A perfectly addictive co-op game for lockdown
THE combination of endless wit and buttery-smooth gameplay is one that is rarely achieved but Deep Rock Galactic succeeds where many others have failed, weaving endless charm and solid gameplay into an explosive co-operative experience teeming with replayability.
You are cast as a dwarf in the Deep Rock Galactic mining company - an outfit more concerned about turning a profit than even a modicum of safety for its employees.
Players of the Fallout series will feel right at home amidst the constant wry and hilarious indictments of corporate greed peppered throughout Deep Rock Galactic.
Many of these jibes are utterly harmless comic relief, but the same cannot be said once you drop down below the surface of Hoxxas, into the deep, curious and oppressive environment beneath.
Here, you must navigate through dizzying cave systems with very little light, never knowing when a horde of freakish insectoid horrors will rise up and threaten to overwhelm you and your similarly unfortunate comrades.
Despite the fully deformable landscape below, as well of a host of traversal and movement abilities, it always feels like you can be backed into a corner and rolled over without warning, lending a constant sense of urgency to any encounter.
Each dwarf has a movement ability, and the somewhat small overlap in their use cases means that you can cleverly combine your abilities with those of your friends, allowing you to access difficult-to-reach objectives and manouvere your way out of sticky combat situations.
Of course, Deep Rock Galactic can be played alone, but just like Sea of Thieves, conversations and table tennis, this is an experience that is most definitely improved with two or more participants.
Perhaps the deepest element of Deep Rock Galactic is in the character progression system, which is incredibly extensive. There are many achievements to complete, giving you access to perk points that you can spend to upgrade your skills (and more importantly, your beard).
You can also use some of the hard cash you have extracted from the mines to purchase bigger and better guns, armour and gear.
Deep Rock Galactic is as irreverent and funny an experience as anything else that has come out this year. A perfectly addictive co-op game for a seemingly endless lockdown.