Menace from the Deep

About

"Menace from the Deep" is an upcoming game where players can choose from three unique heroes, each with their own deck of battle cards and fighting style. The game features a variety of inventory items, events, and locations, as well as a system for constructing upgrades for easier journeys. With a focus on collecting and upgrading cards, uncovering secrets, and finding allies, the game promises a grim and tragic story, set to release in October 2024.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+21

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 696 reviews

gameplay88 positive mentions

grinding20 negative mentions

Great atmosphere and art style that captures the Lovecraftian theme effectively.
Innovative mechanics such as card XP and unique travel deck system enhance gameplay variety.
Engaging story with a mix of strategic deck-building and roguelike elements.

Difficulty spikes significantly between acts, making progression feel punishing.
Lack of card removal options leads to deck bloat and can hinder strategic play.
Some mechanics, like the fuel system, can feel frustrating and may detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
262 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
65%
1%
The gameplay of "Menace from the Deep" is characterized by its unique mechanics, such as a path selection system and card experience progression, which enhance strategic depth and player engagement. While it draws inspiration from "Slay the Spire," it introduces innovative elements like survival mechanics and character-specific abilities that create a distinct experience. However, some players find certain mechanics, like the fuel system, cumbersome, and the overall difficulty can feel unbalanced, particularly in later stages of the game.
- “Certainly inspired by Slay the Spire as the dev also stated, but it adds enough unique mechanics that it feels different in a good way.”
- “The adventure system and the ability to choose your next step add a strategic element to the gameplay.”
- “The mechanics are tight and using cards to pick a path rather than the traditional roguelite 'dotted line' is a nice touch that adds a little more depth.”
- “This is a really bad deck-building game with horrible mechanics and a shallow deck-building strategy, using Cthulhu as bait.”
- “A lot of the difficulty is artificial, and it seems many of the novel mechanics to this game do not offer much other than an annoying obstacle that involves grinding over strategy to overcome.”
- “There is no card removal mechanics and you can only skip 5 card rewards, you're going to get about 20 or so card rewards so your deck is going to be heavily bloated with often non-synergy cards.”
story
193 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
67%
4%
The game's story, while featuring a Lovecraftian theme and engaging cutscenes, is often described as simple and lacking depth, with some players finding it predictable or poorly written. Many appreciate the art style and voice acting, but some criticize the dialogue and pacing, suggesting that the narrative could be more immersive. Overall, the story adds a layer of context to the gameplay, but it may not be the main draw for players who prioritize deck-building mechanics over narrative depth.
- “The plot is simple yet engaging, and you don’t feel like skipping it.”
- “Excellent deck builder game, I'm really surprised that the story was as interesting as it is.”
- “A great Lovecraft atmosphere, cool mechanics, and an interesting story.”
- “The story is your classic Lovecraftian nightmare, though I think that finishing the campaign story before learning the lore of each character diminishes the impact of certain events (I don't believe it's possible to discover any character's backstory before finishing the campaign).”
- “Very little depth, absolutely no understanding of how to properly tell a story in roguelikes, stupid metaprogression, etc. If you haven't played Wildfrost, Chrono Ark, Spellrogue and the like, you're better off starting there than buying this.”
- “The (English) voice acting is utterly horrid, the writing is dismal, the endless cut-scenes (with aforementioned bad writing and voice acting) are torturous, and the story is in there somewhere, one would assume.”
graphics
131 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
42%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style and atmospheric design, drawing inspiration from Lovecraftian themes and reminiscent of titles like Darkest Dungeon. Players appreciate the high production value, including well-designed characters, environments, and card artwork, which contribute to an engaging visual experience. While some mention occasional simplicity in graphics, the overall aesthetic and sound design are considered top-notch, enhancing the gameplay and narrative immersion.
- “The artwork/graphics are pleasant, with great design for the cards, environment, characters, and enemies.”
- “The production value alone in this game is top tier; sound, visuals, and voice acting are all top notch.”
- “The presentation is phenomenal, the art style is amazing.”
- “Good deck building, okay sound and music, a little too simple graphics sometimes, and even a decent plot.”
- “After playing *Menace from the Deep*, I checked out *Slay the Spire*, but I didn't enjoy its visuals.”
- “The graphics and artwork are fine.”
music
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
49%
7%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as engaging and atmospheric, fitting well within the Lovecraftian theme, while others find it unpleasant or lacking in variety. Many users noted that they typically turn off game music but chose to keep it on here, indicating a strong soundtrack, though some expressed a desire for improvements, particularly in combat music. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for many, contributing positively to the game's immersive experience.
- “The OST might be my favorite of the year.”
- “The overall atmosphere is pretty good and the soundtrack has some real bangers.”
- “Music is great, art style rocks, the three classes and their different decks are interesting to try out and the overall atmosphere is very well done, too.”
