciate high-parry gameplay, though many hope for improvements in mechanics and more comprehensive explanations.
“The exploration portion of the gameplay still scratches a similar itch.”
“Gameplay is fun and interesting but definitely challenging.”
“Loving the art and gameplay.”
“Multiple mechanics go entirely unexplained (such as 'pasts', I still have no idea where these show up or how to set them).”
“Combat devolves to simply one-shotting things, or parrying being mechanically required in all but the most rare of cases, which misses the essence of a souls-like.”
“This game has a dodge mechanic but it feels useless since it doesn't phase through enemies when they're attacking you head-on.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The story is generally considered clichéd and follows familiar tropes typical of souls-like games, with some users noting issues with unclear translations that hinder progression. While it effectively immerses players in its world, the narrative is described as serviceable but not particularly remarkable, with some unique elements that stand out amidst the genre's conventions. Overall, the story contributes to the game's atmosphere but lacks depth and originality.
“The story is serviceable; it isn't bad nor particularly amazing.”
“Not all of them play a huge role in the story, but that doesn't make them any less interesting.”
“I will say that the game includes some unique upgrade systems that I've not seen before in the souls-like genre, and I definitely applaud the developer's creativity with the story, NPCs, and overall feel of the game.”
“Many things have unclear or otherwise iffy translations, especially when reading is required to progress the main quest (e.g., breaking the floor [text was horrible], being directed to the capital or the crematory [unclear which locations these meant]).”
“The story is pretty cliché and follows the same formula as all souls-like games.”
“The game does great at pulling you into the world, but it falls really short with combat and story, and there isn't much else to this game than combat and story.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their quality, with users highlighting the impressive artwork, atmospheric visuals, and excellent level design. The game effectively captures a dark, Souls-like aesthetic, complemented by well-executed audio elements. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the immersive experience.
“I really, really love the artwork and writing too!”
“Artwork is nice, music and audio is spot on, and the level design looks fantastic!”
“I mostly like the visuals, and the atmosphere seems close to what was intended.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized as nice and somber, complementing the artwork and level design effectively. While it may not be intense or outstanding, it is generally regarded as above average and well-executed.
“The artwork is nice, the music and audio are spot on, and the level design looks fantastic!”
“The music and sound effects are nice and somber, and while not outstanding, are more than above average.”
“The music lacks intensity and fails to engage the player.”
“There is a noticeable absence of dynamic and exciting music.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and does not enhance the gaming experience.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of *deepening fire* is effectively crafted, drawing inspiration from renowned titles like *Hollow Knight*, *Salt and Sanctuary*, and *Dark Souls*. Reviewers appreciate the visuals and the overall mystique, noting that it successfully captures the intended ambiance of the subgenre.
“Deepening Fire is heavily inspired by the most popular games in the subgenre, including Hollow Knight, Salt and Sanctuary, and Dark Souls, and it does a decent job at replicating the atmosphere and mystique of those games.”
“I mostly like the visuals, and the atmosphere seems close to what was intended.”
“The atmosphere feels derivative, lacking its own identity despite borrowing elements from more successful titles.”
“While the visuals are appealing, the overall atmosphere fails to evoke the intended emotions and feels flat.”
“The game attempts to create a mysterious atmosphere, but it ultimately falls short and feels uninspired.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance at high settings on capable hardware, though some users have reported occasional freezing issues after boss encounters.
“Regarding the performance, everything ran well for me at 1440p max settings on my i7 9600k, 2070 Super, and 32 GB RAM system, other than a few frozen screens after dying from the first couple of bosses.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering, even on high-end hardware.”
“Despite having a powerful setup, I experienced constant lag and crashes, which made the gameplay frustrating.”
“The optimization is lacking; I had to lower my settings significantly just to maintain a playable frame rate.”
