Song of the Deep

Song of the Deep, developed by Insomniac Games and published by GameTrust Games, is a delicate and melancholic adventure that unfolds beneath the waves, blending elements of exploration, puzzle-solving, and emotional storytelling into a hauntingly beautiful experience. At its core, it tells the story of Merryn, a young girl who sets out to find her missing father after his ship fails to return from sea. Using salvaged parts and sheer determination, she builds a small submarine and dives into the mysterious depths, where ancient ruins, mechanical contraptions, and mythical sea creatures await. The narrative is simple yet profoundly heartfelt, wrapped in themes of courage, perseverance, and the unbreakable bond between parent and child. It’s a fairy tale told through the lens of solitude and discovery, one that invites players to lose themselves in an oceanic dreamscape.
From the first dive, Song of the Deep captivates with its visual and auditory presentation. The underwater world feels both inviting and intimidating, illuminated by shifting beams of light that pierce through the murk and reveal coral-covered ruins, lost civilizations, and glowing marine life. Every environment feels handcrafted, and there’s a painterly touch to its color palette—muted blues and greens contrasted by warm bursts of light and bioluminescent creatures. The soundtrack by Jonathan Wandag plays a crucial role in shaping the mood, weaving a mix of ambient tones, soft melodies, and emotional swells that ebb and flow with the pace of exploration. Sound and silence are used with care, allowing moments of calm introspection to coexist with the awe of discovery. The narration, delivered in a storybook tone, reinforces the sense that this is a myth whispered to children before bed, yet one anchored in emotional sincerity rather than simple fantasy.
The gameplay itself draws heavily from the Metroidvania tradition, structured around exploration, gradual upgrades, and environmental puzzles. Merryn’s submarine begins modestly equipped, with only a basic claw for interacting with the environment and fending off enemies, but over time, it gains new tools—missiles, magnetic tethers, sonar pulses—that open new paths and enable more complex problem-solving. The sense of progression is satisfying in theory, though the game’s pacing sometimes undermines its momentum. Backtracking is a frequent necessity, and while revisiting old areas with new abilities is a hallmark of the genre, Song of the Deep’s underwater movement can make these stretches feel slow and cumbersome. The deliberate, floaty physics that define its underwater controls lend authenticity but can also frustrate, particularly in tight spaces or during sections that demand precision.
Combat plays a secondary role to exploration, but it remains an integral part of the experience. Most encounters involve using the mechanical claw to grab, throw, or strike enemies, with missiles and energy bursts supplementing the arsenal. While early confrontations carry a certain charm, the combat lacks depth as the game progresses. Enemies are often little more than obstacles, and boss battles rely on predictable patterns that offer limited challenge or variety. Still, the game’s focus on atmosphere and exploration over pure action ensures that combat rarely overstays its welcome. The true test lies in solving the world’s intricate environmental puzzles—maneuvering through mazes of coral, activating ancient machines, and deciphering the logic of mechanisms that feel both mechanical and organic. These puzzles are generally well-designed, alternating between intuitive and surprisingly complex, though a few veer into tedious territory with excessive repetition or unclear objectives.
Narratively, Song of the Deep shines brightest in its quieter moments. Merryn’s journey is as much an inward one as it is a physical descent, and the game captures that with poignant restraint. There’s very little direct dialogue—most of the story is conveyed through narration and visual cues—but the emotional resonance comes from the tone and imagery rather than words. The underwater world is filled with remnants of forgotten civilizations and sunken ships, evoking a sense of history and melancholy that parallels Merryn’s personal loss. The connection between the player and the protagonist grows not through dramatic storytelling but through shared perseverance: every obstacle overcome feels like an echo of her determination to find her father, no matter how deep she must go. When the story finally resolves, it does so with tenderness rather than grandeur, ending on a note that feels quietly triumphant and thematically consistent with the rest of the game.
Where Song of the Deep falters is in its pacing and repetition. Certain stretches drag due to extensive backtracking, and the slow movement of the submarine can make traversal feel laborious, especially once the wonder of the setting begins to fade. The game’s reliance on revisiting old areas to unlock new sections is a double-edged sword: while it gives a sense of progression, it can also break the rhythm and diminish a sense of discovery. The lack of variety in enemy design and the occasional clunkiness of the physics further contribute to a feeling of monotony in the middle hours. Yet, despite these shortcomings, there’s a warmth and sincerity to the experience that keeps it afloat. Every element, from the art to the music to the narration, feels crafted with care, and even when the mechanics stumble, the emotional throughline remains intact.
For an independent effort from a studio known for large-scale, high-energy projects, Song of the Deep stands out as a surprisingly intimate experiment. It trades the bombast of Insomniac’s other titles for something slower, gentler, and more reflective. Its shortcomings—unpolished mechanics, uneven pacing, and underwhelming combat—are real, but they don’t overshadow its heart. It’s a game that thrives on mood and meaning, appealing most to those who appreciate atmosphere and narrative over adrenaline. For players willing to approach it with patience, it offers a deeply human experience beneath its fantastical veneer, one that lingers long after the credits roll. Song of the Deep is not a flawless adventure, but it is a heartfelt one—a reminder that even in the darkest depths, hope can light the way forward.
Rating: 8/10

One of few games I have enjoyed doing a replay of.
Story and narration are a bit corny. Controls could be tighter. There is more backtracking than I would like. Physics a little janky at times (I'm looking at you pufferfish)
But it's got a good balance of cute, pretty, and spooky vibes, I liked getting the hang of the submarines weight and handling, it has some cool level design, and it doesn't outstay it's welcome.
Also it works fine on Linux, didn't have to try different version of Proton or anything.

Pretty decent. Highly similar to Aquaria in theme and mechanics. Just as unlikely we'll ever get a sequel though.

