If the likes of Dave the Diver have left you hankering for more oceanic escapades, then Feed the Deep might be one to keep on your radar. Destined to hit Steam later this year, this lovecraftian roguelike is inspired by games like Spelunky and Dome Keeper, but its creator has a background that will probably surprise you.
Angling to become one of the best roguelike games of the year, Feed the Deep sends an intrepid scuba diver down into the waters below a floating city. You'll be descending down into procedurally-generated cave systems and scavenging for resources. While exploring, you'll encounter hostile creatures, journal entries full of lore and narrative beats, and mysterious terminals where you can play minigames (including a Doom-like FPS game). Nice.
The main focus, though, is to get those resources and return to the surface before your oxygen runs out. You use these resources to upgrade your gear, allowing you to take on harder dives. The overarching goal is to feed the "insidious" sea monster that lurks below - the enormous eye we see in the game's trailer below gives you a sense of scale.
While he is receiving assistance with some elements like the game's narrative and soundtrack, Feed the Deep is mostly being created by a single person developer, Luke Muscat. While you might not recognize his name, there's a chance readers of a certain age may have played some of his previous work, as he designed two of the biggest mobile games of the 2010s: Jetpack Joyride and Fruit Ninja.
Feed the Deep though is something different entirely, and could be one of the best PC games of the year for those who love lovecraftian aesthetics or roguelike action. Muscat has also put together a dev diary documenting his progress over the last few months and revealing how many of the game's assets and systems were created.
Until Feed the Deep arrives, be sure to check out some of the other top indie games you can play right now. For the cheapest of thrills, our free Steam games guide will also point you in the direction of some brilliant free-to-play titles.
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