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Song of the Deep Review Thread
- Thread starter dancrane212
- Start date
IBleedRangerBlue
Neo Member
Triggerhappytel
Member
Wait a minute; isn't GameInformer the publication that's owned by GameStop?! I'm amazed they didn't automatically give it a higher score. Got some respect for that.
Anyway, I've had my eye on this but I probably won't be there on day one. Maybe down the line after I've played ABZU, if I'm in the mood for another aquatic game.
Anyway, I've had my eye on this but I probably won't be there on day one. Maybe down the line after I've played ABZU, if I'm in the mood for another aquatic game.
dancrane212
Member
Whoops, thanks!
giant_frying_pan
Member
They have a disclaimer at the bottom of the review. Although I don't think they should have reviewed it at all.
I'm glad the reviews are fairly solid so far, though I don't have the time to play it right now. I'm just glad it's not a complete disaster or anything.
I hope it won't turn out to be as aggravating as the Gamespot reviewer found it, but even so I think I'll still be able to power through any tough points as long as everything else is good enough.
I hope it won't turn out to be as aggravating as the Gamespot reviewer found it, but even so I think I'll still be able to power through any tough points as long as everything else is good enough.
IBleedRangerBlue
Neo Member
That's why this is at the end: Disclaimer: GameTrust is the publishing label of GameStop, the parent company of Game Informer. All opinions in this review are the authors, based on his experience with the game.
OrbitalBeard
Member
I agree, GI really shouldn't be reviewing GameStop-published games going forward.
By reviewing them, it seems that only two perceived outcomes are possible (even if neither is actually true):
- Due to a conflict of interest, the game is scored higher than it should be.
or
- In an effort to appear unbiased, the game is criticized more harshly than it otherwise would be.
Either way, the perception will be that the game wasn't critiqued fairly.
dragonbane
Member
I mean its not that different from reviews for PS4/XB1 coming from the official PS4/XB1 magazine right? I personally think all of those reviews are kinda useless lol
OrbitalBeard
Member
True, it is similar. I think most people go into those mags with a different expectation though.
From the GI review:
''About halfway through, Song of the Deep takes a sudden and sharp turn into puzzle territory, where you have to use objects like ammunition balls or glass reflectors to solve environmental puzzles. The shift isnt a problem in itself; the issue is the powerful disconnect between the control scheme and the precision that these challenges require. For example, one section where you have to bounce a ball around with the tip of your sub nose to get it to reach a high up place is particularly annoying. The slightest movement in the wrong direction results in the ball falling to its doom, forcing you to go back to get a new one and do the whole thing again. Several sections are like this, with the best puzzles resulting not in a sense of triumph over solving them, but instead a wave of relief that they were not as frustrating as the one I solved an hour before. Song of the Deeps puzzles are the worst kinds of puzzles, where performing the solution is much harder than figuring out what that solution is.
To make matters worse, a bevy of technical issue affect the playability of Song of the Deep. During my playthrough, I found three segments where I had to navigate through passages filled with traps capable of killing you in one hit.''
Pass for me,why do they still have to do stuff like this...I am not putting quarters in a machine anymore...
''About halfway through, Song of the Deep takes a sudden and sharp turn into puzzle territory, where you have to use objects like ammunition balls or glass reflectors to solve environmental puzzles. The shift isnt a problem in itself; the issue is the powerful disconnect between the control scheme and the precision that these challenges require. For example, one section where you have to bounce a ball around with the tip of your sub nose to get it to reach a high up place is particularly annoying. The slightest movement in the wrong direction results in the ball falling to its doom, forcing you to go back to get a new one and do the whole thing again. Several sections are like this, with the best puzzles resulting not in a sense of triumph over solving them, but instead a wave of relief that they were not as frustrating as the one I solved an hour before. Song of the Deeps puzzles are the worst kinds of puzzles, where performing the solution is much harder than figuring out what that solution is.
To make matters worse, a bevy of technical issue affect the playability of Song of the Deep. During my playthrough, I found three segments where I had to navigate through passages filled with traps capable of killing you in one hit.''
