Submerged: Hidden Depths

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 261 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Submerged: Hidden Depths Game Cover
Submerged: Hidden Depths is not only beautiful to look at, it offers a nice change of pace from the open world RPG titles out there.
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"Submerged: Hidden Depths" is an underwater exploration and adventure game. Players navigate a sunken city, solving puzzles and discovering secrets while avoiding dangerous sea creatures. The game features beautiful visuals and a serene atmosphere, making it a relaxing yet immersive experience.

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Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 261 reviews
story46 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and atmosphere that enhance the exploration experience.
  • Relaxing gameplay with no combat or death, allowing players to enjoy the story and environment at their own pace.
  • Improved mechanics and additional customization options for characters and the boat, making the game feel more engaging.
  • Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks challenge, as many actions are automated and there are no real consequences for mistakes.
  • Some technical issues, such as stuttering and character getting stuck in the environment, can disrupt the flow of the game.
  • The story may feel simplistic or underdeveloped for players looking for a deeper narrative experience.
  • story162 mentions

    The story of "Submerged: Hidden Depths" is generally described as simple yet engaging, continuing the narrative of the first game while introducing new elements and mechanics. While some players appreciate the environmental storytelling and the emotional depth of the characters, others find the plot to be minimal and lacking in substance, often feeling disjointed due to the open-world exploration format. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning experience with a light narrative that encourages exploration, though it may leave some players wanting more depth and coherence in the storyline.

    • “A beautiful, story-rich sequel to the first game.”
    • “The story is simple but engaging.”
    • “The story continues from the first game, but it seems to me you can play this game first without any issue.”
    • “The story sadly, as others have said before me, what story?”
    • “There is basically zero story (I don't understand what happened at all) and the game is just plain boring.”
    • “I felt that the story was very lackluster compared to the first game, even though both are very minimal.”
  • gameplay83 mentions

    The gameplay in "Submerged: Hidden Depths" retains the exploration and climbing mechanics of its predecessor, offering a relaxing experience with beautiful visuals and music. However, many players find the gameplay repetitive and simplistic, with limited new mechanics and a lack of challenge, making it feel derivative despite some improvements. Overall, while the game is enjoyable for casual players, it may not satisfy those seeking deeper gameplay complexity.

    • “This sequel takes the same type of gameplay and overall structure and improves upon it in every possible way.”
    • “The gameplay is easy and relaxing; you don't have to time jumps and you cannot fall; all you have to do is find your way through ruins, which is also easy since you are helped by visual cues and sounds.”
    • “The central gameplay loop of boating around and exploring ruined buildings in this drowned world is downright addictive, and I had a blast.”
    • “The gameplay is very similar to the first game, which I would call an 'on-rails climber.'”
    • “The 'puzzles' in the game are beyond simplistic; most gameplay revolves around collecting things, and the thin story is nothing you haven't heard before. The open world, despite some efforts, still comes across as lifeless and dull.”
    • “Considering that 95% of the very simple gameplay in this game is climbing, using stairs and elevators, etc., it's a major issue.”
  • graphics80 mentions

    The graphics in "Submerged: Hidden Depths" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, vibrant colors, and improved lighting compared to the first game. Players have praised the detailed environments and art direction, noting that the game creates a beautiful and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. While some minor performance issues were mentioned, the overall graphical presentation is considered a significant highlight of the game.

    • “The atmosphere and visuals of this game are absolutely gorgeous.”
    • “The graphics are stunning... quite a markup from the previous game.”
    • “The world graphics are beautiful, the way the light reflects off of the water, the half-submerged buildings and statues make the world come alive and it's gorgeous.”
    • “Instead you're getting a rehash of the previous game with somewhat adequate graphical update and just as things start to get interesting in the final 3 minutes, it's all over.”
    • “The only thing it has going for it is pretty graphics which I guess was enough to warrant the very positive rating it has.”
    • “All in all this game is all about graphics; as long as it can jingle those keys in front of you and you don't get bored for 8 or so hours, you are good to go.”
  • music54 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its beauty and atmospheric quality, enhancing the immersive experience with soothing and well-composed tracks. While some players noted a lack of variety and occasional cheesiness, many found the soundtrack to be a highlight, complementing the stunning visuals and gameplay. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm, though opinions vary on its impact compared to previous installments.

