Developer: Insomniac
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
Release Date: July 12, 2016
Acquired via: PlayStation store
Insomniac is one of the greatest developers in the gaming world they created some stellar franchises like Ratchet and Clank, Resistance and Sunset Overdrive. They have now created a smaller type of game called Song of the Deep a Metroidvania style of action-adventure game. Players take on the role of a young girl named Merryn who father doesn’t return home. Merryn quickly decides to build a small submarine from scrapes and sets sail into the depths of the ocean looking for her missing father. The story sets the tone perfectly for this emotional adventure immediately you’ll notice how beautiful the visuals of this game are and it also adds a nice touch with its storybook visuals during cut scenes. The game is bright and colorful I truly cant emphasize how beautiful the art style to this game really is you have have to see the game in motion to appreciate it for what it is. The soundtrack is also a standout adding great atmosphere and emotion to the game. As stated earlier this is a Metroidvania style game so exploration mystery and wonder are part of the journey as you travel the connected maps to many different sections of the game.
The game does a good job of offering new abilities at a good pace and it doesn’t take long to upgrade your magnetic claw or adding searchlights or torpedoes to your submarine, the combat is straightforward but fun. The puzzles solving while not a standout are never to complicated. Like most games in the genre some places are not accessible until you have acquired a certain ability so you may want to revisit at a later time. Like similar games of its kind you will want to explore off the beaten path to discover hidden treasures and upgrades for your submarine like health and other unique abilities to discover Thankfully you’ll want to explore the world of Song of the Deep thanks to it’s beautiful visuals and art style. In my opinion there one portion of the game that not as good as the rest of the game and that would be in control department. Controlling the submarine while not terrible can be a little floaty this can be a little frustrating making the combat a little more complicated than it should be. Specially while being surrounded by multiple enemies, sometimes there not as precise as you would like them to be. There kind of what you would expect from an underwater style of game so not a deal breaker but I thought it should be mentioned. there is also a small skill tree to upgrade over time as you find treasure you can unlock more upgrades and abilities as you progress in the game.
The game can be beaten in about roughly 8-10 hours depending on how much you like to explore. Song of the Deep as a complete package is a great title to own. The visuals are beautiful and the soundtrack is top notch. The combat is fun and the puzzle solving never really get in the way of the action and some of the boss battles are well designed. I also have to mention the price of the game is a bargain at only $14.99 for the digital copy or if you prefer a physical copy it can be picked up at GameStop. This is a game with plenty of emotion and a great atmosphere navigating the depths of the sea is a lot of fun well worth the price of admission.
