Lamentable Tentacles is a small but flavourful expansion for Deep Regrets, adding 18 new sea cards to the mix. As the name suggests, this set leans heavily into octopi and squid, with a few real horrors thrown in for good measure, including the brilliantly unsettling Great Old One. It’s a compact addition, but one that fits seamlessly into the tone and world of the base game.
What I really like here is how naturally it integrates. Setup barely changes at all. Before laying out the sea cards, you simply remove a set number of cards from each depth, then shuffle everything together as normal. It’s a tiny tweak, but it makes a noticeable difference. Not every card will appear in every game anymore, which adds a bit more unpredictability and replayability to each session.
All of the expansion cards are clearly marked with a small symbol, so if you ever want to strip things back to just the base game, it’s quick and painless to do so. It’s a small touch, but one that’s always appreciated, especially with lighter expansions like this.
Lamentable Tentacles is a small but flavourful expansion for Deep Regrets, adding 18 new sea cards to the mix. As the name suggests, this set leans heavily into octopi and squid, with a few real horrors thrown in for good measure, including the brilliantly unsettling Great Old One. It’s a compact addition, but one that fits seamlessly into the tone and world of the base game.
What I really like here is how naturally it integrates. Setup barely changes at all. Before laying out the sea cards, you simply remove a set number of cards from each depth, then shuffle everything together as normal. It’s a tiny tweak, but it makes a noticeable difference. Not every card will appear in every game anymore, which adds a bit more unpredictability and replayability to each session.
All of the expansion cards are clearly marked with a small symbol, so if you ever want to strip things back to just the base game, it’s quick and painless to do so. It’s a small touch, but one that’s always appreciated, especially with lighter expansions like this.
In terms of gameplay, these new creatures don’t feel like they’re trying to reinvent anything, and that’s a good thing. They slot straight into the existing systems, adding variety without complicating what already works. The new “fish” (if you can still call them that) bring a bit more personality and a slightly darker edge, which fits perfectly with the overall vibe of Deep Regrets.
The solo mode is where things get particularly interesting. The expansion is already accounted for on the survey sheet, which makes it feel like it was always part of the game rather than something bolted on later. That kind of integration goes a long way in a solo experience that’s built around progression and completion.
That said, there is one small downside here. Because you’re now removing cards from the deck during setup, there’s a chance that the one elusive creature you’re hunting for simply isn’t in the game at all. When you’re playing through the solo mode and trying to complete your survey, that can be a little frustrating. It adds unpredictability, which is great in a general sense, but it can clash slightly with that completionist goal the solo mode encourages.
So, is Lamentable Tentacles something you absolutely need to add to your game? Not really. But if you’re already enjoying Deep Regrets and want more of what makes it great, then these 18 extra cards are absolutely worth adding. It’s a small expansion, but one that keeps the game feeling fresh without overcomplicating things.
