Menace from the Deep
- November 11, 2024
- flatcoon
- 11h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique Lovecraftian theme that is well-integrated into the gameplay, providing an immersive experience.
- The art style and atmosphere are praised for their quality, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The deck-building mechanics are engaging, with a variety of cards and customization options that allow for different playstyles.
- The difficulty spikes significantly between acts, particularly from Act 1 to Act 2, which can lead to frustrating experiences for players.
- There is a lack of card removal options, leading to deck bloat and making it challenging to maintain an effective strategy.
- Some players find the RNG elements to be overly punishing, with encounters that can feel unfair and lead to early game overs.
- gameplay118 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
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 agency. While it draws inspiration from "Slay the Spire," it introduces innovative elements like survival mechanics and a travel card system that add complexity and tension to the experience. Overall, players find the gameplay loop engaging and rewarding, though some mechanics, like the fuel system, have received mixed feedback regarding their impact on enjoyment.
“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 travel and combat mechanics are exciting, forcing you to think carefully before taking any action.”
“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 mechanic 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.”
- story82 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story, while engaging and enriched with Lovecraftian themes, is often described as simple and lacking depth, with some players finding it predictable and the writing inconsistent. Cutscenes and character lore are unlocked through gameplay, adding a sense of progression, but the narrative can feel overshadowed by the gameplay mechanics. Overall, while the story provides a framework for the game, it may not captivate all players, and some aspects, like voice acting and dialogue, have received criticism.
“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.”
“There is a rich story here, with plenty of actors coming to and fro.”
“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.”
“The plot seems good, but the dialogue is awful; while grammatically accurate, it feels unnatural and sometimes redundant.”
“The story in-between the gameplay is pretty forgettable and could be summarized in just a few sentences.”
- graphics54 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
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 crisp visuals, well-designed characters, and engaging card artwork, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some mention occasional simplicity in graphics, the overall aesthetic and sound design contribute to a captivating and immersive environment.
“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 artwork is simply gorgeous!”
“Good deck building, okay sound and music, a little too simple graphics sometimes, and even a decent plot.”
“The graphics and artwork are fine.”
“After playing *Menace from the Deep*, I checked out *Slay the Spire*, but I didn't enjoy its visuals.”
- music37 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as catchy and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience, while others find it unpleasant or lacking, leading them to turn it off. Many appreciate the sound design and its ability to create an engaging ambiance, though a few critics suggest it doesn't always fit the game's themes effectively. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point for some, while others feel it could benefit from improvement.
“The OST might be my favorite of the year.”
“The overall atmosphere is pretty good and the soundtrack has some real bangers.”
“Not only is it a fine deckbuilding game, it also has a good story, full voice acting, and great music.”
“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.”
“The only thing I don't like about it is the battle music (feels off in this Lovecraft setting), but that's not a big deal since I can just listen to something else.”
- atmosphere30 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional art style and immersive Lovecraftian themes, creating a captivating and eerie experience that resonates with fans of the genre. Players appreciate the emotional tension and depth it adds to gameplay, making decisions feel significant. Overall, the combination of atmospheric design, engaging music, and unique character mechanics contributes to a standout experience in the strategy and roguelike deck-building categories.
“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”
“Those who adore the eerie atmosphere of Lovecraftian fiction and the games I just mentioned, as well as roguelike deckbuilders with innovative mechanics and frantic gameplay, are likely to fall in love with Menace from the Deep, just as I have.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious and repetitive, particularly in the early stages where progress feels artificially inflated by the need to unlock cards and upgrades. While some enjoy the challenge of grinding, many criticize it as poor design that detracts from strategic gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience that can hinder overall enjoyment. Suggestions for improvement include reducing resource costs and allowing for more meaningful progression to alleviate the grind.
“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.”
“The game is punishing at the start, and everyone is going to tell you to tough it out and get the upgrades. However, it still bloats the RNG pool of cards, relics, and items, making the game harder to plan for and more tedious.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers strong replayability due to its engaging deck-building mechanics and procedurally generated maps, which encourage players to experiment with different strategies. While some users express a desire for additional content, such as more characters and challenges, the existing gameplay elements provide a solid foundation for repeated playthroughs. The combination of resource management and card-based combat keeps the experience fresh and addictive.
“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.”
“Would love to see more playable characters, relics, and acts/enemy types.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by unexpected and amusing surprises, particularly during act changes, which enhance the overall experience. Players find comedic moments in character mishaps, such as multiple deaths from the same creature, and quirky sound effects, like the Nutcracker's lightbulb explosion. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch reminiscent of classic board games while maintaining its unique charm.
“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.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight that "mftd" excels in creating an immersive atmosphere filled with emotional tension, evoking feelings of dread and urgency that enhance the gameplay experience. In contrast, while "sts" is noted for its balanced strategic depth, it lacks the same level of emotional engagement that makes each decision in "mftd" feel impactful.
“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.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization system primarily revolves around enhancing gameplay through upgrades, such as increased health for characters, additional starting relics, improved combo mechanics, and greater energy per turn. Players can also access easier card upgrades and more powerful options in specific locations, which can significantly impact their performance in the game.
“The monetization system feels heavily skewed towards encouraging players to spend money for advantages, making it difficult to progress without shelling out cash.”
“It seems like every aspect of the game is designed to push you towards purchasing in-game currency, which can be frustrating for those who want to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
“The game offers a pay-to-win model that detracts from the overall experience, as players who don't spend money are left at a significant disadvantage.”
