Hidden Deep

About

Hidden Deep is a 2D sci-fi thriller game set in a sub oceanic mining and research facility, where you lead a team to discover what happened to the previous researchers who went missing. Utilize specialized equipment, give orders to your team, and defend against horrific alien life forms and other unknown dangers. The game features multiple game modes, including a single-player option.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,926 reviews

story136 positive mentions

stability100 negative mentions

The game has a great atmosphere and sound design, creating a tense and immersive experience.
The grappling hook and physics mechanics are fun and add depth to the gameplay.
The game shows a lot of potential for future updates and content, making it worth keeping an eye on.

The controls are clunky and can lead to frustrating deaths, often feeling unresponsive.
There is a lack of enemy variety, making encounters repetitive and less engaging over time.
The game can be buggy, with issues like soft-locks and crashes that disrupt the gameplay experience.

story
708 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The game's story is described as intriguing yet underdeveloped, with many players expressing a desire for more narrative depth and clarity. While some appreciate the atmospheric setting and the potential for a compelling plot, others find the storytelling vague and the mission structure repetitive, often feeling disconnected from a cohesive narrative. Overall, players are eager for future updates to enhance the story and gameplay experience.
- “Immersive narrative: the plot is intriguing and is told in an indirect manner, encouraging players to unearth the story through exploration and the clues found along the way.”
- “The (minimum) story is engaging, you want to see what the next mission is.”
- “I really dig the story and can't wait to finish it.”
- “The story is boring and I already forgot what it's even about; it's pretty generic.”
- “Uhhh, it's a chill game, not much there when it comes to plot at the moment. It's sort of choppy with you doing one mission and then suddenly jumping weeks ahead with no explanation of what's been going on in between those jumps, so it's a bit silly.”
- “The setting and little story there is kept me playing but left me disappointed when only 2-3 of the missions continued the plot.”
gameplay
524 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
The gameplay of "Hidden Deep" is characterized by a blend of exploration, survival, and strategy, featuring multiple character mechanics that allow for varied gameplay experiences. While many players appreciate the engaging atmosphere and unique mechanics, such as grappling hooks and team control, they also note significant issues with clunky controls, bugs, and frustrating mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further polish and content to fully realize its potential.
- “Physics make for engaging gameplay, and difficulty settings are clear and allow for a tailored experience without changing the core game.”
- “Hidden Deep's gameplay blends exploration, survival, and strategy elements.”
- “With its tense atmosphere, strategic gameplay, and immersive visual design, the game offers a rich and exciting experience.”
- “If I could get a refund on this, I would. But if you like unfair game mechanics, an overabundance of microscopic creatures, and cheap deaths, then this is the game for you.”
- “The game still has a lot of bugs (even more than in the beta), the command system is also not very pleasant, and although the overall impression is not bad, there is no desire to play either, because the gameplay itself is quite annoying.”
- “I really can't overstate how boring the gameplay actually is, not to mention it's absolutely bugged to hell.”
atmosphere
362 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
28%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively combining dark visuals, eerie sound design, and a sense of mystery that enhances the gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of dread and suspense, reminiscent of classic sci-fi horror films like "The Thing" and "Alien." However, some critiques mention that while the atmosphere is strong, certain gameplay elements and mechanics could benefit from further refinement to fully realize its potential.
- “The narrative is revealed through exploration and discoveries in the environment, creating an atmosphere of mystery and tension.”
- “Fantastic grimy and sufficiently vintage sci-fi visuals coupled with a dark brooding soundscape comprised of unnerving droning, industrial accidents, brief moments of fatality breaking the silence of a cave, and gross things crawling around, heavily atmospheric all around.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing and the gameplay is interesting.”
- “The story and atmosphere were also lacking.”
- “While this is definitely a good backbone of systems to build on, the actual world building and atmosphere needed for it to reach what it is appears to be marketing to are yet to be fleshed out.”
- “A game that heavily relies on a dark atmosphere with blown out gamma values as the default and no way to tweak them without having to mess with the NVIDIA control panel.”
graphics
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
55%
2%
The graphics of "Hidden Deep" are generally praised for their atmospheric and immersive design, effectively creating a dark and tense environment that enhances the horror experience. While many players appreciate the retro 2D style and detailed animations, some criticize the graphics for being outdated or plagued by bugs and glitches. Overall, the visuals are seen as fitting for the game's aesthetic, though there are calls for more variety and polish.
- “Hidden Deep features a graphical style that combines realism and dark atmosphere, reflecting the oppressive underground environment.”
- “The game has a dark and atmospheric art style that creates a sense of dread and tension.”
- “Fantastic grimy and sufficiently vintage sci-fi visuals coupled with a dark brooding soundscape comprised of unnerving droning, industrial accidents, brief moments of fatality breaking the silence of a cave, and gross things crawling around, heavily atmospheric all around.”
- “Ugly graphics, bugs, contrived level design, frustrating controls, and bad English.”
- “Furthermore, the game desperately needs more variety in environmental graphics and enemy types.”
- “I like the sound effects and music in the game, it has the alien vibe but the graphics need more polishing and the game isn't as fun as I expected.”
stability
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Players frequently encounter issues such as softlocks, erratic physics, and unresponsive controls, leading to frustration and a lack of progress. While some appreciate the game's potential and ongoing development, many recommend waiting for further updates before diving in due to its current unpolished state.
- “The game is great, but it's buggy as hell. Boring machines only work at specific angles, and you will constantly softlock yourself because the game just refuses to work as intended.”
