Depths of Fear :: Knossos
Gameplay 7
Graphics 7
Sound 7

There are plenty of things that I can fault about Depths of Fear, but at the end of the day and I had a lot of fun playing the game and it kept me hooked right to the end which is all that matters. It is an impressive piece of work considering that it was made by only one person and definitely provides a unique and memorable challenge. The excellent atmosphere and addictive gameplay makes it worth the effort.

Gameplay: A nice atmospheric blend of stealth and action.

Graphics: A little rough, especially the animations, but this doesn’t detract too much from the experience.

Sound: Great creature sounds and a very nice synthesizer based soundtrack

Summary 7.0 Good
Gameplay 0
Graphics 0
Sound 0
Summary rating from user's marks. You can set own marks for this article - just click on stars above and press "Accept".
Accept
Summary 0.0 Terrible

Depths of Fear :: Knossos

Developer: Dirigo Games | Publisher: Digital Tribe | Release Date: 2014 | Genre: Action / Adventure / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Playing as the legendary Greek hero and son of Poseidon, Theseus, you find yourself tossed into the labyrinth deep underneath the city of Knossos. Your goal is to survive and ultimately slay the Minotaur that stalks the dark hallways. Before you will be able to do so however you must first face and defeat the other mythical creatures that stand in your way as only with their medallions will you be able to unlock the magical sword needed to complete your quest.

Depths of Fear is an action title, played out in first person, where the focus is very much on stealth. Starting out from a central hub you have to take on mythical creatures like the Satyr, Cerberus, Centaur, Manticore, Griffin, Medusa and Hydra, each of which is prowling around in their own little lair. When I first started the game I ran into the Satyr lair sword in hand and ready to lay some smack down God of War style. The Satyr however, gave a horrific scream when it spotted me and then proceeded to disembowel my character before I could even swing my club more than a few times. It very quickly became apparent that the Han Solo approach of attempting a straight fight was not going to work and sneaking around is a much better plan.

Your mission on each level is to find a golden key and then locate the trapdoor that it opens in order to go down to the next level. The big bad creature that patrols the level is invulnerable so your best bet is to stick to the shadows and stay out of their way. Lesser creatures like skeletons, zombies and even ants are also abound, but thankfully these small fries can be killed. You’ll want to be quick and efficient about it though, as you don’t want to attract the attention of the big boss creature. After three levels of this you finally get to face the boss baddie in a one-on-one arena battle which involves grabbing the medallion that makes it immortal and then tricking the creature into taking a bath in some lava.

The levels in Depths of Fear are procedurally generated so if you die and restart a level it is never the same. Sometimes finding the exit and key is easy and sometimes all the odds feel stacked against you. The levels are generally very dark and while you have a torch for light it is always a risk using it. I have on a few occasions managed to set some random table or chair on fire when whipping out my torch and then lost my weapon in the ensuing bonfire which then drew the not so friendly resident mythical creature towards the sudden inferno. These encounters generally did not end well for Theseus. Sticking to the darkness is also not always very effective as you tend to fall down pits, walk into traps or step on the tail of random monsters which once again is not good for Theseus, or my weak heart.

The gold coins that you may find during levels can be used to upgrade your arsenal from a shop run by Daedalus, the poor fool who built the labyrinth and was left there after it was completed. He doesn’t’ have a whole lot to say, but if you need blades, clubs, tridents, crossbows or spears all you need to do is visit him between levels with enough cash in hand. Due to the procedural nature of the game you can also collect weapons during levels, but these are lost when you die, whereas purchased items is stored on a weapon rack that you can access between levels to equip yourself for the battle ahead. Apart from coins you will also find books which grant you wisdom that can be exchanged for some once off favor such as lightening, illumination or speed at one of the many statues that dot the levels. Then there are the potions which are a gamble as you never know what they will do until you swig one. They can either poison you or provide something like a speed boost or night vision so it is up to you to decide if it is worth the risk.

While the game has a ton of atmosphere, it unfortunately also has some technical issues, which is no surprise considering it is the work of just one person. Ladders would regularly shoot my character up into the air when I stepped on them, enemies frequently get stuck on corners and there is a fair amount of clipping going on as well. The graphics, while nice, is not exactly cutting edge either and the animations are very stiff. Some filters help to improve the look and feel of the game plus the fact that you always play in near darkness also help to mask some of the visual flaws.

I quite liked the audio in the game with the sounds made by the creatures standing out as particularly impressive and creepy. The strange synthesizer based soundtrack also gives the game a very unique atmosphere. The game features no voice acting, but this isn’t a problem as you don’t really encounter anyone worth talking to, and all information is relayed to you via scrolls or books. I found the keyboard and mouse controls to be perfectly adequate for playing the game, but a patch for controller support is in the works as I am writing this. About the only complaint I have about the controls is that it is a nuisance to hold down the crouch button while sneaking around and I would have preferred that it is something that can be toggled on and off.

