Song of the Deep Reviews
Song of the Deep has too many bugs and design flaws to stay afloat.
An undersea adventure that is more about seeing the sights than captivating gameplay.
Song of the Deep's story is touching, its art is beautiful, and its soundtrack is lovely, all of which come together to make a visual treat. Then I had to actually play it and I found it frustrating at some times, boring at others, and quite glitchy. Some may be able to forgive it, but I can't see many doing so.
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.
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.
Beautiful, plays well – but could have been better.
Combat also comes into play occasionally. It's a secondary trait to the puzzle-solving play, accented by how long it takes to get a traditional weapon for your tiny submarine. Until then, you simply have to make-do with a grappling claw. Upgrades are available that add qualities like extra damage or special attributes to your shots, though it seems as if a few unmarked upgrades would be necessary to handle some of the more difficult combat scenarios.
Though its patience-testing puzzles hit a few sour notes, Song of the Deep still delivers a rich, imaginative undersea adventure.
A different take on the usual Metroidvania formula, but while the story and setting are charming the puzzles are rarely anything other than frustrating.
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.
Song of the Deep has a welcoming setting and the foundations of a good game, but poor controls and performance issues leave it occasionally gasping for air.
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 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.
Song of the Deep is a solid effort by Insomniac Games to create a family friendly game adventure.
Song of the Deep tends to be your typical indie game fare; harking back to the older generations of gaming with the 2D side-scroller appearance, but having a big heart and an emotional story, with a very predictable ending. But that’s okay, as it doesn’t try and do anything different by offering a big twist at the end. Gameplay wise it can get a little boring and dull after a while, but it is well paced and doesn’t feel overly long or overly short. It just feels right. It is flawed elsewhere but after 12 hours underwater with Merryn and her new found friends, I am content and pleased that I got to experience this game.
Despite stumbles in its gameplay, I am a sucker for sappy stories, and that is what 'Song of the Deep' should be played for. There are many other games that provide engrossing, replayable platforming and puzzles, but with less warmth or none at all. I enjoyed my time with Merryn and her submarine but we sure did bicker a lot.
The overall package provided by Song of the Deep is a good one. The presentation is enjoyable and the puzzles and discovery of new powers are genuinely exciting. If you can look past repetitive combat and backtracking and are willing to live with a few technical hiccups along the way, Song of the Deep is enjoyable but flawed, with some unrealised potential around the narrative meaning it was a missed opportunity.
Song of the Deep is gorgeous and has some creative ideas, but lacks the polish to make it a must-play.
You'll find out while deep under the sea, that this adventure should have remained on shore. With uninteresting puzzles and mixed controls, you may want to think twice,
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.