Pass for me,why do they still have to do stuff like this...I am not putting quarters in a machine anymore...
Posting this from another thread, here's my review that I just released today. (All the footage is from the PC release of the game)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwEhGKSVT4M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwEhGKSVT4M
Father_Brain
Banned
Ugh, that's the worst pitfall of physics-based puzzle design. Well, I wasn't going to buy this at full price anyway.
Adam Tyner
Member
I'm not finished with it yet, but it's 30 on PS4 until there's a bunch of activity onscreen. I've seen it dip during huge enemy encounters and during some of the laser puzzles. This is like 2% of the whole game, but it's there.
Generally it's OK otherwise though. It's an on-model metroidvania without jump as a central mechanic. Some of the physics-y stuff feels more like work than a game, but, at the very least, it's better than Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.
On PC I didn't notice any frame rate drops personally.
Lord Frieza
Member
Yeah, that really kind of kills it for me. I mean, it's only $15 and all, so maybe I'll still pick it up, but that review really wet the fire.
MADGAME
Member
Thanks all, that's a bummer. At least it sounds like framerate problems aren't overly prevalent.
Still though, someone in another thread posted a link to Insomniac's site claiming "internal research" showed people generally don't care about 60fps as long as the framerate isn't bad/distracting, so they opt for 30fps in their games. Very disheartening they couldn't even meet that low bar. Not trying to rain on the parade, but framerate is very important to some of us!
I think I will keep my preorder and give the game a chance.
hey_it's_that_dog
benevolent sexism
That sounds bad, but unfortunately you can never be sure that someone doesn't just suck at games. Will have to wait for more impressions of these puzzles.
Triggerhappytel
Member
I'm not sure why you're comparing them though - SotD is a 3D game and one would assuming it's more demanding than a 2D game.
Doug Heffernan
Member
Not bad.
I'll wait and pick up a used copy at Gamestop, which I'm sure they'll have plenty of in a couple of weeks.
I'll wait and pick up a used copy at Gamestop, which I'm sure they'll have plenty of in a couple of weeks.
Shin-Ra
Junior Member
They're all 3D games dominated by parallax 2D layers which are texture mapped camera facing triangles. Rayman Legends and Deep exposing clear 3D models.
That's also what I'm trying to find out. Reviews are good enough for me, but I want 60fps in my games, so I hope Digital Foundry does a comparison.
Father_Brain
Banned
No, it's not even a 2.5D game. It's a 2D game with some polygonal 3D elements, like Rayman Legends.
Father_Brain
Banned
Insomniac guy claimed that it had no trouble running at 1080p60 even on the minimum requirements (which don't even list a specific GPU, just 1GB of VRAM), so perhaps Unity on console is the culprit.
Wow a 2D game optimized for last gen consoles performing without frame drops !!!!!!!!!!!
SomedayTheFire
Member
So is it an Irish accent or an American "Irish" accent?
Sad Affleck
Member
This looks like an incredibly cool game. Wishlisted!
I'm not Irish, but to me it's more like "people who I listen to on podcasts who are Irish," than "look at this Irish guy in a Hollywood movie."
Americanized Irish I'd say. There is a noticeable accent but I didn't hear any distinct Irish colloquialisms. I imagine they did that to prevent folks from being confused by slang.
But Rayman is still a fantastic looking game, so clearly they're not using the power correctly.
Just because you're targeting current hardware as opposed to older hardware shouldn't give you any sort of pass. It's important to think more restrictive, not less.
Sounds promising. I'd still like it confirmed from a trusted source like Digital Foundry or another gaffer.
Ross Perot is going too be so mad
User 479360
Banned
I demoed it before, and thought it was alright.
Any word on how long it is?
Any word on how long it is?
exmachina64
Banned
Gee, if only Ubisoft licensed it to the public.
jstevenson
Sailor Stevenson
she's Irish and actually from County Clare, where the game is based
Adam Tyner
Member
Gamespot played it for 9 hours. US Gamer says 7-8 hours in their review. jstevenson said 8-12 hours.