Skip to main content

Insomniac Games announces undersea adventure Song of the Deep

Insomniac Games announced its next project, a new 2D side-scrolling action game called Song of the Deep, Thursday morning. The announcement follows a cryptic trailer released by the developer Monday teasing the announcement, showing environments from the game and asking players to “dig deeper.”

Inspired, in part, by Irish mythology, Song of the Deep tells the story of 12-year-old Merryn, who explores the ocean in a hastily built submarine to find her father, who’s been lost at sea. As both the teaser and announcement trailer show, Merryn will explore ancient ruins and will fight some underwater creatures along the way. The story will be told with fairy-tale flair, featuring cutscenes drawn to resemble a children’s book.

Recommended Videos

According to Polygon, the the moment-to-moment gameplay resembles a more puzzle-oriented version of classic “Metroidvania”-style gameplay. Merryn will find (or build?) extra components that will allow her to progress through the game and find new power-ups, such as a diving suit, which will allow her to exit her sub and swim though openings her vessel can’t reach.

The game’s true novelty, however, is taking places behind the scenes: Song of the Deep will mark retailer GameStop’s first forée into video game publishing. In addition to releasing the game digitally on PC, Xbox One, and PS4, a disc-based version of Song of the Deep will be available exclusively through GameStop. GameStop will also sell non-gaming merchandise based on the franchise. According to GameStop marketing VP Mark Stanley, their partnership with Insomniac is a cautious experiment for the company that may or may not lead to further projects.

“This is the project we’re completely focused on right now,” Stanley told IGN. “It’s the first time we’re doing this. There’s been a lot of learning along the way, and I think there’s still a lot of learning to be had. Based on this, we’ll obviously consider all options. I think one of our focus points and one of the reasons why we dove into this project is part of my role is to look at different ways of expanding our business and bringing more value to our customers.”

Song of the Deep will come to PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this Spring.

Mike Epstein
Former Associate Editor, Gaming
Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…
How to sell video games
Want to get rid of your old games? Here are your best options | Digital Trends

It's a natural part of the video game lifecycle. You've purchased a new game, played it for hours on end, unlocked all the extra content, then -- it sits on your shelf and gathers dust. Eventually, there comes a time to sell your once beloved video games. Maybe you just need to free up space in your house or are trying to earn a quick buck to buy the next hit title. No matter the case, selling old video games is a common occurrence for anyone who owns a gaming system.

There are several ways to go about the process, but not all of them are equal. Some can be done within a day, however you might be disappointed at offer. Others are more labor intensive and reward you with a higher selling price. From buyback programs at major retailers to listing them on your own, here are the best ways to sell your old video games.

Read more
Gamestop’s Black Friday countdown sale discounts Nintendo Switch games
An older Dimitri commands his army in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

GameStop is launching a Black Friday countdown sale, which includes discounts on games and PC hardware. Most notably, the sale features savings on several first-party Nintendo Switch games -- the latest in a string of Black Friday deals we've seen this week.

On Saturday, November 14, Switch owners can grab several games for $40. The list of discounted games includes:

Read more
GameStop will sell PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in-store on Black Friday
PlayStation 5 controller and PS5.

GameStop revealed its Black Friday plans, which include massive sales on recently released video games. The retailer will have next-gen consoles available in-store as well.

The Black Friday ad notes that the players can grab a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X on Black Friday, but a limited stock will be available. It's not clear just how limited that number will be per store, with the ad noting that stores will stock a minimum quantity of two of each. The ad does not mention the Xbox Series S, nor whether the available PlayStations will be discless or not.

Read more