Million Depth enters Early Access on Steam for PC on November 12, 2025, from developer Cyber Space Biotope and publisher PLAYISM. The game supports English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese languages, with a planned full release in late 2026 after feedback integration. File size is around 2GB, with minimum requirements of Windows 10, Intel Core i3, 4GB RAM, and integrated graphics for 60fps at 1080p. Recommended specs include an i5, 8GB RAM, and GTX 1050 for stable performance in deeper runs.
Cyber Space Biotope, a small Japanese studio, drew inspiration from roguelikes like Dead Cells and Hades for procedural elements, blended with strategy from games like Into the Breach. The project started in 2023, focusing on time manipulation to differentiate from fast-paced shooters. A demo released in September 2025 covers the full alpha route, allowing players to test core loops and provide input via Steam forums. Early Access will include two of three routes initially, with the third added mid-2026, plus balance tweaks based on community data.
The narrative follows Moma, a lone traveler from space who loses contact with her only friend after a final message hinting at hiding in Naraka Akasha, a vast underground labyrinth. Floors generate procedurally, mixing combat zones, shops, and rest areas. Timeline shifts occur across runs, where choices in one affect future playthroughs, like NPC attitudes or resource availability. Voice acting is minimal, with text-based dialogue and a theme song “Re,Future” by VTuber Ririsya playing in key scenes. Playtime averages 8-12 hours per route, with high replayability from permadeath and upgrades.
Let’s talk about the core gameplay details
Million Depth is a side-scroller where movement triggers enemy actions, but the biotope jammer freezes everything when Moma stands still. This mechanic turns chaotic fights into turn-based puzzles. Enemies show attack paths as visible lines or areas, letting you plan dodges or counters step by step. For example, a charging beast pauses mid-leap, giving time to reposition or swap weapons. Time unfreezes on your first action, so positioning matters. The jammer has a cooldown of 5-10 seconds after use, encouraging brief pauses rather than constant stops.
Combat uses crafted weapons and shields, starting with basic pistols and evolving into modular builds. Durability wears down after 50-100 hits, requiring mid-run repairs at workbenches or shops. Shields block frontal attacks but shatter after three impacts, forcing swaps. Health comes from pickups or safe rooms, with no regen. Bosses, like a multi-phase guardian on floor 100, demand reading patterns during freezes, such as dodging acid pools that expand post-thaw.
Exploration spans procedurally generated floors, scanned ahead for types: hostile (70% chance), neutral (shops or crafting), or safe (healing). Each run targets 1000 floors, but early deaths send you back with persistent upgrades like extended jammer time (up to 15 seconds). Bartering replaces currency; trade items based on fluctuating values, like swapping scrap for ammo when metal prices rise. Shopkeepers’ moods affect deals, improved by dialogue choices.
Controls support keyboard/mouse or controllers, with remappable keys. Difficulty has normal and hard modes, the latter reducing freeze duration by 20%. Accessibility includes adjustable text size and color filters for visibility in dark areas.
Item crafting and progression in game
Crafting is block-based, like Lego for weapons. Collect modules from drops or shops: barrels for range, stocks for accuracy, or elemental cores for fire damage. A basic gun might use three blocks; advanced ones stack 10+ for shotguns or lasers. Shields add layers for multi-hits. The system has 50 base blocks, combinable into thousands of variants, with upgrades via rare stockinum material that boosts stats by 10-20%.
Progression carries meta-upgrades across deaths, like +1 health or cheaper trades, unlocked with points from completed floors. Skill trees split into combat (faster reloads) and utility (better scanning range). No classes; Moma customizes loadouts pre-run, with three slots for weapons and one for jammer mods.
Runs vary by route: Alpha focuses on combat, beta on trading, gamma on puzzles. Demo covers alpha, teaching basics without spoilers. Procedural generation uses seeds for consistent layouts if shared, aiding speedruns.
Performance overall is lightweight, running 60fps on low-end laptops, with occasional hitches in dense floors fixed in demo patches. Save states auto at floor starts, with manual in safe zones.
World building and immersion
The underground world of Naraka Akasha feels alive through environmental storytelling. Early floors show abandoned human outposts with logs about the “deep dive” expedition that vanished. Deeper levels reveal mutated ecosystems, like bioluminescent fungi or echoing machinery. Timelines branch subtly; siding with a trader in one run might spawn allied NPCs later, altering shop inventories.
Moma’s bond with her friend drives the plot, revealed through messages and visions during freezes. Multiple endings depend on routes and choices, like allying with survivors or going solo, affecting final floor layouts. Lore ties into parallel worlds, with trailer scenes hinting at unused timelines for replay value.
Art style mixes pixelated sprites for Moma (16-bit inspired) with detailed backgrounds, creating a claustrophobic yet wondrous feel. Sound design uses ambient drips and echoes, with combat cues like heartbeat pulses during freezes. The soundtrack blends electronic and orchestral tracks, peaking in boss arenas.
Early Access and availability details
Early Access spans 12-18 months, starting with alpha and beta routes at launch. Gamma adds in summer 2026, plus polish like new blocks and balance passes. Developer updates via Steam, targeting 80% positive reviews before full release. Demo feedback from September noted jammer timing as intuitive but requested more block variety, addressed in launch version.
Comparisons to roguelikes: Like Spelunky for exploration risk, but with strategic pauses akin to Despot’s Game. Combat echoes Gunfire Reborn’s builds, though 2D-focused. In India, Steam pricing at INR 999 makes it accessible, with controller support for couch play.