- “I've gotten softlocked 3 times on the same level because of some glitches. I would not recommend this game until the developers have fixed a bit more of the bugs that are currently very common.”
- “The game runs very poorly with frequent glitches keeping the player from completing objectives.”
music
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
64%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and create a sense of tension and dread, effectively complementing the horror elements. Reviewers note that the soundtrack and sound effects are well-composed, contributing to an immersive auditory experience, although some express a desire for more variety and additional tracks. Overall, the music is considered a high point, with many players appreciating its unsettling qualities that align well with the game's dark themes.
- “The soundtrack and sound effects are designed to heighten tension and immersion.”
- “Atmospheric soundtrack: the music and sound effects are well composed and help to create an auditory experience that complements the dark atmosphere of the game.”
- “The subtle music coupled with the sound design really makes the game eerie as you progress.”
- “I really really like this game, and right now I've played about 9 hours of it, and I want it to do well, but there are other issues like the lack of variety for weapons and enemies, the use of repetitive copyright-free music that sounds like the stuff in creepypasta YouTube videos, a lack of refinement for the mission layout and pacing, and a really frustrating save system that can sometimes softlock an entire level.”
- “It's tense, the music is unnerving, and the look and sounds of the creatures you fight are pretty damn gross.”
- “This game is nothing out of this world, but it's very enjoyable, even though the campaign is not complete and has only 1-3 soundtracks right now.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
3%
95%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious, often repeating the same tasks and facing limited enemy variety, which diminishes the sense of accomplishment. Many reviews highlight frustrating mechanics, such as clunky physics and repetitive mission objectives, leading to a feeling of drudgery rather than enjoyment. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the game's potential and narrative engagement.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I really want to like this game, but so far it is pretty frustrating and tedious to clear the same 3 enemies out over and over again while taking damage in the most annoying and cheap ways.”
- “After 4 or 5 levels, the game began to feel a little bit more like tedious work, and left less of a sense of accomplishment.”
- “Mission objectives usually vary in how tedious they are but often they simply boil down to either go to point A or bring object A to point B, with these types of objectives being mixed around every so often.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its chaotic physics and ragdoll animations, leading to hilarious and often unexpected deaths, reminiscent of games like "Happy Wheels." Players find amusement in the absurdity of their characters' mishaps, such as face-planting or falling off ledges, although some frustrations arise from the game's mechanics and glitches. Overall, while the humor is a highlight, it can also lead to annoyance when gameplay mechanics hinder progress.
- “This game is hilarious!”
- “Watching your guy fall to his death down a long tunnel is pretty funny too.”
- “The physics are really something; nothing is more classic than trying to swing across a chasm only to faceplant into the opposite wall, blood and all, then watch your lifeless body fall to the bottom. Some of the ways you'll die are absolutely hilarious!”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving elements that encourage revisiting for new experiences. However, many feel that the current content is limited, leading to a lack of substantial replay value, especially in its early access state. Features like challenge modes and remote play offer some additional replayability, but overall, the game is seen as more enjoyable for a one-time playthrough unless future updates significantly enhance its content.
- “The combination of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving also contributes to high replayability.”
- “Replayability: the variety of challenges and the ability to explore different approaches to problem-solving encourage players to revisit the game for new experiences.”
- “Challenge mode adds a ton of replayability, and remote play means I can force one of my friends to play it with me.”
- “It isn't a bad game, but in its current early access state, it is not worth more than $10. Even with more levels, guns, and enemies added, I can't see enough content ever existing to justify more than twice that, as the game has basically no replay value.”
- “I respect that this project is a single developer effort, but I just can't give a positive review until the price comes down or something is added to the game to make it more dynamic and give it some replay value.”
- “Overall, it was an enjoyable one-time experience, but with very little replay value for me.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of emotions regarding the game, highlighting its potential for an engaging narrative and the emotional highs and lows experienced during gameplay. While some find the campaign to be wholesome, others mention moments of frustration, particularly with challenging bosses that evoke strong emotional responses, including tears. Overall, the game is seen as a promising emotional journey with room for growth in storytelling.
- “With endless possibilities of where this game will go and new content to come in the future, the emotional roller coaster I feel is just getting started.”
- “You can play the game for the campaign right now; it is very wholesome.”
- “Yeah, no, it's pretty good. The final boss is very hard; I cried.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
Overall, users note that the game's optimization is expected to improve with future updates, although some players with high refresh rate monitors (120+ Hz) experience noticeable mouse stuttering. Despite this issue, many find the game runs smoothly and does not crash, indicating a solid foundation for further enhancements.
- “Really solid EA game; the game itself doesn't crash and runs smoothly.”
- “Will get better with updates and optimization.”
- “This probably isn't an issue for anyone with a 60Hz monitor, but if you have a 120+Hz monitor, it's extremely jarring to see your mouse stuttering at half the refresh rate you normally use it at.”
- “This probably isn't an issue for anyone with a 60Hz monitor, but if you have a 120+Hz monitor, it's extremely jarring to see your mouse stuttering at half the refresh rate you normally use it at.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for misleading advertising, as players expected a couch co-op experience but found the game to be primarily puzzle-focused instead. This disconnect between marketing and actual gameplay has led to frustration among users who feel the co-op feature is either incomplete or not prioritized.