The “subterranean-lite” genre just got a serious shot in the arm. SmelJey Games has officially released a major update to the demo for Into the Depths, their ambitious blend of roguelite deckbuilding and city management.

If you haven’t been tracking this one, imagine the tight, hex-based district planning of Civilisation VI meeting the “one-more-run” addiction of a card-driven survival game—all set in a bioluminescent, claustrophobic underworld.

What’s New in the Depths?

This isn’t just a bug-fix patch; it’s a foundational overhaul. The updated demo, which offers roughly 60 to 120 minutes of gameplay, introduces several key features that move it closer to its planned Q2 2026 full release:

Complete Visual Overhaul: The murky caverns have received a facelift with improved art assets and a more cohesive atmospheric aesthetic.

The Perk System: A brand-new layer of strategy has been added, allowing players to further specialize their expeditions.

Expanded Biomes: Players can now explore three unique biomes, each presenting its own environmental hazards and resource challenges (from barren upper levels to scorching magma caverns).

Localisation: SmelJey is going global early, with the demo now supporting 11 languages, including Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Survival of the Strategist

In Into the Depths, cards aren’t just for combat—they are your blueprints. Every turn, you draw tiles to expand your settlement, but there’s a catch: your settlers have to eat. The developer has emphasised that strategic resource management is the core loop here. If your food stores hit zero, your expedition collapses, and it’s back to the surface to spend your gathered minerals on permanent upgrades.

“The bigger the settlement grows, the harder it is to keep it fed and alive,” says developer SmelJey. “Rations are often more valuable than gold in these deserted caverns.”

The BizNooz Take

The “roguelite city builder” space is becoming increasingly competitive, but Into the Depths stands out by leaning harder into the deckbuilding side than many of its peers. By stripping away the bloat of traditional RTS management and focusing on card synergies and procedural exploration, it offers a punchy, high-stakes experience that respects the player’s time.

The demo is currently available on Steam, and with a full launch targeted for next year, now is the perfect time to see if you have the iron will to conquer the abyss.

Find out more here on Steam – https://shorturl.at/DBtzo

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