Critical Depth

by Playstation Critical Depth

Product Features

• Deep in the ocean's abyss, twelve competing submarines
• converge upon a remarkable discovery: mysterious glowing pods of incredible power and unknown origin
• Dive into furious undersea battle aganist power hungry treasure hunters
• bloodthirsty corporate bottom-feeders, manaical sea-bound psychopaths, and
• submersive government agencies in a globe spanning quest to uncoover the secrets for yourself

Product Details

• ASIN: B00002SUR7
• Item Weight: 5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,733 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

GameSpot Review

When did the overwhelming bias against video games that take place underwater begin? Did Art Dink's Aquanaut's Holiday yield such a tremendous blow to the collective gaming unconscious that players would never look to the sea for fun again? Was it earlier still? Whatever the case, SingleTrac's Critical Depth may be the game that changes that perception, combining the gameplay and control elements of the company's earlier hits Warhawk, Twisted Metal, and Twisted Metal 2: World Tour. Only this time, you're underwater.

The game begins with the disappearance of undersea explorer Douglas McKragen, the discoverer of five mysterious and powerful alien pod-shaped objects. Twelve different factions enter the sea to find out more about these forces and set a course to uncover their mystery, each for its own reasons. The game features three modes of play: a mission/story mode, where you (or you and a friend cooperatively) can battle your way through eleven levels; a battle mode, where you capture pods in a selectable level; and deathmatch, where you can play against the computer or another human being in a split-screen mode.

Like the Twisted Metals, Critical Depth delivers a wild array of characters. The playable ships are divided into factions, one of which you must align with at the beginning of the game. Once you do, a mix of the eleven other ships will constantly stand in your way. The game's cast and vehicles 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). Also, as in TM and TM2, the ships can pick up assorted weapons, such as the Piranha Swarm (quick, ripping robot fish), the self-explanatory Remote Control Torpedo, and the Magnetic Sucker (which sits in place and draws enemies in).

In a break from the Twisted Metal theme however, the stages aren't simply about annihilating all your opponents, though the option is there if you want to try. Instead, the goal is to retrieve all five pods, which are scattered throughout the level, and find the escape gateway. It's not as easy as it sounds, as each pod imparts its holder with an extra power. For example, the Power Pod doubles your power bar, the Damage Pod allows for double damage, the Pickup Pod doubles subsequent weapon pickups, the Armor Pod gives you more health, and the Shaker Pod lets you fire double shaker missiles - the most coveted of all weapons because they shake pods loose from opponents' ships.

Those pods can make folks very popular, as SingleTrac has set the enemy AI in the game to go after ships depending on the number they're carrying. If you have no pods in your possession, you'll pretty much be left alone, while if you have all five, you'd better be heading for the gateway because everyone's going to be coming after you, shakers primed and ready to go. This strategic element adds much to the Twisted Metal-style gameplay. Certainly, you can try to hide from the computer opponents and wait until they've worn each other down a bit. But the downside of that is you could find yourself against a much stronger pod-enhanced enemy, or you might even lose the match to a ship that sneaked off through the gateway with all five pods in tow.

Also different from the Twisted Metal series are the game's combo system, shields, and bosses. Unlike TM2 (which initiated quick button-press attacks for the series), Critical Depth has four combos that use weapons not normally available for use: depth charges, surface mines, minefields, and stun charges. It's a minor point really, but it seems less cheap that you could keep on using an attack when you don't have the corresponding weapon in your weapon bay. Regenerating shields are also a new addition, bringing a lot to the gameplay. Holding on the triangle button will provide momentary respite from enemy attacks, and weapons like the Slow Poke missile (which triggers a "Lock-On" message for a ship but takes its own sweet time getting there) must, in turn, be used to wear down your opponents' shields. The diversity of bosses is also nice, with a variety of challenges instead of the average mid- and end-boss battles.

On the downside, quite a bit of draw-in is noticeable in the game's graphics, especially in the larger levels like the Pacific Rim's underwater city and the coast of Venganza. The frame rate is also fairly slow; however, since it supports the illusion of underwater movement, it doesn't really detract from gameplay. But even with both these problems and the obvious lack of originality, it's still fun.

Does Critical Depth save the beleaguered underwater gaming genre single-handedly? Not quite, but it does a workman's job of it. It's a worthy successor to SingleTrac's Twisted Metal line and fans of the series should be very pleased. Sony has its job cut out for it when it attempts to do the next TM game without the developer, as is the current industry scuttlebutt. SingleTrac's left some decent-sized shoes on the pedal. --Joe Fielder
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.

Product 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)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Critical Depth......., November 28, 2007

By 

blackaciddevil (in the USA somewhere.....) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Critical Depth (Video Game)

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.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I get teary eyed when I think about how fun this game was!, April 3, 2008

By 

Brigand - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Critical Depth (Video Game)

Wow, it's been more than 10 years since this game came out. In that time, computer graphics and processing power have taken huge leaps, and the visual quality of modern games is truly amazing.


That being said, there are very few games created today that rival this gem in terms of pure fun.

A little background - a friend and I were severly addicted to Twisted Metal 2. Wonderful game, and extremely well known (and rightly so). When Twisted Metal 3 was announced, we couldn't be happier. Having long been able to defeat TM2 on the hardest difficult without dying, we were ready for the 'Next Level'.

