Reveal the Deep
- December 4, 2015
- Lazy Monday Games
- 3h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Reveal the Deep" is an underwater exploration and survival game. The player controls a submersible vehicle, navigating the ocean depths, discovering wrecks, and encountering marine life. Resources must be managed carefully to maintain the sub's power and life support. The game features a dynamic day-night cycle and weather system, adding another layer of challenge to the immersive underwater experience.
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Reviews
- Great atmosphere and sound design that creates a tense and immersive experience.
- Interesting story revealed through notes and diary entries, keeping players engaged.
- Unique light mechanic that alters the environment, adding depth to puzzles.
- No save feature during chapters, requiring players to complete them in one sitting.
- Controls can be clunky and imprecise, leading to frustrating moments.
- Short length of the game (around 1.5 to 2 hours) may leave players wanting more.
- atmosphere692 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Reveal the Deep" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively utilizing sound design and lighting to create a sense of dread and isolation in an underwater setting. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke tension and suspense, often comparing it favorably to more expensive titles despite its simple pixel art style. However, some reviewers note that the lack of variety in sound and gameplay can lead to repetitiveness, detracting from the overall experience.
“The atmosphere in this game is fantastic with the sound deserving special mention.”
“The sound design is also fantastic and is probably the real star of the show, it builds the atmosphere perfectly and really makes you feel like you are in an undersea wreck.”
“The atmosphere is great as you move through rooms with only your light providing some illumination: not knowing what might be lurking a few feet from you can get genuinely unsettling when you consider the great sound design.”
“With all due respect, this isn't the type of game I want to spend time exploring and sinking in the atmosphere for too long.”
“The map is completely made up of ninety degree angles, and while it likely expedited the time requirement to make the game, it massively detracts from the atmosphere because it feels like a rushed indie developer created map and not a real ship.”
“I think this game runs into the same problem many other horror titles do - too much time is spent on crafting a tense atmosphere and not enough time goes into making the game any fun to actually play.”
- story640 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily revealed through scattered notes and diary entries, creating an intriguing, albeit sometimes vague, narrative that players piece together as they explore a sunken ship. While many players appreciate the atmospheric and Lovecraftian elements, some find the execution lacking, with a few noting that the ending feels abrupt or unsatisfying. Overall, the story is seen as a compelling aspect of the game, enhancing the eerie atmosphere and engaging players in the mystery of the ship's fate.
“The story is progressively revealed through the discovery of diary entries left behind by various of the ship's past passengers and, to my surprise, it was actually very interesting and disturbing.”
“With great atmosphere, fluid gameplay and intriguing story this two-hour-long deep sea expedition is one of the most unique and memorable gaming experiences I've had on PC.”
“The story is simple but compelling with some nice twists in the final act, the gameplay is accessible, and the puzzles are comfortably solvable even by those who are unused to the genre.”
“The story is boring.”
“Story is told from walls of text notes as is standard fare for lazy 'exploration' (aka 'we made half a game, we swear it's fun') games.”
“The game has a story, but it is telegraphed to the player very oddly and at the end while there is a general vague concept gathered from it, the journey to reaching this general concept was very awkward as the notes did not feel like they were telling a properly flowing story.”
- gameplay378 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a unique light manipulation mechanic that alters the environment, creating a blend of puzzle-solving and exploration. However, many players find the overall experience to be simplistic and occasionally frustrating, with issues such as janky controls and repetitive mechanics detracting from the enjoyment. While the atmosphere and story elements are praised, the gameplay often lacks depth and polish, leading to mixed reviews regarding its engagement and replay value.
“The lighting mechanic is also inventive and further supports the dark atmosphere.”
“But minor gameplay flaws aside, it's a joy to explore the small interconnected levels, and the three (approximately thirty minute long) chapters of the game are worth the playthrough simply to soak in the pleasantly spooky pixel art and outstanding sound design.”
“With great atmosphere, fluid gameplay and intriguing story this two-hour-long deep sea expedition is one of the most unique and memorable gaming experiences I've had on PC.”
“It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
“Concept is interesting, but the gameplay itself is incredibly boring.”
“The gameplay is straight out terrible, don't buy it expecting it to be an exciting experience, because it isn't.”
- graphics214 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel art style that, while not groundbreaking, effectively contributes to the overall atmosphere and immersion, particularly in its eerie underwater setting. Many players appreciate the simplicity and charm of the visuals, noting that they complement the sound design and narrative, although some criticize the lack of graphical options and polish. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose well, enhancing the game's creepy ambiance despite their minimalistic nature.
