Aquanox Deep Descent places its vehicle-shooter action in Aqua, a dystopian future where the Earth's surface has become uninhabitable and people live in underwater settlements. Resource wars between factions shape the setting, while players take command of a team of fighter pilots on a story-driven journey through oceans and deep trenches. The game reimagines the world and gameplay of the earlier AquaNox series, whose underwater future grew from the 1996 game Archimedean Dynasty.
Combat centers on customizable ships and a range of weapons, including torpedoes, shrapnel blasts and mines. Players can choose and upgrade their vehicles to suit different play styles, then explore the ocean depths and fight hostile craft. That mix of piloting, loadout choices and exploration gives the action a distinct underwater setting rather than a conventional ground-based shooter.
The listed play formats include single-player, online co-op and PvP, with the description specifying drop-in co-op for four pilots who are involved in the story. It also names Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch as classic multiplayer modes, alongside dogfighting.