Unfortunately, as you probably know, the next level sucked. TM3 was a massive disappointment, the reason being that the developer had been let go, and a new (poor quality) developer given the reigns. My copy of TM3 found it's way to the used video game store very quickly.

However, we heard that the developers of TM2, having lost the TM 'brand', were making the best of it, and creating a similar 'vehicular combat' game, set in a new world, with the same sense of humor, and the co-op and deathmatch play we craved. Critical Depth would go on to surpass TM2 in our minds, no mean feat given the literal days of real time we had played TM2.


Critical Depth has many similarities to the Twisted Metal franchise: multiple vehicles to choose from, each with it's own playstyle, weapons, attributes, and personality; multiple arenas to battle in; co-op play (a huge plus, and relatively rare at the time); fast-paced, 3-D action; and, maybe most importantly, it was FUNNY.

The basic gameplay: Players select a submarine, each with it's own special weapon and ratings in attributes like armor, speed, manuverability. Players are dropped into a map, with the basic objective of escaping with all the 'orbs' (more on that shortly); destroying the other enemies is NOT required, but likely inevitable, given that the enemies are after the same exact orbs. (One neat result of this, is that you can alter your playstyle effective - you could choose a fast, agile sub, and use 'shaker' weapons to knock the orbs loose from you opponent, and simply run away - brains were just as valid and approach as brawn.) You were equipped with a primary, unlimited torpedo launcher (your basic 'machine gun'), a unique special weapon that reloaded over time, and you could pick up several interesting limited use weapons (which were liberally spread around - you don't hoard these things) including depth charges, remotely activated mines, homing missles, remote control torpedos, 'shaker' bombs, and slow-tracking giant torpedos.

Critical Depth also retained the combo system. You have an energy bar, and pressing certain key combinations would unleash different attack, such as a freeze shot.

You sub also has a shield which rapidly depletes your energy; double tapping your shield caused it to not only stop incoming attacks, but to reflect them back on the launcher, albeit it drained your energy very fast.

It bears mentioning that the controls were very intuitive. The shoulder buttons fired your main and secondary weapons, and scrolled through your secondary weapons. Pressing one button would accelerate your sub, while double tapping and holding would use turbo speed. Similarly, pressing another button would activate the aforementioned shield, while double-tapping it made the shield reflective. The stop button could be double tapped for reverse. The sub movement controls were similar to a flight model, with pitch and roll/turn. You could also strafe, moving your sub while it maintained its facing.

There are, in addition to the 10+ basic subs, several FULLY playable secret subs, including the boss characters. They even have their own story lines, allowing you to play through the game with them.

Maps were truly well-designed, with labyrinth, twisting passages, MANY secrets (health, weapons, extra lives, etc). Explore a sunken Pacific Rim city, moving through shattered skyscrapers, or flooded subway tunnels. Explore the ruins of ancient Greece/Rome, or the depths of the Marianas Trench. Secret tunnels, twisting caves, and wide open sea-floor expanses were varied and visually pleasing.

Finally, I should say that the game had a wonderful sense of humor. The basic story line is that some scientists discover these ruins underwater, and these strange orbs that set off some kind of reaction, opening a strange portal. All these crazy characters scramble to collect the orbs and open the portals, all with their own agendas. For example (and I'll only spoil one): there is a secret cult on Earth with knows about the portals, and believes that opening them will allow them to come face-to-face with their revered god. They build a sub, and set out to be the first to open the portal. The story line talks about their struggles and their encounters, but also mentions odd things about their cult rituals - including an obsession with cleanliness. Sure enough, when they finally open the portal, and face their 'god', he turns their sub up like a box of cracker jack, and devours them - apparently their 'bathing' rituals were to ensure his food was sanitary. Or the deranged Sea Captain from a kids TV show, who, upon getting fired, totally reverts to his televsion persona, builds a 'galleon' sub, and, complete with parrot, sets out to plunder and pillage. Upon completing his quest, the aliens recognize a kindred spirit in him, and give him a massive space fleet with with to continue pirating on a big scale. The slightly twisted humor will have you chuckling to yourself, and looking forward to completing each characters story line.


I don't know why this game wasn't more successful. It was essentially Twisted Metal 2, with a Z-axis, and even more depth (pun intended). The graphics, which will of course seem dated by todays standards, were acceptable at the time, and the game doesn't suffer from slow-down.


Well, I have rambled for far too long, and created the dreaded wall-of-text. If you read nothing else, and simply skip to the last line of the review...BUY THIS GAME. You have no excuse, given the dirt-cheap price you'll pay for a used copy. If you have a friend into old PS1 games, give this a try - it is truly an overlooked gem.

4.0 out of 5 stars critical depth is old school :-), May 9, 2010

By 

R. Grigg (oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Critical Depth (Video Game)

first off please remember what "era" this is from...
this game came out after twisted metal 2 and was designed simularly to that title. now, with that said the difference is that its under water so your not stuck to the ground you can move pretty much any where, even jump out of the water for a dolphin like finish, lol. there are some elements that can hurt it which as always the spamming computer with unlimited recsources but thats typicall comp play. this games is somewhat dificult to get "good" at. i play it ok and (once upon a time i was really good when it came out) need to play somemore but if u are a fan of tm2 then this game will go nicely into the colloection.!!!!