Song of the Deep
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Song of the Deep
Song of the Deep makes a fantastic first impression. Its gorgeous world, charming characters, and melancholy tone make for a unique and effective aesthetic. But once you get into the core of the mechanics, combat and puzzles become a slog thanks to its cumbersome controls and wonky physics. Still, I found myself willing to put up with all of these frustrations in order to delve deeper and deeper into this beautiful world.
A lovely setting can't quite make up for a game that plays things a little too safely.
An undersea adventure that is more about seeing the sights than captivating gameplay.
A charming story and enjoyable combat make the journey worth taking even if sub-par puzzles, technical issues, and frustrating controls drag down the experience
At around six hours long, Song of the Deep doesn't have enough time to become a disaster, and there are redeeming aspects of it. The character, the voiceover, the presentation are all a change of pace from the video game status quo, and the sense of discovery the first half offers is welcome. But it's hard to shake the feeling of a game with potential that never quite figures out how to deliver on it.
Though its patience-testing puzzles hit a few sour notes, Song of the Deep still delivers a rich, imaginative undersea adventure.
Song of the Deep could have been downright outstanding, but there’s enough flaws here to bump it back down into the realm of simply good.
