Song of the Deep Reviews
By going against their own grain, Insomniac Games has crafted a true winner with Song of the Deep, which is one of 2016’s most hypnotic and charming games.
Song of the Deep is a very mixed experience but one that should be experienced at least once. On one hand you’ve got a breathtakingly beautiful rendition of the deep sea that progressively gets both more intense and intimidating as you descend into its depths. You’ve got a genuinely loveable protagonist with a great journey to undertake. You’ve even got a large map that’s quite fun to explore.
Song of the Deep is a meandering lesson that not every reflection of Metroidvania has to be a grand odyssey. By that measure it's a serviceable decent into the great unknown with a handful of neat ideas. It's also too oblivious of its own limitations to leave a distinct impression in a crowded field. "Groundwork for something greater" isn't a beacon of optimism, but it's probably the finest impression Song of the Deep can manage.
I won't lie. This game hits you right in the feels. This is a story driven by love and begs the question how far would you go for the people you love. In Merryn's case, it's to the bottom of the ocean. The games artistry, music, and narration had me close to tears at a few key points. I thoroughly enjoyed the first part of the game. I only wish they had a clear definition of what they wanted the game to be. With such a hard turn from puzzles to strictly waves of enemies, the game lost it for me a little. It felt like a different game in the last couple of hours, and I missed the game I had started six hours back.
Song of the Deep is an intriguing, fun adventure game with enjoyable puzzles and a remarkable presentation. The colorful setting leaps off the screen, taking me back to my childhood story books. The game shines with the sheer amount of puzzles that range from accessing a hidden treasure chest, opening a door latch, to more advanced ones.
Shaky conclusion aside, Song of the Deep is a narrative rich adventure that successfully pairs Metroidvania gameplay with a dynamic underwater setting.
Song of the Deep tells a compelling story and presents enjoyable, captivating Metroidvania gameplay set in an enthralling underwater world.
Song of the Deep has too many bugs and design flaws to stay afloat.
The game takes about eight hours to complete, although it would be closer to 12 if trying to 100% the game and find every little secret. With that said, the game is short and concise enough to keep players wanting to come back for more, and I can’t wait to dive (pun intended) back into the game and look for everything I missed the first time through. Any Insomniac Games or Metroidvania fan probably won’t be disappointed by picking this game up and trying it out.
Song of the Deep feels like a distinctly different experience from the Insomniac that we’re used to. It’s a beautiful, lonely world and the Ghibi-like aesthetic work incredibly well in its favor.
The latest from Insomniac Games is particularly polished when it comes to the variety of its puzzles.
On the surface, everything about Merryn’s adventure is absolutely charming. The deeper you and Merryn go, the game loses its luster, but it’s still worth undertaking the journey if this style of adventure game sings to you. Just be aware it may not be a complete pleasure cruise.
Song of the Deep isn’t a bad metroidvania; it’s just very basic. It doesn’t do anything particularly well, outside of maybe its endearing story, but it isn’t absolutely unplayable either.
Insomniac Games delivers a traditional Metroidvania with a pleasant atmosphere and an intelligent use of backtracking. Song of the Deep is a solid adventure, with some memorable boss fights and a complex level design.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Even just moving from one zone to the next can leave you feeling like a child reading an adventure novel, imagining all of the cool new worlds just ready to be explored.
Song of the Deep is a nice, solid length, beautiful side scrolling adventure game that will take most players anywhere from 6 to 10 hours to complete. Lots of hidden treasures to find, upgrades to purchase, and secret areas to discover. Genre wise it’s not doing anything that most other games haven’t done before it, but the setting and story are unique and just captivating enough to provide players with a wonderful undersea fairy tale.
Song of the Deep is a very nice Metroidvania game featuring a huge map to explore, plenty of secrets to discover, and a huge array of different situations and puzzles which make the experience incredibly varied. Other highlights are its beautiful presentation, seamless storytelling style and excellent soundtrack/voice acting. Some irritating puzzles, made so by physics, mediocre boss battles and a few performance hiccups are just minor issues and, thankfully, they are not enough to make this beautiful song go out of tune. Highly recommended to Metroidvania fans and to all those who enjoy well crafted experiences.
Beautiful, plays well – but could have been better.
Song of the Deep is quite often a fantastic voyage, full of rich detail and swimming with charm, but it does little mechanically to rise above similar, better titles. At its best, it’s an entertaining way to spend a few hours in a wonderfully-built ocean world. At its worst, it’s a cheap. uninspired and frustrating slog.
Song of the Deep has a big heart, and is a fun, uncomplicated game that players of all ages will enjoy. The abilities are fun to use, the gameplay is mostly solid, and the presentation really won us over. Exploring this lush seascape, solving simple puzzles, and experiencing the sweet story – this is where the game excels. It contains most of the established rules and trappings of a Metroidvania, and is one of the easier games that we've played recently, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it's nice to play a game that doesn't ask too much of you, one that allows you to relax and simply enjoy being in its world. If you can forgive its technical hiccups and learn to adapt to its loose controls, you'll have a whale of a time.