Into The Depths Challenges Guide: Roguelite Modes

What Are Challenges in Into The Depths?

Into The Depths challenges are special Roguelite game modes that test your colony-building and exploration skills under strict conditions. Unlike the standard campaign, each challenge introduces unique modifiers—such as limited resources, aggressive enemy spawns, or time pressure—forcing you to adapt your strategy. These modes are designed for players seeking a higher difficulty curve and exclusive rewards, including rare blueprints and cosmetic unlocks.

Challenges become available after you complete the tutorial and establish your first stable settlement in the main game. Each challenge run is procedurally generated, ensuring no two attempts are identical. The core objective remains the same: descend into the depths, manage your colonists, and survive the caverns' dangers.

Types of Challenges

Into The Depths features several challenge categories, each with distinct rules and victory conditions. Understanding these types is the first step to mastering them.

• Survival Challenges: Focus on enduring waves of enemies or environmental hazards for a set number of days. Resource scarcity is common.
• Speedrun Challenges: Complete a specific objective—like reaching a certain depth or defeating a boss—within a strict time limit.
• Resource-Limited Challenges: Start with minimal supplies or restricted access to certain materials. Efficient management is key.
• Permadeath Challenges: One life only. If your colony falls, the run ends permanently. High risk, high reward.

Each challenge type offers a different experience, and you can unlock harder variants by completing easier ones.

How to Unlock Challenges

To access challenges, you must first progress through the main campaign until you unlock the "Challenge Terminal" in your settlement hub. This typically requires:

• Completing the first three story missions
• Reaching a colony population of at least 15 colonists
• Researching the "Roguelite Protocols" upgrade in the technology tree

Once unlocked, the terminal displays available challenges, their modifiers, and recommended difficulty. New challenges are added as you earn achievements or reach deeper cavern levels. For more on progression, see our progression guide.

Strategies for Conquering Challenges

Success in Into The Depths challenges demands a flexible approach. Here are key strategies to improve your odds:

• Prioritize Scouting: Use early resources to send scouts ahead. Knowing the terrain and enemy locations prevents ambushes.
• Optimize Resource Chains: In resource-limited modes, focus on efficient production loops. Build compact farms near water sources and minimize waste.
• Defend Strategically: Place defensive structures—walls, traps, and turrets—at choke points. Don't spread defenses too thin.
• Adapt Your Build: Choose upgrades that complement the challenge modifiers. For speedruns, invest in movement speed and mining efficiency. For survival, prioritize health and armor.
• Manage Colonist Morale: Happy colonists work faster and fight better. Provide housing, food variety, and leisure facilities when possible.

Refer to our beginner tips guide for foundational advice that applies to all modes.

Rewards and Progression

Completing challenges grants valuable rewards that carry over to the main game and future challenge runs. Typical rewards include:

• Exclusive Blueprints: Unlock unique buildings, weapons, or tools not found in the standard campaign.
• Cosmetic Items: Customize your colony's appearance with new skins for structures and units.
• Prestige Points: Earn points that unlock permanent bonuses, such as increased starting resources or faster research.
• Achievements: Many challenges have tied achievements, contributing to your overall completion rate.

Your challenge progress is tracked separately from the main campaign, allowing you to attempt runs without affecting your primary save file. For more on prestige mechanics, check our prestige guide.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced players can stumble in Into The Depths challenges. Avoid these pitfalls:

• Overexpanding Too Quickly: Building too many structures early stretches resources and leaves you vulnerable. Focus on a compact, defensible core.
• Ignoring Enemy Types: Different enemies require different tactics. Study the enemy types to prepare counters.
• Neglecting Research: Upgrades are critical. Always allocate some colonists to research, even in early runs.
• Saving Resources Excessively: Hoarding supplies without using them can lead to missed opportunities. Spend wisely but don't stockpile unnecessarily.
• Forgetting to Save: While challenges often have autosave, manual saves can be a lifesaver in long runs. Use them at key milestones.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a typical challenge run take?
Most challenges last between 30 minutes and 2 hours, depending on the type and your skill level. Speedrun challenges are shorter, while survival or permadeath modes may take longer.

Can I pause a challenge and come back later?
Yes, you can save and exit at any time. Your progress is preserved, but permadeath runs will end if your colony is destroyed.

Are challenges required for 100% completion?
Yes, completing all challenges is necessary for full achievement and reward unlocks. They are a core part of the endgame content.

Do challenge rewards affect multiplayer or co-op?
Currently, Into The Depths is single-player only. Rewards are exclusive to your save file and do not transfer to other modes. For more details, see our multiplayer guide.

What happens if I fail a challenge?
You can retry as many times as you like. Failed runs grant partial rewards based on your progress, such as a small amount of prestige points or resources.