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Relaxation will extend your life, fact. That’s why you game, and that’s why you’re here to find news of upcoming releases to chill out that fire in your mind. There’s other methods of relaxation, some stranger than others. For instance, you can attach a string to the end of a stick, go find some water, and flick that string at said water with some vigor. Something might come to bite that string, and then you’re going to pull that bitey thing out of the water. There could be a wait for this event to occur. A long wait. This activity is certainly not used as an excuse to escape prolonged contact with the family.
Fishing, they call it, and it can’t go wrong, surely? Okay, so your string or your stick might snap. You could fall in the water, I suppose. Or… you could find yourself in the world of Deep Regrets.
Deep Regrets is a game for 1-5 adults about reeling progressively more horrifying things out of the ocean. Manage your madness, push your luck, and say your prayers as you set sail for the eldritch deep. It’s a game that draws inspiration from Lovecraft, Scooby Doo and everything in-between. I mean, doesn’t that sound great already? It's set in an alternate history Europe where Hollow Earth theory and folklore come to life in unique, disturbing and darkly humorous ways.
In this version of our mad planet (for there are many), in the early 19th Century Edmund Halley set off on an expedition to prove that the earth is hollow, and none of them were seen again. The mystery has remained unsolved for two hundred years… however, it has been joined by other unpleasant surprises, such as the disappearance of a Scottish island and the discovery of worms with human fingers. What, then, did Halley find, and did his discovery change the course of human history?
There’s only one way to find the truth: keep on fishing.
You’re going to spend a week at sea competing against other anglers (there’s also a fully-formed solo mode) to reel in the most valuable haul of fish. But beware, this is no fishing trip for the faint of heart, with madness and regret awaiting the unwary. Each day you’ll roll dice to determine your energy level. Should you remain out at sea for one more day or return to port to resupply and sell your catch? Choose wisely: pushing your luck can mean higher rewards, but also greater risk in the form of Regrets.
I’m going to wade (!) into this impartial news item with some very strong personal opinion. From what I’ve seen, Deep Regrets has real star quality, and I think it’ll be a real ‘catch’ (apologies). The setting provides the game with an oozing atmosphere of exciting dread, the mechanics sound very moreish, and I can imagine it’ll be tons of fun discovering what’s on the end of your line.
The artwork, as you can see, is next level good, and it’s of the highest quality throughout the game. Just wait until you see the rulebook! I’m a sucker for a good rulebook (let’s call such people ‘sticklers’), and the version I’ve seen is a joy to read, and is excellent at setting and maintaining the atmosphere.
I’m desperate to get my hands on this one, and hopefully we’ll snag an interview with the creators closer to launch. In the meantime, get yourself over to their Kickstarter pre-launch page which is right here: Deep Regrets: An Unfortunate Fishing Game by Judson Cowan — Kickstarter
There’s also plenty of information and lots of artwork from the game to enjoy over on their excellent presale page: Deep Regrets (tettixgames.com)
Get your rods, grab your bait, and pack some sandwiches - I’ll meet you out there.
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