Close Menu
  • Gaming
    • Game Guides
    • Codes
    • Game News
    • Game Previews
    • Game Reviews
    • Game Features
    • Game Lists
    • Platforms
      • Nintendo
      • PC
      • PlayStation
      • Xbox
      • Mobile
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Movie Features
    • Movie Reviews
    • TV
    • Reality TV
    • Royals
  • Celebrity
  • Human Interest
  • Astrology
  • Videos
  • More
    • Anime
    • Lists
    • Podcasts
    • Reviews
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
  • About Us
  • Join Our Team
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Sitemap
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Advertising Policy
The Nerd Stash
  • Gaming
  • Celebrity
  • Human Interest
  • Videos
The Nerd Stash
Home»Game Reviews»Song of the Deep Review

Song of the Deep Review

Title: Song of the Deep Available On: PS4, Xbox One, PC Developer: Insomniac Games Publisher: Gametrust Genre: action adventure Official Site: insomniacgames.com/games/song-of-the-deep/ Release Date: July…

Matthew HerstBy Matthew HerstAugust 17, 20166 Mins Read
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information.

Title: Song of the Deep

Available On: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Developer: Insomniac Games

Publisher: Gametrust

Genre: action adventure

Official Site: insomniacgames.com/games/song-of-the-deep/

Release Date: July 12, 2016

Where to Buy: Xbox Live Store, PSN, Steam, Gamestop/EB Games retail stores


Song of the Deep propels you into a Celtic fairytale world beneath the wavesย . The picturesque visuals, fantastic music, and enchanting world draw you in constantly, but the gameplay cannot live up to the potential of the presentation.

The gorgeous graphics of Song of the Deep.
The gorgeous graphics of Song of the Deep.

Merryn is a young girl living alone with her father โ€“ a fisherman. One day he sets out in his small boat and never returns. So Merryn puts together a small submarine, clambers into the cockpit and launches herself into the vast ocean.ย The story is narrated by an Irish woman, who delivers the narrative in hushed tones as if she is reading the tale to children as they fall to sleep. These short bursts of the story in conjunction with the beautifully drawn characters flitting across the screen portray the story effectively. And the inclusion of a narrator means that cut scenes are few and far between, putting more focus on the tasks at hand.

But after the story is introduced and Merryn is moving swiftly through the emerald water, the visuals will make you stop and take in the beauty of the world. Itโ€™s simultaneously alien and familiar as you explore perilous caverns patrolled by sentry crabs, coral reefs lined with ancient traps, and the ruins of long lost cities.

Song of the Deep
There are plenty of gorgeous locales to visit.

The hand drawn visualsย  make every new rock formation or expanse of shimmering ocean pop off the screen. The submarine gently floats through environments, solving puzzles and finding clues to track down Merrynโ€™s father.

There are plenty of unique and varied environments to explore, each feeling much different than the last. Dark trenches are drenched in a feeling of isolation, while the eroding pillars of forgotten cities are bathed in a warm glow as light flits through the waves. Everything is tied together by the common theme of the ocean, feeling like itโ€™s part of the same world, but is diverse enough to keep things fresh.

As beautiful as everything is, the visuals don’t always run as smoothly as they should. When the screen begins to fill with enemies and terrain, the framerate drops noticeably, making it more difficult to move around the world.

But the gameplay canโ€™t quite keep up with the lovingly crafted world. Song of the Deep is, first and foremost, a Metroidvania style game. This means you traverse a sprawling map, collecting new abilities in order to enter previously inaccessible areas. Exploring the world is consistently fun and filled with an array of things to do, but controlling Merrynโ€™s miniature submarine takes some finesse.

Song of the Deep
Just a small submarine in a vast ocean.

The sub is slowly propelled through the deep, and while the movement feels true to an underwater experience, it makes maneuvering through the narrow corridors somewhat difficult. I found myself constantly running into walls. Enemy attacks were difficult to dodge because there is no real dodge mechanic, and timing based puzzlesย ย were a challenge due to a lack of maneuverability.

Combat is definitely where Song of the Deep struggles the most. Shortly after beginning the game, Merryn acquires a hook that can be used to pick up items and attack enemies. But enemies float lazily towards you before unleashing devastating attacks that are seemingly impossible to dodge. Even when you equip your tiny marine vessel with rockets the combat doesnโ€™t improve. Half of the battles I won were completed through sheer luck. The floaty nature of the sub made it hard to properly position myself for a proper assault.

