I picked up Deep Sky Derelicts on a deep discount, and I do not regret it.

Think of it as Darkest Dungeon in space with the art style of Forgive Me Father. Compared to Darkest Dungeon, it doesn't have a stress mechanic, but it does come with extra rambling dialogue from random machines. Sometimes it isn't entirely clear what your dialogue options are or what they will trigger.

The game has a "magic find" element that requires you to make multiple runs to improve your gear before you can progress. I loved going through levels 1 to 7, but it does get a bit repetitive as you reach level 10 (which is the level cap for maps, items, and characters).

There is quite a bit of RNG involved; if you get a good opening hand, you’ll be fine, but if you don't, things can get dicey. For example, if your Bruiser gets Ground Slam and Heavy Pummeling, you’ll deal so much stun and cleave damage that you’ll shred through enemy shields instantly. Also, the Terrorbot is excellent.

Some stats, such as Mental, are not very straightforward, but that shouldn’t prevent you from having a successful run. While the campaign is enjoyable, it has fairly low replayability. I don't necessarily see myself playing through it again just to try a different mix of classes... though I might, who knows! There is also an Arena mode to test how many consecutive fights you can survive, which offers some extra playtime.

Ultimately, I got over 20 hours of content for less than $2, which is excellent value. The deck-building element is fairly basic, as the RPG focus on gear progression is more important. If you enjoy that loop, you’ll enjoy this game.

👎

Unforgiving -- if you rush; but, on the other hand, very much rewards prep.