Floor 13: Deep State

 PC
Metascore
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No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. COGconnected
    Nov 18, 2020
    61
    I really wanted to like this game, and it really has its charms, but as I got deeper into the story and as the cases get more and more complex, all these UI issues just ground my enjoyment down to nothing. If the game can fix these issues, and let me just organize my papers the way I please and let me skip animations, I would wholeheartedly recommend this game. As it stands right now, I think it’s great for the espionage lovers out there are able to overlook the gameplay flaws for the simulation elements of the design.
  2. The Indie Game Website
    Nov 2, 2020
    60
    Floor 13: Deep State makes for an interesting espionage premise. By making you Director-General, it becomes the Football Manager of spy games, putting you in M’s shoes rather than James Bond. Though it raises some reflections on modern politics, a lot of scandals are based on dated incidents and whilst there’s strategic depth to the gameplay, that’s ultimately hampered by poor mission structure. If you enjoyed the original Floor 13, then Deep State is worth looking into, but otherwise, it’s a cautious recommendation.

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  1. dp247
    Nov 3, 2020
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Don't get me wrong, this game sounds fantastic on paper, but it just doesn't do well at explaining what you're actually meant to do.

    As a prologue, you're given a probationary period as a kind of edge into the game - the names will change for the characters, but the scenario is the same no matter how many times you start it - you have one suspect who is going to commit a terrorist attack in a train station. Your job as Director General is to use the powers of the government departments to stop them.

    But... aside from telling you to read reports and check suspects, the game will give you no more hints about what you should be doing or thinking about. I get that that is some people's cup of tea, but for new players who haven't played the previous game or want an easier time, a walkthrough or guided tutorial would be helpful here.

    Later reports don't get any better either - you get a report and some suspects, you can send in surveillance and pursuit teams, search their houses and offices and even bring the suspects in; but the game provides no feedback on if what you're doing is right or what your aim is. My first few days in the main game went as so:
    - New report involving a celebrity, MP and a controversial bridge
    - Dispatch pursuit and surveillance teams and search the houses.
    - Reports come back - celebrity goes out and comes back, as does the MP. Nothing is found in the homes.
    - The architect shows up, repeat the process again. He visits his pub and there's mural on the wall.
    - A journalist arrives in your suspect pile for triggering a code word. You watch him and search his house and office. Nothing is found.
    - A columnist also appears - you do the same tried and test method, because it worked so well the first four times.
    - The game complains you're not making any progress and you should use all available departments, despite not giving you any leads to work with.
    - You're not sure who any of these people are, what the problem you're supposed to be dealing with is or where to go next. You can't go back and look at yesterday's reports, because they're not kept anywhere. You can flick through the suspect notes, but its a mishmash of random people, location blueprints and item notes (with no filtering or sorting either).
    - On a whim (and at the advice of the game in order to use more departments), you abduct the journalist and take him for questioning.
    - You board a Tube train and the contact tells you you're being too careless and drawing too much attention, because you used all the government departments.
    - You realise you confused the journalist and columnist, so you sign an order to abduct the columnist too. Since there's no direction given to you, it might turn out okay.
    - A new woman enters the suspect pile, she says there's no horsemeat in any food products (good to know, but I thought we were working on bridges or something).
    - A couple of days later, the Department of Oversight calls for the removal of all bridge-related materials, including suspects. You're left with a confused detained journalist and a woman selling horsemeat.

    Is that it? Did I win? Was it a good outcome? These questions aren't answered, so it almost seems like it's filler - do it for the sake of doing it, rather than because it has an outcome. It's both relieving - because I had no idea what was going on in the first place (and now its over) - and frustrating. Was there meant to be an outcome that I didn't get? Who knows.
    And that's where we're up to so far. I understand this is supposed to be a hard game where choices matter, but with no explanation as to what's going on or specific feedback on your actions, in its current state it feels pointless even playing it.

    All in all, I want to love this game. The description on Steam and Humble makes it sound so good. But it needs some improvements for it to be enjoyable for the most part, and until it gets those, you're probably going to be confused and disappointed buying it right now.    … Full Review »