Wretched Depths

About Wretched Depths

Wretched Depths was made by students in the Entertainment Arts and Engineering capstone class at the University of Utah, and released free on Steam in April 2023 by Wretched Devs. It is also on itch.io.

Sam, an avid angler, travels to Twin Pines, a remote little town with a diner, a bait shop and a graveyard, to cast into the mysterious Lake Imperium. Soon odd and unexplainable things begin to happen. The people seem strange, the fish even stranger, and the lake is deeper than it should be.

The loop is simple: fish, sell what you catch, buy better rods and gear, and use them to go deeper. A grid inventory holds your catch, a radio and your items, and each fish has a depth and its own look. Below the surface the view turns dark and murky, and the sound design does much of the work as the line goes down. The store page warns of violent content and the occasional jumpscare.

Players rate it very highly, and it has been listed among the best horror fishing games, with a town that recalls Twin Peaks. It is short, about an hour, and free. It suits fans of Dredge-like dread, PS1-style looks and small, strange towns.

How to play Wretched Depths

1. Walk Sam around Twin Pines and down to the lake shore.
2. Cast your line, wait for a bite and reel the fish in.
3. Sell your catch in town and buy better rods and gear.
4. Fish deeper with each upgrade to see what lives further down.
5. Talk to the townsfolk and keep an eye out for strange events.

Tips

• Upgrade your gear as soon as you can afford it; depth is how the story moves.
• Check the inventory to compare your fish and their depth.
• Listen while fishing; the sound tells you a lot.
• Explore the town between trips; not everything happens on the water.

Questions