You are exploring a empty (at least you THINK it’s empty) mine 100’s of miles under the water. Should be simple right? Well it is…until the evil scary creatures come out to kill you! 

Cogwheel Software and Daedalic Entertainment’s Hidden Deep is a horror, atmospheric exploration game. You play as different workers exploring the mine and fighting off horrible creatures. You start out with a grappling hook and a gun, then eventually get more fun tools and even vehicles to maneuver. 

Hidden Deep is very scary and thrilling game. Creatures of all horrible sorts will attack you as you explore, and they are not happy you are there. The deaths are rather gruesome as well.

Hidden Deep is not only scary as hell, but it is HARD as hell! Even on easy mode! The main reason is that everything can kill you. If you fall too far, dead, monster attacking you? Kill it or you are dead. Walk into a spot you can’t get out of? Well guess what the only way to get out is? Yup, death. And what makes all that even harder is the fact that you have limited lives and limited bullets as well – though you can find more if you pick the correct route. Extra bullets are few and far between so you need to use your bullets (and lives) sparingly, but that is not easy when there are horrible creatures attacking you and there is no chance to escape! 

The only reconciliation is that it is rather hilarious when you fall from a high height and bounce bloody off the ground! Oh, and the blood stays where you died too, so that helps you know where you’ve been. “Have I been in this spot already? Oh yeah, there is my blood spot!” 

Hidden Deep is also a huge maze which fortunately comes with a map that generates as you walk. Generated maps are always a good thing. There are also different modes such as story mode that is -as the name says – the main quest. Then there are specific quests like getting to a certain point or finding items in randomly generated levels. 

I liked the grainy/ basic art style of Hidden Deep, it makes the game a bit more scary, especially when you see a creature suddenly grow or leap out of the ground at you! It also makes your graphic violent death that much better. 

The main issue I had with Hidden Deep is that it was just too hard. I even set the game on “easy” and I still ran out of bullets very quickly and had no chance to survive. It’s nice that when you die you regenerate right where you left off, but you have limited lives! Then when those lives are up, you have to start over. I wasn’t even able to get far enough to play with the cool other tools. The best strategy I suppose would be to learn from our mistakes and start again, maybe take a different path. But I feel that if a game has difficulty level settings, then the “easy” mode should reflect “easy” and save the challenging rage inducing stuff for the harder levels. 

So it is a nicely made game that has some fun features, it’s super scary and a bit silly at times. But because of the difficulty and because I think people who don’t mind the challenge will enjoy this game, I give it 3 out of 5 baby dragons.       

Hidden Deep is available on Steam now for $24.99, but’s currently 25% off so grab it soon! More details here https://store.steampowered.com/app/976890/Hidden_Deep/, Have fun and don’t get killed!