A solid 7/10 it is worth the price and very fun beuatiful story. However, the combat is a little lacking. All in all, I had fun and it was worth my time and money

A bit confusing at times, but overall a fairly relaxed metroidvania. Voice only shows up occasionally, but adds for a nice storyline about a girl searching for her missing father.

Song of the Deep really surprised me. I have had the game for a while using an older computer. Since I purchased a new computer, I decided to give it a try. I really like this game. It is a little hard in learning what to do and that is part of its charm. I like the way you must figure out what to do and where to go. The narrative is great and the game it self is truly a surprising , enjoyable game. I plan to start over to listen more carefully how to complete this game. My new favorite.

I absolutely love "Song of the Deep"! I got the PS4 version as soon as I saw the box sitting on the shelf of the game store. It just pulled me to it the same way so many other good games just manage to draw you to them. Good games have a tendency to pull you towards them. Not quite the same power of attraction that you get by seeing Mad Dog Macree or "Plumbers don't wear ties" (pdwt - don't even look it up, I still can't believe it was even released, then again, if the CDi not only made it to market, but mystically came to have 216 game titles, mpeg movies not included in this count. I suppose anything's possible). Heck, the 3DO had such crappy games that it took about 2 years for developers (users too! poor devils.) for someone to realize that the 1st version of the 3DO controllers were missing a minor bit of functionality, I have come to cherish in most game systems I have played (not the CDi, of course, but ..others that had releases actually considered games.), but especially automobiles that I drive. It was the minor matter of the capability of moving diagonally. What kind of half #@$ software were people willing to buy, including racing and fighting games for this not to be an issue? I suspect "Pdwt" was a social experiment just to see if indeed the 3do crowd would buy anything. Maybe mind control was involved.
I digress.. I have the tendency to go off topic from time to time. Just in case one of you hadn't noticed.
Back on the subject of "Song of the Deep":
I was sad to hear that still, in mid 2025, there were no plans of expanding on the universe with a 2nd game. Since it came out in 2016, it's probably safe to say if one will come out, they aren't in any hurry to do so. Although it seems that a guy by the name of Brian Hastings has put out a book referred to as a 'companion book' to the game since it expands on the story and gives more background and depth. The protagonist is the same. The chicklet (little chick) in the submarine) named Merryn. In fact, a second book is planned. Dangit! They could easily have gotten those two and made expansions for the game! they wouldn't even have to change anything in the game, just use the same engine!! That annoys me to no end. It's like that game "Dust". I think a 3 year old wrote that script. Or the family cat lay down on the keyboard for a while. Someone said, meh. good enough. ripped it out of the dot matrix printer and sent it in for integration with the magnificent game that resulted.
That's how good it was. It had somewhere between a (on a score between 1 to 100) 3 and a -2 as far as it's story was concerned, yet the game play was so fantastic and the sidekick character was so adorable, seriously, like that cat from shrek, kind of adorable! That there didn't need to be any writing or even any decision making in the whole adventure fiasco. You just kept played using up those hidden energy reserves that us gamer types take out of Gosh knows where when we are that close to collapsing from lack of sleep, drooling and barely making sense, so much so that your pet gelatinous orb in the corner is starting to think you are coming on to it. Or..crap, I don't have a pet gelatinous orb! Drat..., did I somehow text Gorlok to come over instead of typing in the konami code? (I must be brain damaged, we think to ourselves. I couldn't possibly have done that more than once!) Yet you still manage to keep going for that whole extra half hour until you find that damn save point that's already 45minutes overdue and hopefully will last long enough to double check the save message before you collapse from from lack of sleep and mana. I said all that and didn't mention the actual gameplay! holy..* I salute any persistent reader who managed to get this far. Grandma doesn't count, but I can always count on her for at least that one upvote!
This game has a great back story. It almost takes you back to when you were a little kid and you get to take a break in the middle of the day where they give you a cookie and some milk then tell you a story to get you into that sleepy contented mood for that short nap. It really has a pleasant story that has enough realism to stick to the fantasy world standards of logic and probability, so that you don't start doubting what they tell you on your way in. Instead you start immersing yourself into the story of Merryn and her fear for her dad who seemed to have gotten lost and by Jove! She's going after him! In an adorable little submarine, Merryn, (she's the stories chicklet, remember?) goes into the ocean and in the backdrops that often have several backdrops doing parallax at the same time (for those of you born after y2k, that means you have one backdrop with holes in it and behind that you have another backdrop that is moving. It was developed by this company called Parallax back in the 80's or something. this game doubled down on that trick to make sure you have a truly stunning journey into the deep! There will be flooded cities, sunken ships, skeletons and a whole lot of swag. Although it takes forever to gather it if you make bad choices on how to upgrade your little craft. Hey, it only takes one or 2 times to figure this out, so don't worry.
It is a perfect mixture of 2d action, comfy and beautiful graphics, in addition to the excellent soundtrack perfectly tailored to fit the game, that set the perfect mood for exploring civilizations long lost even to legend! Even the obligatory puzzles (which usually suck) aren't that terribly annoying! The background story is well thought of and they keep spoon feeding more of the story to you bit by bit to add to the mystery. Game play, as you might have guessed, is not meant for veteran numb thumbs only which would make it impossible for the novice player, nor does it appeal exclusively to the entry to mid level only gamers because it's too much of a breeze for the experienced players out there. There's so much to explore and easter egg's to unearth that it keeps you coming back for more even if it isn't that tough.
The great thing is that it won't impede your gf or younger sibling from managing to get into the game and since the game is very appealing to most audiences, I would say it will keep them coming back for more until they figure out how to advance and gain progress in the game. As for the younger sibling, they might even figure out that their controller has been unknowingly disconnected, yet again, during today's play session!
Enjoy!