In Too Deep is a unique, narrative-driven, strategic board game set in a gritty, neon-soaked future crime drama. Players "hook" into criminal characters, forcing them to perform actions to complete story arc objectives and achieve their goals.
The Verdict
based on 20 reviews
“Wrapping your mind around the intricate puzzle of a turn is like playing Sudoku in The Matrix while trying to hack into the mind of a criminal. If that doesn’t sound like fun, I don’t know what is.”
“Board Game Quest praises "In Too Deep" as a game that achieves a near-perfect blend of theme and mechanisms, delivering a tension-filled and incredibly engaging experience with its constantly evolving game state and deeply thematic endings.”
The reviewer highly enjoyed "In Too Deep," praising its immersive cyberpunk theme, futuristic aesthetic, and the way its components and mechanics effectively integrate with the narrative of an undercover operation involving corruption and evidence collection.
The reviewer highly praises 'In Too Deep' for its engaging puzzle-like gameplay on each turn, enabling players to execute clever strategies, despite occasional early-game turns that might feel less impactful.
The reviewer found 'In Too Deep' to be a highly immersive and unique cyberpunk experience, praising its distinctive gameplay mechanics and impressive thematic presentation.
The reviewer thoroughly enjoyed 'In Too Deep,' praising its unique gameplay, strong thematic integration, and impressive art and components, making it a game they definitely want to add to their collection despite some minor teachability and memory concerns.
“Players find themselves immersed in the next chapter of the story, delving deeper into the complex web surrounding their visit to Innsmouth. This expansion not only introduces a new scenario but also features new player cards for all classes.”
The reviewer highly recommends "In Too Deep," finding it a very enjoyable game with attractive components and a strong cyberpunk theme, and would personally purchase it for their collection.
The reviewer highly regards "In Too Deep" as a wonderfully deep, innovative, and engaging puzzle game, particularly recommending it to those who enjoy brain-burning challenges. They appreciate the game's unique shared puzzle elements and the rewarding interplay between planning and action, though they note that higher player counts can introduce a degree of unpredictability.
“Board Game Guys found 'In Too Deep' to be a blast, praising the super fun mechanics of controlling criminals and completing missions, and the satisfying, puzzle-like experience it provides during gameplay.”
Kovray Studios highly recommends 'In Too Deep,' praising its cohesive mechanics, strong thematic integration, and surprisingly streamlined gameplay that delivers a fresh and engaging experience, even for seasoned board gamers.
The reviewer found 'In Too Deep' to be a fantastic game with an engaging theme and powerful criminal abilities, providing a blast to play despite initial intimidation from setup and difficulty in estimating end-game scoring.
The video provides a comprehensive tutorial and playthrough of 'In Too Deep,' detailing its competitive cyberpunk theme where players infiltrate criminal minds to achieve objectives while managing corruption.
Mike DiLisio praises 'In Too Deep' for its unique gameplay experience, highlighting the engaging tactical puzzles each turn presents and the satisfaction of manipulating the board state through clever problem-solving. While initial endgame scoring can be complex, he finds that it becomes clear after a full play.
The reviewer highly praises 'In Too Deep' for its unique gameplay experience, appreciating the tactical puzzles each turn presents while also requiring strategic long-term planning. Despite an initially complex endgame scoring, the game offers a rewarding and engaging experience.
Mike DiLisio found 'In Too Deep' to be a very enjoyable game, appreciating its unique theme, the blend of tactical turns with strategic long-term planning, and the satisfying feeling of manipulating the board state; though the endgame scoring is initially difficult to grasp, it becomes clear after the first play.
“An extremely unique, full featured puzzler with hidden scoring. Extremely captivating art and theme are brought down by difficult setup, teach, and long run time.”
““In Too Deep is a game that seeks to recreate the tension and excitement of a cop living on the edge. To be successful, you have to take risks, and that means walking a fine line between blowing your cover or going in too deep.””
“Solid mechanics and good strategic depth make this a keeper in my book. All in all, the unique mechanics, layered interactions and double edged sword of scoring options left me eager to replay In Too Deep to try a different strategy or attempt to utilize different criminals.”
“It felt like there was something possibly amazing here, but all of the mechanics just barely missed the mark for me. I can see how this one would work well for the right sort of player… Which, sadly, isn’t me.”
