Depth of Extinction

About

Depth of Extinction is a single player tactical role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by HOF Studios and was released on September 27, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Depth of Extinction" is a strategy RPG set in a flooded world. Assemble a team of mercenaries to protect what's left of humanity from underwater dangers. With turn-based combat, permadeath, and a retro-style pixel art aesthetic, it offers a challenging and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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76%

Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews

story18 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Engaging tactical shooting combat with a variety of character classes and abilities.
Procedural map generation adds replayability and keeps encounters fresh.
Charming pixel art style and atmospheric music enhance the overall experience.

Combat can become repetitive and lacks significant variation in mission design.
The story is weak and does not provide a compelling narrative to drive the gameplay.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as the cover system and AI behavior, can feel clunky and unrefined.

story
156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
82%
6%
The story in the game is generally considered weak and minimal, with many reviewers noting its lack of depth and coherence. While the setting is intriguing and the gameplay offers a variety of missions, the narrative fails to engage players, often feeling repetitive and poorly written. Despite some enjoyable elements, such as character development and atmospheric music, the overall plot is seen as a significant drawback, leaving players wanting more substance and connection between missions.
- “The story starts within the setting of a submarine or similar machine.”
- “There is a lot of item and enemy variety and a fun story too.”
- “It is not the most original story, but it hooked me as it gave me more of a reason to care about my ragtag group of soldiers.”
- “The story writing is extremely lazy.”
- “All of the story text could probably fit on a single sheet of paper, and it reads like it was written by a C-student in middle school.”
- “The story is almost non-existent, which isn't necessarily bad by itself, but with all the other bad elements puts the final nail in the coffin.”
gameplay
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
78%
5%
The gameplay is a blend of turn-based tactical combat reminiscent of XCOM and node-based movement inspired by FTL, offering a satisfying core experience with solid mechanics. However, many players find it repetitive and lacking in variety, with some encounters feeling overly simplistic and predictable. While the game has its strengths, such as engaging RPG elements and a well-designed interface, it may not appeal to those seeking deeper tactical complexity or a more varied gameplay experience.
- “Gameplay is turn-based tactical combat with rogue node movement.”
- “Very fun and cool tactical mechanics; I recommend it a lot for XCOM fans.”
- “It preserves a lot of the tactical combat you find in old XCOM while removing many of the trap mechanics and adding quality of life features that make for a much more playable experience.”
- “However, this changes once the difficulty increases, whereupon the game starts pulling things on you like enemies that can see you through doors and run in to blow you up before you have a chance to do anything (real fun), enemies with huge piles of HP that can blow up cover (obviating that entire mechanic) while also damaging whoever's behind it and enemies that attack from inside the fog of war which means you have no real way to actually take cover or otherwise prepare for their attacks.”
- “Boring, by the numbers repetitive gameplay with a gameplay loop that doesn't really work.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is mind-numbingly boring.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
60%
8%
The game's graphics are characterized by a retro pixel art style that some players find charming and fitting for its post-apocalyptic setting, while others criticize them as simplistic and occasionally confusing. Despite some graphical bugs and a lack of high-resolution detail, many appreciate the aesthetic's nostalgic appeal and how it complements the gameplay. Overall, the graphics are functional and contribute to the game's atmosphere, though opinions vary widely on their quality and execution.
- “The graphics use a pleasant pixel art aesthetic.”
- “Sure the graphics are done in a 'retro-style', but I for one very much like the way that style lends itself to the overall feeling of a post-apocalyptic world that the game is set in.”
- “The music and graphics for this game are great.”
- “The graphics really put me off at the start, but soon enough you adapt to it and the combat just feels very satisfying.”
- “Moreover, while I was originally defensive upon reading the first few reviews that criticized the simplistic pixelated graphics of the game, it is true that this game’s graphics are not only ugly, but also confusing, with an exaggerated/forced sense of overhead perspective where objects blend from one hex into the other in a non-intuitive fashion.”
- “I never felt tension, everything looked rather samey, and the pixel graphics are lacking in personality.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
53%
11%
Overall, the music in the game receives high praise for its engaging and enjoyable soundtrack, with many players noting it as a standout feature. While some found the variety lacking and experienced fatigue from repeated tracks, the majority appreciated the quality and appeal of the music, often stating it enhances the overall experience. Despite mixed opinions on other aspects of the game, the music consistently shines as a highlight.
- “It's worth it just for the music.”
- “Soundtracks are amazing; even after a whole playthrough, where it played over and over, it never got boring.”
- “My absolute favorite part of the game is the soundtrack.”
- “Awful music”
- “With simple graphics, tedious music, and many bugs, I feel bored after 10 hours.”
- “I did get tired of hearing the same tracks after a while and I turned the music off.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and repetitive, with many missions feeling tedious and lacking challenge. While some appreciate the flexibility to choose between grinding for experience and gear or fast-tracking through main missions, the overall sentiment leans towards the gameplay becoming a slog over time. Despite its fun elements, the grind can detract from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like work than play.
- “It's extremely grindy, repetitive, and lacks a proper challenge unless you handicap yourself willingly.”
- “Game feels like work; kinda too grindy; too bad I was looking forward to it.”
- “What we are left with instead is a tedious slog through repetitive encounters to reach an objective that we don't really care about.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users noting that despite minimal story and graphics, the overall ambiance and flow create a captivating experience. The atmospheric elements enhance gameplay, particularly during tactical planning, making it a standout feature for players.
- “Very atmospheric too, which is something I like while plotting tactics.”
- “Story and graphics are minimal, but atmosphere and flow are maximum.”
- “These details really sell the atmosphere of the game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game offers high replayability through the unlocking of new subclasses and character classes, enhancing player engagement. However, while it aims to blend the replay value of FTL with XCOM's tactical combat, it ultimately falls short in depth, despite improving the overall gameplay experience with quality of life features.
- “With the ability to unlock new subs and character classes, the replay value of this game is quite high.”
- “It preserves a lot of the tactical combat you find in old X-COM while removing many of the timmy-trap mechanics and adding quality of life features that make for a much more playable experience.”
- “Though the concept of a game which takes the replay value of FTL and combines it with the tactical turn-based combat of XCOM sounds truly amazing, Depth of Extinction sadly fails to do this.”
- “The replay value of this game is quite high with the ability to unlock new subs and character classes.”
- “It preserves a lot of the tactical combat you find in old XCOM while removing many of the timmy-trap mechanics and adding quality of life features that make for a much more playable experience.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Reviews indicate a mixed experience with character development; while some players feel there is a lack of meaningful growth, others appreciate the variety of choices, skills, weapons, and upgrades available for character progression.
- “There are character development choices, skills, weapons, and upgrades aplenty.”
- “The depth of character development allows for a truly personalized gameplay experience.”
- “Each character evolves in meaningful ways, making every decision feel impactful.”
- “No character development.”
- “The character development feels shallow and uninspired.”
- “I expected more depth in character progression, but it fell flat.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is plagued by numerous bugs, significantly impacting its stability and overall user experience.
- “The game is buggy as hell.”
- “Frequent crashes make it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches throughout my gameplay.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a pleasant surprise, often highlighting its unexpected charm after having it on their wishlists for years. The comedic elements contribute to an enjoyable experience, making the purchase feel worthwhile.
- “The funny thing about this game is I had it wishlisted for years but never paid for it. I saw it on sale and thought, why not? I'm glad I did; I love playing it.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report occasional frame rate drops and stuttering in demanding scenarios. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a work in progress, with room for improvement to enhance the experience for all players.