Depth of Extinction
- October 31, 2016
- HOF Studios
- 33h median play time
Get on Steam"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.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Cloud
Linux
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game combines elements of XCOM and FTL, providing a unique blend of tactical combat and exploration.
- Character customization and class synergies are enjoyable, allowing for diverse squad builds and strategies.
- The soundtrack and pixel art style create an engaging atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- Combat and mission environments become repetitive quickly, leading to a lack of variety in gameplay.
- The AI behavior can be inconsistent, often resulting in predictable enemy actions that diminish tension.
- The game suffers from bugs and interface issues that can disrupt the flow of gameplay and frustrate players.
- story122 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered weak and uninspired, with many reviewers noting its lack of depth and coherence, often describing it as "meh" or "boring." The missions, while varied in structure, quickly become repetitive and grindy, leading to a sense of monotony in gameplay. Despite some interesting elements in the setting and character interactions, the overall narrative fails to engage players, leaving them wanting more substantial storytelling and mission variety.
“The real story here is two-fold: the voice acting and the music.”
“I haven't progressed a ton in the main story, so take this rating with a grain of salt, but the setting is pretty original, and personally makes my imagination run wild.”
“The story is pretty dry but you build relationships with your shipmates.”
“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.”
- gameplay50 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay 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 core mechanics and the satisfaction of assembling a diverse squad, some criticize the repetitiveness and lack of depth in tactical choices as the game progresses. Overall, the game provides a mix of fun and frustration, with a polished presentation but varying opinions on its long-term engagement and complexity.
“Gameplay is turn-based tactical combat with rogue node movement.”
“Very fun and cool tactical mechanics; I recommend it a lot for XCOM fans.”
“Well thought out gameplay and menus.”
“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.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are a mix of retro pixel art and low-resolution visuals, which some players find charming and fitting for its post-apocalyptic theme, while others criticize them as simplistic and confusing. Despite the graphical limitations, many appreciate the functional design and how it complements the gameplay, though there are reports of occasional graphical bugs. Overall, the graphics evoke a nostalgic feel, appealing to fans of indie and turn-based strategy games, but may not satisfy those seeking modern aesthetics.
“The graphics are sort of gently fugly but functional; the characters aren't very detailed, but it doesn't matter much. The weapons play differently and interact with character skills pretty well.”
“I don't like ultra-realistic, super gory graphics, and I prefer the more cartoony, pixelated style of the game, and I hope it never changes.”
“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 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, 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.”
- music22 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its quality and catchiness, often stating it enhances the overall experience. While some reviews mention issues with other aspects of the game, the soundtrack consistently stands out as a highlight, with players noting it remains enjoyable even after extended play. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's appeal.
“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.”
“The music is awesome.”
“Awful music”
“With simple graphics, tedious music, and many bugs, I feel bored after 10 hours.”
“However, the music is what saves this section's rating from disaster.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive and repetitive, often describing it as tedious and lacking challenge. While the short mission lengths allow for quick play sessions, many reviewers feel that the overall experience becomes monotonous over time, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration with the need to repeatedly level up characters. Despite these criticisms, some players still enjoy the game, noting that it can be fun in short bursts.
“It's extremely grinding, repetitive, and lacks a proper challenge unless you handicap yourself willingly.”
“Game feels like work; kinda too grindy; too bad 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.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users noting that intricate details significantly enhance the overall experience. Many appreciate the immersive quality, which complements strategic gameplay and adds depth to the tactical elements.
“These details really sell the atmosphere of the game.”
“Very atmospheric too, which is something I like while plotting tactics.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to the potential for unlocking new subclasses and character classes. However, despite its promising concept of merging FTL's replay value with XCOM's tactical combat, it ultimately falls short in delivering a compelling experience.
“With the ability to unlock new subs and character classes, the replay value of this game is quite high.”
“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 deliver on this.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices and variety, making it feel repetitive after just a few playthroughs.”
“Once you've experienced the main storyline, there's little incentive to replay, as the outcomes feel predetermined and unchanging.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous bugs, significantly impacting its stability and overall performance.
“The game is incredibly buggy and crashes frequently.”
“I experienced constant instability, with frequent freezes and glitches.”
“The overall stability is poor, making it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a lack of character development, with players expressing disappointment in the absence of growth or depth in the characters throughout the game.
“There is no character development.”
“The characters feel flat and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character arcs; they remained static and uninteresting.”
