I had a chance to play through a game that has been on my radar since PAX Unplugged 2019. The box art alone intrigued me and the publisher Burnt Island Games never disappoints. As I heard the description of the game at the Con, I knew this would be one I would have on my radar.
In Too Deep is the newest game from Burnt Island Games and designers Josh Cappel and Daryl Chow. It is illustrated by Dominik Mayer and is designed for 1-4 players.
Last week I was invited with my friends Bob from One Board Family and Derek from Board Game Spotlight to join Burnt Island Games on Tabletop Simulator to take a first look at this game. I remembered this one from PAX as mentioned earlier, and I was ready to give it a spin. After reading through the rulebook and listening to a play explantation, we were off and running into the year 2087.
In Too Deep has one of the more unique storylines I have seen in gaming in quite some time. You are an undercover agent trying to keep your city safe, but to do so you must hack into the cybernetic implants of the criminal underworld and now you have control over the criminals as they commit crimes and gather the evidence you need. But your decisions on what path to take and how many criminals you patch into can and will tax you mentally and morally as you go “in too deep”. Go too far on the other side of the law, you may loose yourself in the process.
This game has two things that really popped for me during this run-through. First off, the art and visual appearance of this game really stands out. Even in the digital medium, this game shines and just oozes the futuristic cyberpunk theme they are looking to show us. The game seems like a movie you swear you’ve seen at some point or wish you had. This game will be an immersive experience and one that I personally cannot wait to get to the physical table.
Secondly the gameplay is a unique experience unlike anything I have played in the past. The rondel board really makes you plan out your movements in advance, as you decide which criminal you need to hook into to accomplish your plans. I love that the deeper you get into the mind of a criminal the more you are able to use them and even take extra actions with them. But it really is a press your luck mechanic as you try to get as much as you can from your criminal but not go too deep with them.
The crimes you commit allow you to get closer to solving the overall case, but I really love the “pick your approach” mechanic when you commit a crime. You can choose to go less aggressive or be more villainous in your decision and go in deeper. The rewards vary based on what you choose-so you have to really weigh your decisions accordingly. If you play less aggressive you can control the evidence more, play more along the evil side and you ramp points faster but risk your game if the final scoring shows that the crime was foiled.
Overall
I loved this game. I cannot wait for the Kickstarter for this one, I will be in line to pick it up for sure. It brings such a fresh and unique theme that is immersive and fun, and with a few players jockeying around the board you can really get a sense of the suspense of who will win. I love the press your luck mechanic where you need to go in deep in this primal underworld, but you can’t go too deep and risk it blowing up in your face. This game will be one that everyone will be looking to get their hands on real soon when it comes to Kickstarter on September 15th 2020! I highly recommend this one-make sure to keep an eye out for In Too Deep! If you want to check out the Kickstarter campaign you can find it here:
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