Submerged: Hidden Depths

There's no mechanics, really, to speak of. There's no combat for us to discuss. You can't even jump on command — only at specific places. Submerged is a chillout experience about exploration with a slight story and basically nothing else, and honestly, we're okay with that. Not everything has to be explosions or sad-times-my-kid-died-and-now-I've-grown-a-beard depressing drama. Pop on Submberged as a palette cleanser between more involved titles or as an escape from the horror of reality and you'll be fine. This is fine.

Given our memories of the first game, it would have been a miracle if Submerged: Hidden Depths had just been a merely fine distraction.

While your mileage may vary, and your perspective on the story can be widened through collecting more of the aforementioned diaries, I found that Submerged: Hidden Depths has nothing worth remembering even a few minutes after setting the controller down.

When I first played this game, I thought it bore a striking resemblance to Sea of Thieves. The game’s art style, sea exploration, and colour palette were very similar, but I was very wrong.

Submerged: Hidden Depths is an exploration game that aims to bring peace and tranquility to players. However, it is best not to try to finish this game quickly. Take your time, find the collectibles, explore everything to see, and complete the game. This is because there is a lot to see, a lot to take in, and a lot to appreciate here.

Submerged: Hidden Depths feels like what the first game should have been. The main story is more interesting now, but the ancillary story lacks gravitas since the game can spoil the ending for you. The actual gameplay is easy for anyone to manage, which makes for an enjoyable experience. Some of the stuff you're collecting now actually serves a purpose, even if it's cosmetic. The experience is short if you're just going after the main storyline, but it feels just right. For those who want the equivalent of a walking simulator with more to do, Hidden Depths is well worth checking out.

Submerged: Hidden Depths is the perfect game to play when needing a break from the more stressful or narrative intense experiences. Featuring a powerful orchestral score, relaxing exploration and puzzle solving, and a subtle yet interesting story about the bonds of family and the power of hope, Submerged surprised me and provided me with one of my favorite experiences of the year.

All in all, Submerged: Hidden Depths comes across at first glance as an intriguing adventure game with an even more intriguing world that practically begs to be explored. Technically speaking, however, it’s not quite as impressive, and the game’s “simplicity” can even feel a bit tedious at times. That said, the game undeniably offers a relaxing and soothing experience. If you decide to skip the side content and stick to the main path, you’ll be done in about three hours.

For the two protagonists of Submerged: Hidden Depths, Miku and Taku, the allure of a sunken abandoned city, taken over by a dark presence is too much to resist.

Submerged: Hidden Depth didn’t quite hit me as strongly as its predecessor. It is a more rounded and proficient take on the vision, but ultimately it is also the exact same vision as its predecessor and, this second time around, the impact just isn’t the same. However, it is still a beautiful, emotional and poignant bit of art, and we should all be sending our politicians copies to play. Otherwise, we’ll all find ourselves travelling around our crumbling, drowned cities soon. Just like Miku and Taku do here.