Depth of Extinction

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 168 reviews

story17 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Engaging tactical turn-based combat reminiscent of XCOM, with a variety of character classes and abilities that allow for strategic gameplay.
Unique setting in a post-apocalyptic flooded world, combined with a charming pixel art style and a solid soundtrack.
The game features a roguelike structure with permadeath, encouraging players to experiment with different squad compositions and strategies.

Combat and mission layouts can become repetitive quickly, leading to a lack of variety in gameplay experiences.
Some interface issues and bugs can disrupt the flow of gameplay, such as misclicks and inconsistent action prompts.
The story and character development are minimal, which may leave players wanting more narrative depth and engagement.

story
154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
82%
6%
The story in the game is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, with many reviewers noting its lack of coherence and depth. While the setting and atmosphere are appreciated, the narrative feels repetitive and uninspired, often failing to engage players or provide a compelling reason to progress. Despite this, some players find enjoyment in the gameplay mechanics and character development, even if the overarching plot leaves much to be desired.
- “The story starts within the setting of a submarine or similar machine.”
- “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.”
- “Depths of Extinction is a very solid turn-based combat game, with a surprisingly good story.”
- “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 of "Depth of Extinction" is characterized by turn-based tactical combat that combines elements from XCOM and FTL, offering a straightforward yet engaging experience. While many players appreciate the solid core mechanics and RPG elements, some criticize the repetitiveness and lack of variety in encounters, leading to a feeling of monotony over time. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of tactical gameplay, though it may not satisfy those seeking deeper strategic complexity or a more polished 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%
61%
8%
The game's graphics are primarily characterized by a retro pixel art style, which some players find charming and fitting for its post-apocalyptic setting, while others criticize them as simplistic and occasionally confusing. Despite the low-resolution visuals, many appreciate the attention to detail and the overall aesthetic, though there are reports of graphical bugs and a lack of variety in character designs. Overall, the graphics evoke a nostalgic feel, appealing to fans of classic indie and turn-based games, but may not satisfy those seeking modern, high-fidelity visuals.
- “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.”
- “Io a while back, and have been really enjoying the surprisingly deep X-com like tactical combats in a nicely rendered post-apocalyptic pixel art style.”
- “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%
54%
11%
The music in the game receives high praise for its engaging and enjoyable quality, with many players noting that it enhances the overall experience. While some mention a lack of variety leading to repetitiveness, the soundtrack is often described as memorable and a standout feature, making it a highlight for many players. Overall, the music is considered a significant asset, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “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.”
- “The music is lively.”
- “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, often describing it as tedious and lacking challenge. While some appreciate the flexibility to choose between grinding side missions for experience and gear or fast-tracking through the main story, many feel that the overall gameplay becomes a slog, detracting from the enjoyment of the experience. Despite these criticisms, some players still find moments of fun within the grind.
- “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 its minimal story and graphics enhance the overall experience, creating a captivating and immersive environment. The atmospheric quality is particularly appreciated during tactical gameplay, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Story and graphics are minimal, but atmosphere and flow are maximum.”
- “Very atmospheric too, which is something I like while plotting tactics.”
- “Story and graphics are minimal, but the atmosphere and flow are maximum.”
- “These details really sell the atmosphere of the game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
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.
- “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 that 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.”
- “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 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 note 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 gaming 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 performance.
- “The game is incredibly buggy.”
- “I experienced constant crashes and glitches.”
- “Stability issues make it nearly unplayable.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be unexpectedly delightful, often leading to a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment, especially for those who have been anticipating it for a long time.
- “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 reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report occasional frame rate drops and stuttering during intense gameplay. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a work in progress, with room for improvement to enhance the user experience.