Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 71 | 17 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 70 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 85% | 78 | 435 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 0% | 15 | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 1 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0.6 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (54)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“The latest from Insomniac Games is particularly polished when it comes to the variety of its puzzles.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Song of the Deep has a big heart, and is a fun, uncomplicated game that players of all ages will enjoy. The abilities are fun to use, the gameplay is mostly solid, and the presentation really won us over. Exploring this lush seascape, solving simple puzzles, and experiencing the sweet story, this is where the game excels. It contains most of the established rules and trappings of a Metroidvania, and is one of the easier games that we've played recently, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it's nice to play a game that doesn't ask too much of you, one that allows you to relax and simply enjoy being in its world. If you can forgive its technical hiccups and learn to adapt to its loose controls, you'll have a whale of a time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Song of the Deep is a nice, solid length, beautiful side scrolling adventure game that will take most players anywhere from 6 to 10 hours to complete. Lots of hidden treasures to find, upgrades to purchase, and secret areas to discover. Genre wise it’s not doing anything that most other games haven’t done before it, but the setting and story are unique and just captivating enough to provide players with a wonderful undersea fairy tale.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“A lovely setting can't quite make up for a game that plays things a little too safely.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Though its patience-testing puzzles hit a few sour notes, Song of the Deep still delivers a rich, imaginative undersea adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 60
“A different take on the usual Metroidvania formula, but while the story and setting are charming the puzzles are rarely anything other than frustrating.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Shaky conclusion aside, Song of the Deep is a narrative rich adventure that successfully pairs Metroidvania gameplay with a dynamic underwater setting.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Song of the Deep's story is touching, its art is beautiful, and its soundtrack is lovely, all of which come together to make a visual treat. Then I had to actually play it and I found it frustrating at some times, boring at others, and quite glitchy. Some may be able to forgive it, but I can't see many doing so.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“You'll find out while deep under the sea, that this adventure should have remained on shore. With uninteresting puzzles and mixed controls, you may want to think twice”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Song of the Deep has too many bugs and design flaws to stay afloat.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Song of the Deep is a solid effort by Insomniac Games to create a family friendly game adventure.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
Push Square
ZTGD
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Easy Allies
Metro GameCentral
We Got This Covered
TechRaptor
GamingBolt
Digital Trends
Rectify Gaming…and 42 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- New Update!Nov 17, 2016
- New Update!Nov 17, 2016
- Song of the Deep Patch 1.06 Live!Oct 1, 2016
- Song of the Deep Patch 1.06 Live!Oct 1, 2016
- Patch Notes: Sept 12thSep 13, 2016
- Patch Notes: Sept 12thSep 13, 2016
- Patch Notes: July 21stJul 21, 2016
- Patch Notes: July 21stJul 21, 2016
- Update Notes:Jul 16, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Update Notes:Jul 16, 2016
- Patch 1.02 NotesJul 15, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.02 NotesJul 15, 2016