Going Under is a satirical dungeon crawler about exploring the cursed ruins of failed tech startups. As an unpaid intern in the dystopian city of Neo-Cascadia, you’ll wield office junk as weaponry as you make your way through the offbeat procedural dungeons beneath your company campus.
The core combat in this game revolves around creatively using a diverse array of office supplies as makeshift weapons. Players can grab everything from keyboards and staplers to body pillows and frozen blocks of ice, each with unique attack patterns, ranges, and damage outputs. Weapons also have limited durability, forcing players to constantly adapt and switch between items to find the best tool for each situation.
The game's dungeons adopt a procedural layout, with each expedition presenting a fresh and unpredictable environment to explore. Players will encounter a wide variety of enemy types, each with their own attack patterns and behaviors, that they must strategically navigate. In addition to the main path, the dungeons contain optional rooms with special challenges or hidden rewards that encourage thorough exploration.
Although the game features a roguelike structure, it provides a meta-progression system that allows players to gradually unlock new skills, weapons, and other upgrades. The skill system, in particular, offers considerable customization, with players able to equip a variety of passive abilities that synergize in unique ways, leading to diverse playstyles.
What makes this experience particularly compelling is its strong narrative and thematic elements. The game presents a satirical take on tech startup culture and corporate work life, with the player taking on the role of an unpaid intern exploring the literal ruins of failed businesses. The writing is consistently sharp and humorous, providing social commentary that resonates with players familiar with modern work environments.