Delving The Depths

About Delving The Depths

Delving The Depths is a first-person RPG dungeon crawler developed by Dragon Dropper and released on December 31, 2027. It runs on PC and Linux, offering a single-player experience where you play as a group of prisoners who dig their way through a subterranean maze in hopes of reaching the surface. The game uses a grid-based movement system, blending tactical exploration with resource management. You navigate procedurally generated caves, avoid traps, and battle enemies while managing your team’s stamina and supplies. The core goal is survival: each step deeper into the dungeon increases risk, but proximity to the surface brings hope. It’s a lean, punishing experience for players who enjoy methodical, risk-reward gameplay.

Gameplay

The game plays like a 3D roguelike with a focus on precision. You control a small group of characters, each with distinct stats like strength and stamina. Movement is restricted to a grid, forcing you to plan steps carefully around hazards like spikes and lava. Combat is turn-based, with enemies reacting to your group’s actions. You spend most sessions digging through layers, managing inventory (you can only carry so much), and deciding whether to push forward or retreat to safer zones. Permadeath looms large: one miscalculation can kill your entire team. The interface is minimal, with HUD elements showing health and stamina. Sessions often last 1, 2 hours, as each attempt requires careful planning. The lack of respawns and the need to balance exploration with survival create a tense, calculated pace.

What Players Think

The PlayPile community has mixed feelings. It holds a 72% critic score and an average player rating of 7.3/10. 34% of players complete the game, with an average playtime of 16 hours. Moods are split: 41% describe the experience as “tense,” 28% as “frustrating,” and 19% as “addictive.” Reviews praise the strategic depth but critique repetitive enemy designs and a lack of variety in environments. One user wrote, “The risk-reward loop is great, but I died to the same slime six times.” Another added, “Feels like a prototype, loved the tension, missed polish.” Achievement completion is at 68%, with 43% of players unlocking the final goal of escaping.

PlayPile's Take

Delving The Depths is a niche pick for fans of hardcore tactical games. The grid-based mechanics and permadeath create a tense, punishing loop, but repetitive enemies and limited variety may test patience. At $39.99, it’s a mid-budget gamble. If you enjoy slow, methodical exploration and can stomach its rough edges, it’s worth a try. Avoid if you prefer open-ended progression or forgiving difficulty. The 43% completion rate suggests it’s challenging but achievable with persistence.

Storyline

Your group of adventurers has been imprisoned for life for crimes against The King. After a few months of digging, you've discovered an opening into a vast underground chamber. Given the choice between rotting your lives away in a cell and delving the dark and dangerous depths in search of freedom, you've chosen the latter.