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(More customer reviews)Critical Depth came about in a time when Sony's 989 Studios took the Twisted Metal & Jet Moto licenses back from Developer Singletrac and decided to make their own versions of those games. I, like many others, was a huge Singletrac supporter back in the day. Their Twisted Metal & Jet Moto games were simply fun, addictive and challenging. Yet, when they created new games for GT Interactive in the vein of their old licenses, that's when I think Singletrac did some of their best work. That's not to say that any of their older properties weren't as good...Twisted Metal 1&2 and Jet Moto 1&2 are classics. It's just they came up with new ideas for these games that actually worked and I, personally, would've loved to see sequels to these games. Sadly, though, we'll never get that chance.
One such case is Critical Depth. Think of it as a Twisted Metal but with an underwater theme. There's more to this one, though, as the story goes like this...Douglas McKragen(an undersea explorer)comes up missing when he discovers fives alien-pods underwater. Twelve different factions enter the sea to find out more about these pods and set a course to uncover this mystery. The games' cast include the nefarious Dr. A. Pocalypse captaining the Armageddon (which can trap subs with a grappling hook); the revolutionary organization the VLO with The Anarchy (which drops spiky metal balls); several men-in-black types from the CIA with The Manta (which fires a deadly electromagnetic ray); the Soviet Die-Hards and The Stalingrad (a slow but strong ramming ship); the Indiana Jones-like Professor Armstrong and The Archimedes (which is a rapid-firing Jules Verne-type sub); Greenpeace wanna-bes Team Earth Hope and the Mean Peace (which shoots a dolphin-shaped torpedo); ex-children's show host Captain Cutlass with the Sea Dog (yep, it blasts cannon balls); the evil Mordrid Corporation and the Bottom Liner (which steals weapons); Jack "Lockjaw" Keon and The Lockjaw (a shark-like sub with a bite); Deadhead Joe Skullion and the Death Sled (which shoots trippy-colored discs that stun); the mystical Order of Nishroch and the Ohm (which casts energy blasts); and The French Oceanographers and the La Griffe (which has crushing mechanical arms). This cast is just as memorable as those in Twisted Metal. It has three modes of play...The Story mode where you(and a friend, if you like) plays through eleven levels to find out your faction's involvement in it all, The Battle mode which has you being the first to capture all the pods in the level, and the Deathmatch mode which is, basically, where you fight against a friend or the game itself in split-screen. Instead of annihilating your enemies as in Twisted Metal, your objective in this game is to find the orbs in each level and head for the escape gateway. But, trust me, you'll have your work cut out for you trying to. Another difference between this game and Twisted Metal is that Twisted Metal is blisteringly fast while Critical Depth is a more slow and plodding game. Make no mistake, it is definitely better for that reason. Besides, it has to be slow to give the illusion you're underwater, anyhow.
Now, on to my gripes about the game of which there is only one...the graphics. Compared to all the other games Singletrac made up to this point, this game looks pretty rough, grainy and washed out. Yet, that point is not so much a big deal. It's the gameplay that counts, right??? Singletrac's next game, Rogue Trip Vacation 2012, more than made up for all that in the graphics department.
This 10 year old game is still a blast to play. If you have an old PS you can play this game on, I suggest you do so. If not, push Sony's Online store to release this for your PS3 or PSP. You'll be glad you did.
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Critical DepthProduct Description: Douglas McKragen, the world famous sea explorer, disappeared after discovering five alien pods. Now 12 different factions, each with their own motivation, have entered the water in an effort to find out what happened and to take control of the pods. Align yourself with one of the 12 factions and take control of their submarine. Embark on 11 missions in the Story mode and find the truth behind McKragen's disappearance. If the action becomes too much for you, have a friend help you out with the cooperative play option. If asking for help is not your style, play against your friends in the Battle mode in which both of you try to capture the pods and escape, or a death match, where blasting subs into tiny bits is the order of the day. Do you have the skills to survive CRITICAL DEPTH?Control 12 different factions; each faction has a unique story and submarine; try to capture five alien pods; 11 missions; two-player cooperative and competitive modes.Release Date: November 21, 1997 (US)
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