Jul
12
2016
0

A Beginner’s Guide To Metroidvanias – Song Of The Deep Review

Song of the Deep

Developer: Insomniac Games

Publisher: GameTrust Games

Release Date: July 12th, 2016

Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4 (reviewed), Xbox One

Merryn and I hadn’t been friends for long. In the first ten minutes of our introduction by Insomniac Games, Merryn lost her father to the depths of the ocean. I advised her to not follow him—not because of her petite stature, but because of her inexperience: deep sea travel is not for the faint of heart. (Just ask The RMS Titanic.) But I admired her charisma, her gusto, her courage. I didn’t stop her: had I mysteriously lost my father, I would go searching for him, too. The thrill of adventure overtook me; I purposefully invited myself, stating that she’ll need a companion down in the unknown waters. So, piecing together a rickety submarine comprised of spare wood and machinery, we embarked on a journey of discovery and rescue, uncertain of our safety down under or our return back above. We returned to the surface exhausted after what felt like months traversing the uncharted waters. Merryn and I said our goodbyes, and, as we parted ways, I relished the ending of the journey. However, just as I was glad the excursion was over, I knew a small part of me would miss it, planting a fervent urge to visit the deep blue once more in the future—sans Merryn and her perilous struggle.

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Song of the Deep tells the tale of a young, charismatic girl named Merryn who, after her father doesn’t return from his regular fishing trip, dives into the open blue ocean all by herself in search for him. Armed with her wits, a rickety submarine (comprised of spare wood and machinery lying around her home), she sets out on a journey of discovery—both personal and oceanic. Developer Insomniac Games—in conjunction with publisher GameTrust Games, a subdivision of GameStop (yes, the retailer; they are a publisher now)—delivers a very human tale of courage, navigating the unknown, and hope. Offered in a kind of “picture-book” style, Song of the Deep‘s writing is excellent: descriptive, touching, and believable, it does a well-enough job to get you invested in Merryn and her journey. The voice work here is superb, adding depth and emotion to the writing—and, surprisingly, there is plenty of voice work. Sadly, Song of the Deep never quite transcends the narrative it sets out for itself, and that’s largely because of the trite gameplay.

Combat is Song of the Deep‘s weakest component.

Described as “a metroidvania-style action-adventure game,” Song of the Deep does nothing to set itself apart in a classic (and burgeoning) genre. Mechanically sound and simplistic as all hell, Insomniac Games have taken the traditional elements of a “metroidvania,” but severely simplified them—maybe to its detriment. As per all metroidvanias, you have an expansive world to explore, power-ups and upgrades to collect to allow you to access different parts of the levels, a bevy of puzzles to solve, and plenty of backtracking to be had. Regrettably, Song of the Deep does all of it with such simplicity that none of it feels innovative or fresh; perhaps it doesn’t need to be “innovative” or “fresh,” but there are tons of other metroidvanias that do “metroidvania” better than Song of the Deep does. Thankfully, the world—or ocean, rather—is large with copious secrets, collectibles, power-ups and upgrades to collect, eliciting that desire to search every nook and cranny for the next item to bolster the S.S. Merryn. The ocean is vast, expansive, and Insomniac have translated those truths skillfully.

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Truthfully, gameplay in Song of the Deep is trite: if you’ve played a metroidvania—any Casltevania or Metroid game, or the exceptional Ori and the Blind ForestSong of the Deep will instantly feel familiar. Though the way the game plays is fine, the way the game feels is not only derivative, but also frustrating. Because you’re underwater, the real world effect of being underwater—the difficulty of changing direction, the strength of water currents, etc.—adds challenge to the game. However, in a game where precision is key to surviving in certain areas of the world, the lack of control can cause a swelling exhaustion and irritation as you incessantly die because of the game’s design. Combat in this game is, perhaps, its absolute weakest component: though given a variety of tools to dispose of your nefarious underwater enemies, the controls to use said tools are clunky, only exacerbating the frustration. And, frankly, half the time, you’re waiting for things: waiting for your submarine’s propeller to cool down so you can boost again, waiting for your missiles to cool down so you can fire again, waiting for the current to subside so you can pass through, waiting for an enemy (that can kill you in one hit) to pass so you can pass through. Couple all of this with the repetitious enemy design and predictable enemy encounters, and you have a recipe for unoriginality and frustration.

Although the game’s gameplay design may squander much of its potential, Song of the Deep is strikingly beautiful. Made with Unity, Song of the Deep has a picturesque aesthetic reminiscent of, say, Valiant Hearts: The Great War or Child of Light. (Two UbiArt games. It’s hard not to confuse Song of the Deep for being in the same wheelhouse.) The colors here are soft, with a palette that instantly fits its nautical theme: blues are deep with varying shades and fades, greens are rich and filled with subtle blacks to give depth, corals are vibrant, and purples are lively. Every color is blended masterfully. Song of the Deep‘s detail is exquisite: every item is textured and every area is meticulously intricate. Even though it’s clearly a fantastical world, Song of the Deep has this realism. Furthermore, its sound design is impressive and vast, massive: the score is moody and atmospheric, and the quiet moments of just oceanic sounds are emotive and evocative. This is a game that is visually appealing enough to make an excellent background or screen saver, and has a spectacular soundtrack worthy of a listen outside of the game.

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Unfortunately, for all of the brilliance found in the game’s sound design and visual appeal, the lackluster combat, repetitive enemies, and insipid gameplay mechanics anchor the game in mediocrity. Song of the Deep‘s final third is especially disappointing with the amount of contrived backtracking that feels like padding. And the final boss concludes with a resounding thud as you’re left astonished, mouth ajar, wondering, “Wait, that was it?” In truth, Merryn’s story would have made a better novel or picture book. And hey, thanks to Insomniac’s Brian Hastings, Song of the Deep is a book published by Sterling Publishing.