Deepest Trench on Xbox is a co-op adventure that plunges players into the darkness of the Mariana Trench, but the promise of an intense and atmospheric descent quickly gives way to a more uneven reality. Developed by Favor Games, the title sells itself on mystery, teamwork, and survival in a hostile underwater environment. On paper, that blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and local co-op has potential. In practice, however, the game struggles to keep its head above water, with presentation, controls, and pacing issues weighing it down as much as the ocean depths it portrays.
The narrative setup is intriguing – a secretive military mission into the trench, filled with the promise of long-lost records, strange remnants, and lurking threats. There’s even an initial sense of tension as you descend further, relying on teamwork and limited resources. Unfortunately, the writing and voice acting often fail to support that atmosphere. Dialogue swings between stilted and unintentionally awkward, while the mystery never really builds toward a satisfying payoff. Instead of motivating players to push deeper, it frequently feels like the story is padding the descent rather than propelling it forward.
Mechanically, Deepest Trench leans heavily on cooperation. Players need to coordinate movement, solve environmental puzzles, and share oxygen and light in order to survive. This makes it more enjoyable with a committed partner, especially in couch co-op where communication flows naturally. When that synergy clicks, the game shows flashes of its potential – exploring pitch-black environments while one player scouts ahead and the other manages equipment can be tense and engaging. But controls are clunky, sometimes making precise actions frustrating, and repeated puzzle types erode the sense of discovery. Solo play, though technically supported, feels flat and highlights the game’s shortcomings even more.
Visually, Deepest Trench is a mixed bag. The premise screams atmosphere, but environments quickly repeat, and textures and lighting effects feel dated, more in line with a last-gen title than a modern release. Some sequences do manage to capture the crushing pressure and darkness of the ocean floor, especially when paired with eerie sound design, but the overall presentation struggles to immerse consistently. Audio is similarly inconsistent – ambient effects occasionally hit the mark, but poor mixing and repetitive cues pull players out of the experience.
What ultimately drags the game down is its pacing. Progression deeper into the trench ought to raise the stakes, but instead, repetition and filler sequences dominate. Rooms and corridors recycle too often, encounters lack variety, and the tension dissipates once players realize how much of the content repeats. While there are multiple endings to uncover, most players may not feel compelled to replay, given the grind it takes to reach even one conclusion. The novelty of the co-op hook is great, especially when combined with the premise, but the execution doesn’t sustain interest.
Deepest Trench is a case of strong concept, weak execution. Its focus on teamwork and the claustrophobic setting of the ocean depths should have made it a standout in the indie co-op space, but lackluster writing, dated visuals, awkward controls, and repetitive design sink much of its potential. Those who absolutely love the idea of couch co-op exploration might squeeze some value from its unique setting, but most will find the dive more frustrating than fascinating. As it stands, Favor Games’ underwater mission feels more like a missed opportunity than a discovery worth surfacing.
Score: 6.2/10
Press Play Media 