Shadow of the Depth is a top-down action roguelike hack and slasher that released into Steam Early Access. In a genre that’s already flooded with so many great titles, does Shadow of the Depth do enough to set itself apart from some of the greats out there?
Let’s do a deep dive shall we!
Shadow of the Depth
Players in Shadow of the Depth will take on the role of Arthur at first and venture forth into a town fighting off monsters and other creatures. Arthur’s dad, a blacksmith, is mercilessly killed and Arthur dons his armour and seeks revenge for his death. Players will slowly be introduced to the game’s mechanics such as using their primary weapon and secondary weapon. You can also use special attacks which are tied to the weapon you’re using.
This is where the game’s roguelike elements kick in too with each run through a dungeon containing different items and weapons with varying abilities tied to them.
Players can opt to sell items they find and this increases the amount of gold you have which can then be used to purchase new items that are for sale in levels. Yes the roguelike formula is strong here and is quite formulaic but Shadow of the Depth is so enjoyable with all its hacking and slashing gameplay, you’ll immediately get sucked in.
In fact, in my first session of playing the game, I ended up playing for a solid 2 hours straight because of how satisfying it was slashing through monsters and finding new items. The levels have teleport stones and a variety of traps and enemies to get through while the difficulty level was just right for the type of game this is.
Upon dying, you’ll retain your gems and talent points and can unlock perks which will assist you in your next run. There’s additional characters to unlock and each character plays completely differently to each other. For example Arthur is slower than Arya, a dagger user. However, there is a perk that allows other characters weapons to drop in levels and you can use them as a secondary attack which allows for some interesting combinations.
It’s quite fun walking around as Arthur with his slow sword and shield attacks and then suddenly having a burst of speed from using a dagger attack. The game also features a “Rune” system which further enhances your characters abilities.
Shadow of the Depth has a distinct artstyle that’s visually appealing and filled with flashy effects. Especially for special attacks that do massive damage. Levels might start to feel a bit samey over time but since the game is still in Early Access, I’m expecting a lot more variation will be added in the future. The soundtrack of the game is fine and your attacks sound good in action.
Overall, Shadow of the Depth is a great Early Access title and one that’s definitely worth picking up even in its current state.
There’s more than enough content here to keep you busy for hours on end and unlocking and playing as the other characters really adds longevity to the game as well as opens up a lot of different playstyles due to the combinations of their skills and weapons.
Shadow of the Depth is a great game that will hopefully continuously develop into something that becomes a fan favourite.
The developers have done a great job here!
Shadow of the Depth | Steam Early Access Release Announcement Trailer
For more early access previews of upcoming games head here https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/category/previews/ .. they might also be fully released, so get a look at the game before it got released if you wish.
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