“Very haunting experience with excellent sound and graphical design that manages to evoke a feeling of desolation from exploring a deep sea wreck, all with careful and subtle pixel art.”
“The atmosphere is great, the graphics are simple but do a good job of making you believe you are trapped in an old ship at the bottom of the ocean.”
“I absolutely love the art style of this game, there's something about the more detailed pixel art style like SNES era that really draws me in, and luckily games like that seem to come more and more often.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“The greatest weakness of the game itself is the visuals, which are what really holds it back and drains from the overall feel of the game.”
- music80 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game features no traditional soundtrack, relying instead on atmospheric sound effects that enhance the eerie underwater exploration experience. While many players appreciate the unnerving quality of the absence of music, some feel that a soundtrack could have added depth and creativity to the atmosphere. Overall, the ambient sounds effectively contribute to the game's tension, though they can become repetitive over time.
“The music and ambiance adds more scare than the actual creatures you encounter though.”
“Creepy atmosphere, darkness illuminated only by your narrow lightbeam, a sparse ambient soundtrack fitting for a wreck submerged miles underwater... what's not to like?”
“The music and sound effects will wreck your nerves as you slowly progress through the sunk ship, playing with light and shadows.”
“There is no music and the only main sound effects are your footsteps and the creaking/moaning of the ship.”
“While the ambience successfully spooked me, I can't help thinking a soundtrack would have added to this game.”
“The game had no music, which is a little weird, and what's even weirder is that I did not realize that until I reached the ending.”
- stability22 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting various glitches and bugs, particularly in later chapters that can hinder progress. While some players experienced no significant issues, others noted frustrating soft locks and animation problems, especially during platforming sections. Overall, the game is described as "buggy but worth the price," indicating that while stability issues exist, they may not deter all players.
“I encountered no glitches or crashes whatsoever, and the game launched without issue.”
“The game is a bit finicky; platforming (fitting to the environment, given it's underwater) is slow and floaty, and the game can be a little buggy on occasion. I can recall an instance of getting soft locked in the second chapter.”
“But as it stands, there are glitches in chapter 2 that make progress impossible.”
“I'm having a fair amount of glitches with the game.”
- grinding22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in puzzle-solving and movement mechanics, which can detract from the experience. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and storyline, many feel that the gameplay lacks engaging mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience for those not fond of puzzles. The game is often described as slow and laborious, with a few reviewers noting that it may appeal more to dedicated fans of the genre.
“3/10 - basically the game has a setting that pulls you in but does nothing with the gameplay; it is boring, tedious, repetitive, and lacks any unique and fun mechanics.”
“The conclusion is sudden, the concern over missed rooms and easter eggs is palpable, and two puzzle sequences will become uncomfortable and tedious, yet all fit in with the theme of navigating an umbral environment inside a Victorian era diving suit.”
“It's all slow and tedious - like running underwater. It matches the theme of the game, but the slow movement, delay when switching the light on/off, etc. started to get boring soon.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has minimal replayability, with many players noting that it lacks significant value for multiple playthroughs. While it may provide an enjoyable experience on the first run, particularly for its humor and scares, there is little incentive to revisit it unless players are aiming for missed achievements.
“No replay value at all, but it's worth at least one go.”
“The only downside is that it has no replay value whatsoever and that the final puzzle isn't explained very well.”
“Lacks replay value if you explored thoroughly on the first play-through.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its funny story and amusing moments that elicit laughter rather than fear. Despite its short length and cliche narrative, the comedic elements enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable for fans of simple, retro-style games.
“I found myself chuckling at them more than cowering or fearing their presence.”
“There is not a lot of replay value, gameplay itself is nothing special, and the story is cliche; but it made me laugh and spooked me out.”
“Over my expectations... I recommend it to everyone who likes simple puzzles, retro, funny to play games.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke a range of feelings, from heart-wrenching moments to a sense of claustrophobia and paranoia through its minimalistic art and immersive ambience. Players report feeling beautifully lost and afraid, while also experiencing a sense of achievement upon completing the game. However, some critiques mention a lack of deeper emotional engagement, suggesting that the narrative may not resonate on all levels.
“Even a few heart-wrenching moments (poor Mr. Crab) I highly recommend this one!”
“The basic theme, silence and darkness made me feel beautifully lost and afraid.”
“Although this is an 8-bit horror game, the minimalistic art style pulled me in instead of distracting from the story. The ambience was incredible: the hisses, creaks, and groans of the ship made me feel claustrophobic and very, very paranoid.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its quality, with players noting that it effectively leads to an unexpected ending, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
“Character development was pretty good and you really don't see the ending coming!”