- “The dialogue is not great (although there is voice acting), and the music is lackluster.”
- “The sound is awful, the music I turned off after an hour, very droney, clear no one played it while listening to it for a long time.”
- “Do not expect to have much plot here, music could be better (was feeling that it doesn't fit, especially at the combat).”
atmosphere
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
29%
4%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional art style and strong Lovecraftian influence, creating an immersive and emotionally engaging experience. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric intensity, compelling narrative, and effective sound design, which together enhance the overall gameplay. While some critiques mention pacing issues, the game's ability to evoke dread and urgency resonates well with fans of the genre.
- “This is one of the best strategy games I've ever played, and it is absolutely incredible that the developers have been able to capture the atmosphere of Lovecraft in such an outstanding way.”
- “I prefer MFTD for its immersive atmosphere and emotional tension, which resonate with my love for games that evoke dread and urgency.”
- “Menace from the Deep is a highly atmospheric deckbuilder.”
- “It seems to have too quick of a pace for the storyline/atmosphere and isn't 'creepy' enough.”
- “- the atmosphere”
- “Although deck-building rogue-likes/lites are numerous, this game separates itself from the pack by its atmosphere, numerous decks to choose from, and interesting character play-styles.”
replayability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
40%
12%
Overall, the game boasts strong replayability due to its engaging story mode, diverse deck-building options, and procedurally generated maps that encourage strategic play. While many players appreciate the depth and variety offered, some express a desire for additional challenges, such as an ascension system or more playable characters, to enhance long-term replay value. Despite these suggestions, the game remains highly addictive and offers substantial content for players to explore.
- “After story mode, there is still a lot more to do; so this definitely adds replay value.”
- “This deck builder has excellent replay value, scaling is reasonable, and will have you passing the hours before you know it.”
- “The main point of the game is replayability and it is quite addictive.”
- “The lack of an ascension system hurts the long-term replay value of this game.”
- “I just wish that new challenges might be added in the future (like making a certain final boss re-fightable) or something akin to ascension to add replayability.”
- “All of the unlocks in the game add to the replayability, not just more unlocks that don't change gameplay at all.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is often criticized for being overly tedious and repetitive, particularly at the beginning, where player power is locked behind extensive grinding. Many players feel that the difficulty is artificially inflated, detracting from strategic gameplay and leading to a slower, more frustrating experience. While some enjoy the challenge, the consensus suggests that adjustments to resource acquisition and progression could alleviate the grind and enhance overall enjoyment.
- “But it's difficult because it locks your player power behind grinding, which is an absurd decision for a roguelike deckbuilder.”
- “A lot of the difficulty is artificial, and it seems many of the novel mechanics in this game do not offer much other than an annoying obstacle that involves grinding over strategy to overcome.”
- “There's a lot of grinding, and it might not even be possible to complete a full run from a fresh save.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of surprising and frustrating moments that escalate during act changes, often leading to hilarious outcomes, such as the memorable sound effects and comical character deaths. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, which adds a fun layer to the gameplay, reminiscent of classic board games like "Touch of Evil" and "Arkham Horror." Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “Some very funny and frustrating surprises throughout the completion of the entirety of the game.”
- “Nutcracker having the lightbulb exploding sound will never not be funny though.”
- “I hilariously had three different characters all die during a run-in with the same creature (that damn shoggoth) and their pets too, so now my friends tease me for being a bad pet owner. If you enjoy board games like Touch of Evil or Arkham Horror, this game has that sort of feel, while being very much its own thing.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find "mftd" to excel in emotional engagement, creating an immersive atmosphere filled with tension and urgency that enhances the significance of each decision. In contrast, while "sts" is praised for its strategic balance, it lacks the same depth of emotional resonance that "mftd" offers.
- “I prefer MFTD for its immersive atmosphere and emotional tension, which resonate with my love for games that evoke dread and urgency.”
- “While STS is better balanced and offers refined strategic depth, MFTD draws me in with its deeper emotional engagement and atmospheric intensity, making each decision feel significant.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The monetization system primarily revolves around unlocking enhancements for characters, such as increased health, starting relics, and consumables. Players can also gain advantages like higher combo counters, more energy per turn, and easier card upgrades, which provide access to more powerful options in various locations. Overall, the monetization elements focus on improving gameplay mechanics rather than introducing paywalls.
- “The monetization system feels heavily skewed towards encouraging players to spend money for advantages, making it hard to enjoy the game without shelling out cash.”
- “It seems like the game is designed to push players into spending more, as the free options are limited and often feel inadequate compared to what you can buy.”
- “The reliance on microtransactions for basic gameplay elements really detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a well-balanced game.”