Scale the Depths Review (PC)

Glass Gecko Games’ Scale the Depths coerced me into believing that an incremental fishing game would be a simple, somewhat ordinary expedition. And I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. Or at least, I did, until Loch Ness’ Nessie popped up from out of the blue to order a fish filet with a side order of sass. As it turned out, it wasn’t a simple fishing trip; it was a peculiar voyage through the depths of otherworldly waters—a place that would ultimately introduce me to folklore and nautical myths, peculiar species and an oddly complex underwater labyrinth of locked doors and secrets, messages in sunken bottles and jagged daggers.

It started with the basics: an old fishing boat, a pole, and a fickle waterline with a handful of cheap fish. I’d cast a line, swerve the tackle and bait in a chaotic way, and catch a few fish. I’d then sell whatever I found in the shallow waters to a rolling conveyor belt of guests, some of which would be somewhat ordinary, others that would be more in tune with their inner axolotl. From there, I’d use the cash to purchase upgrades—items that would allow me to plunge even deeper into the depths of the ocean. A request would come in, and I’d set out to fulfill it, all whilst using the tools at my fingertips to carve through the tides to unravel more of the mysteries that loomed below the surface.

If Scale the Depths was just about fishing and making small upgrades to catch, well, more fish, then I would have been able to experience the majority of the game in a single sitting. Yet, the depths had a lot more to offer than a few upgrades and a handful of vessels. In one moment, it would give me a chance to onboard a plethora of nautical creatures, whereas in another, it would allow me to wax poetic with mythological tales. The point is, at no point did Scale the Depths feel like a shallow experience with a predictable hook. It had me reeling in, almost as if it had something more to show me, if not on the surface, then in the darkest depths below. And, strangely, I bought into it, for there was always something else to unlock or chase.

The game itself never took the opportunity to fill me in on the details, or at least, how I came to be a small robot on a fishing boat out in the open sea. Instead, it led me to believe that, if I could upgrade enough tools and complete enough requests, I’d be able to shovel deeper into the unknown, into an oceanic ecosystem where I could use as little as a fishing line to reveal the secrets that it held dear. I had questions, true. Yet I was never overly interested in the answers. Weirdly, I found that the act of fishing was enough to tide me over in most cases. Fishing, and sourcing fresh tools to scale greater fish.

Although simple in design and fairly straightforward to navigate, the game often gave me a good amount to focus on, if not a new vessel or a tool upgrade, then a fresh biome to explore. Point Nemo was just one of the oceanic wonders that I had to tread in; the deeper depths had a great deal more to offer. Loch Ness, for example, had its own species, customers, and sunken treasures to unearth. And I’ll be honest, I had a whale of a time mopping up its contents, too. Sure, the goal was entirely reliant on the same routine, but I also found that the general act was both oddly rewarding and oftentimes intriguing.

Suffice it to say, Scale the Depths is the sort of game that you plan on spending a short amount of time in, but then wind up sitting out in the water with for an hour or two. Given its host of eccentric characters, sizable upgrade options, and sunken mysteries, it often finds a way to reel you back in for another stint. Even with a gameplay loop that is as simple as they come, it always finds a way to keep you submerged in its world. Moreover, as it turns a blind eye to the slow and oftentimes dull nature of fishing, it gives you the opportunity to make big waves in a somewhat familiar pond, with a quick and intuitive tackle that you can bend and wean yourself.

All in all there’s an enjoyable fishing game with a good rogue-like twist here. Thankfully, it isn’t the least bit boring, nor is it padded with unnecessary filler that adds little to no value to the overall experience. With some good interactions and quirky characters, hidden secrets and spacious biomes to keep you hooked, you aren’t likely to find a snail-paced voyage here. Rather, you will find an unusual experience that has a lot more to offer than your average fishing sim. It’s still relatively simple in terms of gameplay I’ll admit. That said, with plenty of areas to cast your line and a sizable bouquet of upgrades to purchase and species to chase, it does provide a good amount of depth. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what any good fishing game needs?

Verdict

Scale the Depths sinks its aquatic hooks into a simple yet oddly engaging voyage that’s as equally enticing as it is satisfying to wade through, with a peculiar host of eccentric characters and a sizable collection of sunken boroughs and treasures, secrets and species there to provide you with an engaging nautical expedition. With thanks to its rogue-like twist and plethora of tool upgrades and vessel skins, Glass Gecko clearly has its bait in the right places here. It might not be on the same wavelength as Dredge or any other traditional fishing simulation game, but it has a good backbone to it, and that counts for a lot, truly.

Above all, there’s an oddly satisfying game here that yearns to be caught in a palm-sized net. It might not boast a brilliant set of mechanics, or even the added complexity of a thought-provoking storyline. Still, I can call Scale the Depths out for what it is: a simple, engaging, and surprisingly therapeutic experience that runs a lot deeper than the average fishing trip.