    • “The music was very good; each track was well made and fits the whole game very well.”
    • “Accompanying the gorgeous graphics was soaring orchestral music, which made traveling along the boat quite a cinematic experience.”
    • “The soundtrack is a major part of the immersive experience, a must-have for me.”
    • “The music is overwhelming, and the whole world is kinda 'mute'.”
    • “Very few to no sound effects, almost nothing is voiced, and the few things that are are 'sims-language' gibberish; the rest is just music.”
    • “The audio is fine except for the endless repetition of the same music.”
  • atmosphere21 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its gorgeous visuals and captivating soundtracks, creating a relaxing and immersive experience in a post-apocalyptic world. While some players appreciate the charming and atmospheric elements, others feel that the narrative lacks depth, leading to a sense of genericness in the environment. Overall, the game is noted for its ability to evoke a tranquil ambiance, making it enjoyable for casual gameplay despite some criticisms regarding its storytelling.

    • “The atmosphere and visuals of this game are absolutely gorgeous.”
    • “Very atmospheric, with a nice soundtrack.”
    • “Again in combination with a really outstanding soundtrack, you get an atmosphere that easily lets you dive into it and forget everything around you.”
    • “To make it, they took a game that uses a lot of stereotypes and clichés to tell a heartwarming story, and applied deconstructivism to it, completely killing the atmosphere.”
    • “Despite the charming world and relaxing atmosphere established in the first game, there's almost nothing building upon that foundation.”
    • “And the most frustrating thing is that the world itself doesn't feel lonely or mysterious; they did something to the atmosphere so it feels generic and boring.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players report smooth performance on high-end hardware, others experience intermittent stuttering and frame drops, particularly during exploration and loading new areas. Despite these issues, some users find the game well-optimized overall, especially on older systems with high-quality graphics settings. However, common problems related to terrain loading and rendering persist, reminiscent of the first game in the series.

    • “Well optimized”
    • “Even with my 2+ year old desktop PC (albeit with a strong video card), the game, with all graphics options set to max and set to 60 fps, is very well-optimized and looks absolutely breathtaking.”
    • “There are some problems with optimization - the game will stutter a little bit after loading, at the central hub, and when using the spyglass, even on high-end hardware.”
    • “The game mostly runs smooth, but there's intermittent nasty stuttering and frame drops while exploring with the boat (loading chunks of the city? Looks like a bad streaming issue).”
    • “Submerged: Hidden Depths is a nice sequel overall, but it has some of the problems the first game had (performance issues when loading new terrain and using too many transitions, cutting the rhythm of the gameplay).”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming story and soothing soundtrack, which evoke feelings of discovery and wonder. While some critiques mention the use of clichés and overemotional character actions, many players find the experience fulfilling and powerful, leading to a strong sense of completion and satisfaction. Overall, the game successfully resonates with players on an emotional level, despite some gameplay limitations.

    • “This is wholesome, this is soothing, this speaks to our sense of discovery and wonder, and is making us feel good in all the good ways.”
    • “I really enjoyed my time playing as both the siblings in a small game restoring the power of nature over malice, listening to heartwarming and soothing soundtracks.”
    • “Very powerful and emotional game, wonderful.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while collecting achievements and items can feel tedious and time-consuming, the improved game design and mechanics enhance the overall enjoyment. Some players appreciate the opportunity to revisit levels for collectibles, but others feel that the constrained movement and abundance of items can make the process feel laborious.

    • “In the end, it was a little grindy to get all the collectibles and achievements, but once you finish the game, you can go back in to mop up the missing pieces.”
    • “There are even more collectibles than in the previous game. As a boomer, I didn't care at all for all that junk, and it looked tedious to walk back through full levels looking for things in the corners while the game limits your movement.”
    • “This soon becomes tedious, particularly if you were close to where you wanted to go before the game moved you, even with boat upgrades.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game exhibits notable stability issues, including bugs that affect movement and navigation, leading to frustrating moments when players struggle to find walkable areas. While the sailing mechanics show potential, they are hindered by glitches that disrupt gameplay flow. Overall, despite its aesthetic appeal and engaging story, the game's stability detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Bit buggy moving around, but other than that, it's a beautiful, enjoyable, and achievable game.”
    • “Nice story; the graphics are quite good, but there are glitches, and there are areas where you will shuffle around trying to find the area you can walk on, climb on, or cling to, which kind of breaks the flow.”
    • “The sailing gameplay would be decent as the boat has good weight to it, if it wasn't for the fact that it's buggy and doesn't register that you already pressed 'W' to go forward.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game lacks significant replayability due to its short length and a plot that feels repetitive and unoriginal, making it less immersive and engaging for players seeking to revisit the experience.

    • “However, like the first game, it doesn't really have any replayability.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers praise the character designs for their significant improvement over the first game, highlighting a strong visual appeal that enhances the overall character development experience.

    • “The character designs are stunning; they have improved so much since the first game.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making each decision feel impactful.”
    • “The depth of each character's backstory adds so much richness to the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

53% average critic score

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Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
8-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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