Games News and Reviews | High Def Digest
Film & TV All News Blu-Ray Reviews Release Dates News Pre-orders 4K Ultra HD Reviews Release Dates News Pre-orders Gear Reviews News Home Theater 101 Best Gear Film & TV
Games : Recommended
Ranking:
Release Date: July 12th, 2016 Movie Release Year: 2016

Song of the Deep

Overview -

Insomniac Games is an American company probably best known for their 'Ratchet and Clank' series, but they've also done things like 'Resistance' and 'Sunset Overdrive'. Their new game 'Song of the Deep', available for Xbox One, PC, and PS4, is the first video game to be published by GameStop. Out of Insomniac's 200+ staff, only about 15 or so worked on 'Song of the Deep'.

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Release Date:
July 12th, 2016

Video Review

Ranking:

'Song of the Deep' looks very pretty with its 2D underwater environments. It doesn't sport the level of artwork of say, something like 'Ori and the Blind Forest', but is still nice. While the gameplay is 2D, the characters are 3D, and there is a lot of parallax going on in the levels. The drag of the submarine through the water gives it an extra element of challenge that comes through in the combat. The bad news is that the framerate gets choppy during some of the more fast-paced scenes, creating even more problems for the troublesome puzzles.

Audio Review

Ranking:

The music is from Jonathan Wandag, who has worked on several of Insomniac's social/browser games and also does stuff like the 'Hunie' series. It is minimalist fare, sometimes eerie and often orchestral, usually adding more to the immersion of the ocean than detracting from it. The other sound effects are of a good quality. The Irish narrator does an excellent job of carrying the storyline, although it is a simple, timeless story that is easy to tell.

Final Thoughts

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.