Menace from the Deep Review — Surface Level Mythos

Menace from the Deep is a Lovecraftian deck-building roguelike. Starting from Innsmouth, you take on elder gods in direct battle as you fight on procedurally generated paths toward Cthulhu, collecting a powerful deck along the way.

What I immediately found interesting is that Menace from the Deep uses its deck-building identity even in its roguelike pathing. Instead of a map with paths like most roguelikes, you’re given card draws and must play 12 to reach the next boss. These cards vary from peaceful encounters (shops, location visits) to battles with monsters and corrupted humans. You draw more cards after playing each, and you can hold onto cards for later when you might need the resources more. It’s a pretty interesting mechanic that gives the game more identity.

The actual turn-based combat feels less original. In combat, you play cards to attack or defend (your character only) against enemies. You can use direct attacks, cards that apply buffs, or blocks that avoid damage via a decaying secondary health bar.

Combat quickly becomes somewhat predictable because you see enemy and ally actions for the next turn. Special encounters and unique enemy abilities can complicate this, but combat generally follows the same steps: damage blocking enemies; block when enemies are about to damage you. This depends on your deck and draws, but it generally works out this way. Any health lost carries over and winning lets you unlock or upgrade cards.

If you read my reviews, this might sound shockingly similar to Knock on the Coffin Lid. That’s because it is. Both are inspired by (and pretty derivative of) Slay the Spire. Menace from the Deep doesn’t do enough to separate itself mechanically; it feels like Slay the Spire with a Lovecraftian coat of paint.

For many, that’s a recipe for success, and I won’t pretend the game isn’t fun. It’s a fun formula, and the developers have created a very interesting setting. I just feel they could have done more mechanically and with the Lovecraftian theme.

Lovecraft doesn’t just inspire Menace from the Deep; it feels like a direct but surface-level adaptation. Names, characters, and locations are used without much attention to detail, and the writing never goes deep. Cthulhu, for example, is incorrectly called an Elder God, and it feels weird defeating the great old one by throwing bricks at it—even if damage carries over between runs, which is a cool concept.

The writing is slightly hampered by awkward localization, making the English dialogue stilted. However, its worst aspect is its brevity, never delving into the story or character motivations. Characters rarely speak more than a sentence in cutscenes.

Menace from the Deep offers a fun mix of deck-building and roguelike mechanics in a Lovecraftian setting, but it doesn’t fully capitalize on either. The deck-based pathing is a fresh twist, providing a new way to navigate encounters and boss fights. However, the core turn-based combat feels overly familiar, echoing Slay the Spire.

While the game creates an engaging, if predictable, experience, it falls short of offering something truly unique. The Lovecraftian theme is underutilized, with surface-level references failing to enrich the narrative or characters. The writing, hindered by localization and lacking depth, doesn’t capture Lovecraft’s atmosphere.

Despite these shortcomings, Menace from the Deep remains enjoyable for fans of the genre (I’m tentatively calling it “Spire-like”). It’s still fun for those seeking a roguelike with a twist. With some mechanical tweaks, it could become a standout, but currently, it feels like an unrealized opportunity.

Try Hard Guides received a PC review code for this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles on our Game Reviews page! Menace from the Deep is available on Steam.