Song of the Deep
No part of the deep is safe.

While the combat does get better it never becomes fun. Especially later in the game, when you are forced to take out hordes of aquatic predators before the doors leading out of the room will open. But while combat does take up a lot of the game, it isnโ€™t what youโ€™ll spend the majority of your time doing.

Being a Metroidvania, exploration, puzzles, and using new tools to solve complex situations is the name of the game. A lot of the puzzles have overly complex solutions that I only solved because I accidentally stumbled onto the solutions.

There is also a wealth of timing-based puzzles, but the timing is never readily apparent, which slows down the pacing of the game and only serves to frustrate. I never felt a sense of satisfaction after redirecting lasers, putting a barrel on a switch, or navigating a series of rapids. Each new hurdle is designed in such a way that I have six hours of play I was desperate to see the credits roll.

Song of the Deep
Combat never lives up to its potential.

The incredibly well-realized world is a joy to explore; I just wish that exploring it was easier. If Iโ€™m going to be spending hours wandering around this worldย I want it to be effortless. Having to constantly worry about steering the submarine in the right direction, or fight against currents isnโ€™t fun; itโ€™s just frustrating.

I really wanted to like Song of the Deep. The storybook visuals, fairytale narrative, and the Celtic world quickly drew me in before the gameplay pushed me back. There were some moments where I thought that the gameplay had evolved to a point where it could correct its earlier issues, but it remained aggressively mediocre.

Exploration is key in Song of the Deep.
Exploration is key in Song of the Deep.

When the combat and exploration do work, there are some fun moments to be had, but the most memorable part of Song of the Deep remains its visuals. I wanted to finish the game just to see what new areas and situations theย game would throw me into.

If you like Metroidvania style games, there are games that are much more fun to control. But the story and world stand out from other titles, making it worth checking out if youโ€™re on the prowl for a deep, mythical world to explore.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw5uGVz3-d4[/embedyt]


Gameplay: A Metroidvania adventure with less than stellar combat and puzzles.

Graphics: The storybook visuals pop off the screen, creating a truly magical world to explore.

Sound: The music creates a beautiful harmony with the visuals.

Presentation: Everything looks smooth, but there are some framerate drops in more hectic areas.

[review]

Related Topics
PS4 SongOfTheDeep
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit Email
Matthew Herst
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Steadfast Nintendo fan who loves to expand his knowledge of the gaming industry. Follow him on Twitter to hear his musings on games and life in general.

SUGGESTED READS

Call of Duty: WWII Hackers ruining the game
Game Features

Call of Duty: WWII Hackers Are Owning The Players’ Systems, Or Are They Fake?!

Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.1 Special Program
Game News

Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.1 Brings Summer Vibes, A New Faction, and Two Agents

How Beavis and Butt-Head make players leave Call of Duty
Game Features

Why Beavis and Butt-Head Operator Skins Make Players Leave Call of Duty?

Destiny 2 Edge of Fate TWID Vendor Changes
Game News

Destiny 2: The Edge of Fate Is About To Be a Lot Less Confusing Thanks to All of These Core System Changes

Michael Madsen in Kill Bill
Celebrity

‘Reservoir Dogs’ Star Michael Madsen Found Dead In His Malibu Home

Death Stranding 2 Hidden Details
Features

10 Mind-blowing Details in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Trending
Texas Man records a package thief stealing boxes off the porch

Texas Man Comes up With โ€˜Epicโ€™ Idea To Get Revenge on Porch Pirates: โ€˜This Is Genius’

Florida bride has special moment with two fathers at wedding

Florida Bride’s Father Shocks Guests At Wedding When He Sees Her Stepdad In Crowd: ‘Cries In Daddy Issues’

Florida Hero Who Saved Girl From Shark Attack Now Faces Deportation

Florida Hero Who Saved Girl From Vicious Shark Attack Now Faces Deportation Because Heโ€™s Hispanic: With โ€˜ICE, No Good Deed Will Go Unpunished’

MAGA Supporter With a Megaphone Harasses Safeway Protestors in Colorado

MAGA Supporter With a Megaphone Harasses Safeway Protestors in Colorado: ‘Couldn’t Even Make the Cut for ICE So He Had to Settle For This’

The Nerd Stash
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn
  • About Us
  • Join Our Team
  • Meet the Team
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Sitemap
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Advertising Policy
© 2025 The Nerd Stash. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.