Shinsekai: Into the Depths

 Switch
Shinsekai: Into the Depths Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 31 Ratings

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  • Summary: Capcom presents a fresh and original undersea exploration game, filled with unique visual and audio experiences for you to discover. The land has slowly but steadily been covered with ice, forcing mankind to take refuge in the ocean. Even the sea cannot protect them forever. The iceCapcom presents a fresh and original undersea exploration game, filled with unique visual and audio experiences for you to discover. The land has slowly but steadily been covered with ice, forcing mankind to take refuge in the ocean. Even the sea cannot protect them forever. The ice overtakes the undersea home of a lone aquanaut, forcing an unplanned journey of exploration and discovery. Take control and follow a mysterious mechanical creature ever deeper... Could there be others still living on so far beneath the surface?… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Cubed3
    Mar 1, 2021
    90
    How Shinsekai: Into the Depths breezed under the radar isn't really a mystery, given it released around the launch of Animal Crossing, but let it be said: this is truly an underrated classic. With a fantastic gameplay loop, intriguing world design, and silent but compelling plot, this proves to be an absolute powerhouse of a title on the Switch. It deserves a hearty recommendation and then some! Capcom once again proves that it makes games of an incredible quality, and can provide a truly unique and wondrous experience.
  2. DarkStation
    Apr 13, 2020
    80
    Shinsekai could have been a true classic if it were more willing to embrace what makes it unique and shed some aspects which feel like they're here because someone wanted to check something off a list. Still, even what's here is a beautifully controlling platformer with a unique and haunting atmosphere. Shinsekai is worth taking a dive for, even if it could have been more.
  3. Noisy Pixel
    Mar 31, 2020
    80
    It’s clear Shinsekai was ported from mobile as many textures just don’t look right on the big screen, but aside from this and the few glitches involving NPC movement, it blew me away. Those looking for an addicting, charming, and, at times, unsettling adventure on the ocean floor will find precisely what they’re looking for with this game.
  4. Worth Playing
    Jun 19, 2020
    80
    The best compliment that we can give to Shinsekai: Into The Depths is that it feels like a well-done indie game. Exploration is the game's big hook, since the environments, secrets, and floaty movement encourage looking around, while combat works most of the time but isn't the main focus of the experience. There's a good balance between exploring at your leisure, maintaining your stats for survival, the boss fights, and the dwindling resources in the late game. Although the extras aren't enough to entice Apple Arcade subscribers to double-dip, everyone else will enjoy this adventure from beginning to end.
  5. SpazioGames
    Mar 31, 2020
    78
    Despite the look and feel, Capcom's Shinsekai: Into the Depths is less focused than desired on metroidvania gameplay and more on pure exploration; world's size is a bit too little for that purpose, but still quite satisfying.
  6. CGMagazine
    Apr 24, 2020
    75
    A lovely aquatic adventure that doesn’t play as well as it looks.
  7. Nintendo Enthusiast
    Apr 13, 2020
    70
    Shinsekai: Into the Depths is a game worth playing. Its large world is addictive to explore, its oxygen mechanics are innovative and create dramatic gameplay moments, and its audio is a real delight. However, the flow of gameplay is regularly disrupted by weird annoyances like excessive fall damage, a helper robot who doesn’t help, and menus that are a little too cumbersome to navigate comfortably.

See all 23 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. MuffpuffZeBuff
    May 10, 2020
    10
    This is one of those ‘hidden gem’ games that people miss out on because nobody talks about them. It is a beautiful game with a beautiful soundThis is one of those ‘hidden gem’ games that people miss out on because nobody talks about them. It is a beautiful game with a beautiful sound design and visuals. While there are some limitations due to the systems available, they really try to push what the can do with a platformer.

    It is basically the beautiful underwater level of game expanded into a full length game and darker (but in a realistic way not in a cheap gore slasher way). It is a simple game so it is hard to go into depth about it, but consider giving it a shot.    … Expand
  2. Televangelist
    Mar 31, 2020
    10
    I've played exactly one underwater Metroidvania before, and that was Aquaria, which was fun but it was basically 'Ecco the Dolphin, but makeI've played exactly one underwater Metroidvania before, and that was Aquaria, which was fun but it was basically 'Ecco the Dolphin, but make it metroidvania'.

    Shinsekai is... not that. You are not native to the underwater world. It is a hostile environment with unknown rules to you, and one misstep can have catastrophic consequences. I'd actually compare it to the movie Gravity, in the sense of your being pitifully human in an environment seemingly designed to eat humans alive.

    I normally hate physics in platformers, but it works wonders here -- it's not a cheap puzzle element, instead you have to take into account things like landing softly when you leap to avoid damaging your oxygen tanks or breaking your suit open. You emerge into the game not knowing how to do any of this, and routinely meet pitiless death as a result in your first few baby steps, but after the first hour you really start to get the hang of it. Even as you get a better sense of things, though, you always respect that the game has you dancing on top of a knife edge.

    The atmosphere and pacing is incredible; this doesn't feel like a phone game, it feels like a proper Switch title. Hats off to the team that put this together.    … Expand
  4. H1senberg
    Mar 30, 2020
    9
    An absolutely fantastic game from Capcom of all places. Not known for indies, this game ends up epitomizing what it means to be a “hiddenAn absolutely fantastic game from Capcom of all places. Not known for indies, this game ends up epitomizing what it means to be a “hidden gem”. As of March 30th, 2020, this fits into my top 3 games of the year to this point.
    There’s a story here if you’re looking for it...kind of along the lines of how you unearthed the story of Hyper Light Drifter as you played...with no actual dialogue. No handholding here, it tosses you in straight away as soon as you start a new game.
    Gameplay is fun, with unique and very well thought out mechanics. The visuals are quite good for a lower budget, and the audio is utterly mind blowing with its crazy good sound effects and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Headphones highly recommended. Apparently the sound effects were actually recorded under water to catch the realism to the sounds.
    So glad I took a chance on this after watching the Nintendo Direct.
    I could go on about how it doesn’t just check the boxes that great games need to, but it goes beyond checking boxes, it nails them, creating a game that’s hard to put down and leaves me contemplating it when playing anything else.
    What I can’t seem to do is put my finger on just what it is that Shinsekai does so incredibly well. It’s a kind of intangible charm that I find myself unable to describe...the sort of thing that the best games have that make them unforgettable long after watching the end credits.
    Buy the game, in my opinion you won’t regret it. It raises the bar for indies on the Nintendo Switch.    … Expand
  5. CruelPanda
    Mar 27, 2020
    8
    Very original and creative game. Love the music and atmosphere. I downloaded this game after the direct mini and was not sure about theVery original and creative game. Love the music and atmosphere. I downloaded this game after the direct mini and was not sure about the quality but it is excellent.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

96
#96 Best Switch Game of 2020

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