Going Under is a satirical indie action roguelite that plunges players into the cutthroat world of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship from the depths of the earth. Released on September 24, 2020, this dungeon crawler is available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. You play as Jackie Fiasco, an unpaid intern trapped in the dystopian city of Neo-Cascadia, where failed tech startups have literally sunk underground, leaving their employees cursed to roam as monsters. Your mission? Venture into these cursed ruins to retrieve assets so your employer can afford a new car, all while hoping to earn a real paycheck and health insurance.

The Satire of Going Under

The narrative offers a biting critique of modern corporate culture. Jackie works for Fizzle, a startup selling a sparkling meal-replacement beverage, which has been acquired by Cubicle, an Amazon-esque subscription box conglomerate. Her boss, Marv, is a smug manager who dangles the promise of a promotion while sending Jackie on thankless, life-threatening tasks. The game satirizes various tech tropes through its dungeons, which are the ruins of failed companies like Joblin (a gig-worker app populated by goblins), Winkydink (a dating site), and Styxcoin (a cryptocurrency scheme). By defeating the founders lurking at the bottom of these dungeons, Jackie uncovers the sinister motives of her corporate overlords. At the bottom of each dungeon lurk the founders of the cursed startups, getting rich off investments while their employees fight amongst themselves. To progress, Jackie must defeat these bosses and return to the surface with their enchanted relics to empower Fizzle. The overarching plot involves contending with the corporate giants over at Cubicle, which owns everything and maintains an army of helpful shipping drones, highlighting the immense power imbalance between the workers and the business world's elite.

Combat and Mechanics in Going Under

Going Under combines hack-and-slash combat with procedural dungeon generation. Each run takes place in four-floor dungeons, culminating in a boss fight against the founder of the failed startup. The most distinctive feature is the weapon system: almost anything in the environment can be wielded as a weapon. Jackie can grab laptops, brooms, body pillows, oversized pencils, and trash cans alongside traditional swords and guns. However, weapons have durability and will break during combat, forcing players to constantly adapt their loadout and pick the right tool for the situation. Playing cautiously is essential, as even proper weapons can break at a moment's notice if you aren't careful. Survival depends on adaptability, forcing players to scavenge effectively while managing their loadout of up to three weapons.

Notable Features

  • Procedural Dungeons: Explore varied ruins of failed startups with different aesthetics, enemies, and layouts.
  • Skill System: Learn Skills at the Cafe and use them to gain "endorsements," unlocking them for future runs.
  • Mentors and Co-workers: Complete tasks for colleagues to hire them as mentors, unlocking unique perks like extra inventory space or better drop rates.
  • Office Junk Arsenal: Utilize unconventional weapons like giant pencils, brooms, and body pillows in combat.

Who Should Play Going Under?

With a Metacritic score of 78.00, Going Under has garnered attention for its unique premise and humor. It appeals to fans of roguelike and roguelite genres who enjoy procedural generation and build-crafting mechanics. The game is also ideal for players who appreciate sharp satire and dark comedy, particularly those familiar with startup culture, the gig economy, and corporate absurdity. The colorful art style and witty dialogue provide a refreshing take on the dungeon crawler genre, offering a fun yet critical look at the price of ambition.