It would be a mistake to overlook Depths of Fear because of its flaws as it is a very compelling experience. I had a lot of fun sneaking around the labyrinth and despite frequent deaths I always found myself giving it another shot until I finally dispatched the Minotaur. The low price means the game already offers great value for money, which is further enhanced by the endless mode, which challenges you to see how deep you can go down the labyrinth and survive in one life. Overall I have no qualms recommending the game and as it appears to be a labor of love for the developer I am sure he will continue to update it to smooth out all the wrinkles.

*Review originally published April 2014.

System Requirements

  • OS: Win Vista / Win 7, 8
  • Processor: 2.0GHz x86/64/Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66 GHz / AMD Athlon II X2 245e
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 128MB GForce 6600 or better
  • DirectX: Version 9.0
  • Hard Drive: 2 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
  • OS: Win Vista / Win 7, 8
  • Processor: 2.0GHz x86/64
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 256MB GForce 8600 or better
  • DirectX: Version 9.0
  • Hard Drive: 4 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
  • OS: Snow Leopard 10.6.3 | 10.6/10.8/10.9
  • Processor: 2 ghz
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 2.0 compatible graphics card, 258 MB video memory
  • Hard Drive: 3000 MB available space

Related posts

Pinball FX2 – Star Wars™ Pinball: Heroes Within Pack

Pinball FX2 - Star Wars™ Pinball: Heroes Within Pack

These are not the first Star Wars themed tables by Zen Studios, but they are certainly some of the best. This time you get four tables instead of the usual three and each one of these offers hours of gameplay. With so much variety and great table themes in the set, it is hard to pick a favorite and I found myself bouncing back and forth between tables all the time. If you are a fan of pinball and love Star Wars then this is an essential purchase. Gameplay: Four Star Wars themed tables with great layouts. Graphics: Another excellent use of the license. Sound: Some of the speech snippets sound a bit "off," but overall it is a great effort.

The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams

The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams

The Emerald Maiden: Symphony of Dreams borrows some elements from Bioshock and Abyss, but the underwater complex still makes for an interesting setting. To break up the gloominess of the deserted facility you also get to visit a few dream locations, such as Paris, Prague and the Amazon jungle. So while it doesn’t really break any new ground, it did keep us entertained throughout. Gameplay: Nice hidden object scenes and interesting puzzles, but nothing truly unique. Graphics: The setting is rather familiar, but the dream elements do allow for some nice new locations. Sound: Overall, not too bad.

Escape Simulator

Escape Simulator

Escape Simulator offers fifteen different rooms filled with puzzles for players to conquer. While it won’t take too long to play through these, the game also offers Steam Workshop Support, which really boosts the longevity of this title. It is also perfectly playable alone, but having a friend or two along to help solve the puzzles makes it more enjoyable. If you are a fan of the genre, then Escape Simulator definitely ticks all the right checkboxes. Gameplay: A great selection of puzzles along with the option to create your own puzzle rooms. Graphics: Decent overall with plenty of detail and vibrant colors. Sound: The soundtrack is pleasant, and the sound effects get the job done.

SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy

SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy

Don't approach SNK HEROINES Tag Team Frenzy expecting an indepth move list and longevity. Instead, it is a very newcomer-friendly brawler with a firm emphasis on fan service. The customization options are nice, but not as extensive as we would have liked and the story mode is unlikely to keep players hooked for very long. The game is undeniably fun, especially if you don't have the time to practice endlessly just to become proficient with certain characters, but sadly this also means that you'll tire of it quite soon. Gameplay: Very newcomer-friendly, but can't hold a candle to some of the bigger titles available. Graphics: Characters look great and the outfits are eye-catching, but the backgrounds could have been much better. Sound: Nothing remarkable about the music, but the Japanese voice acting is very fitting.

Lake

Lake

Lake is a game about delivering mail and parcels in a small Oregon town. There are no life or death decisions, a mystery to solve, or even challenges to conquer, which leaves players free to drive around, soak in the beautiful surroundings and connect with the locals. The result is a very slow-paced game, but delivering stuff is strangely addictive and getting to know the inhabitants of Providence Oaks is just as much fun. The game is not without some technical issues, but the overall experience is very charming. Gameplay: Straightforward, but delivering mail is fun, as is interacting with the locals. Graphics: Character designs and environments look great, but the facial animations and lip-syncing could be better. Sound: Superb voice acting and a very fitting, albeit limited, soundtrack.

Metrocide

Metrocide

There’s no denying that Metrocide is a very hard and frequently frustrating game. Spend enough time with it though and you’ll learn to appreciate the punishing difficulty level. Your first few kills might be sloppy and chaotic, but with practice you’ll be able to take down your marks with precision and stealth. It takes a lot of patience and dedication to get anywhere in this game, but it is quite satisfying when you pull off the perfect kill. Just be aware that the game can become repetitive. Gameplay: If one hit kills and permadeaths are not your thing then neither will Metrocide. Graphics: The 8-bit aesthetic takes a while to get used to, but the visuals are not without their charm. Sound: No real soundtrack, but the ambient audio is very atmospheric.

Leave a comment

14 − three =