Shinsekai: Into the Depths
By Chad Sapieha,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Underwater apocalypse adventure has a resourceful hero.
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Shinsekai: Into the Depths
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What’s It About?
SHINSEKAI: INTO THE DEPTHS shows us a world decimated by climate change. A lone aquanaut -- potentially the last remaining human -- lives beneath the frozen surface of the ocean, attempting to survive by scavenging what he needs from underwater ruins. But at the game's outset, the ice suddenly begins encroaching on his humble habitat, forcing him to figure out ways to dive even deeper. The adventure is set in a two-dimensional side-scrolling underwater world, which our hero navigates by walking, jumping, and boosting via oxygen tanks. Players have to be careful, though, since oxygen is a precious resource not always easy to replenish. Our little hero must also be cautious around sea life, including aggressive sharks, jellyfish, and anemones, that need to be fended off with weapons such as a harpoon gun. But the bulk of the game's spent exploring, scouting for supplies and suspicious-looking spots on the sea floor that may contain valuable minerals that can be mined and used to upgrade your suit, including its ability to withstand greater pressures so that you can dive ever deeper, explore new areas, and potentially decode more of the mystery of what happened to the world and its people.
Is It Any Good?
This moving action game has a slower, almost poetic pace. Shinsekai: Into the Depths' story slowly unfolds over half a dozen hours in an inhospitable world. It's a beautiful realm, with gorgeous water and air bubble effects and enthralling underwater sounds complemented by atmospheric music. But it's also dangerous. If the encroaching ice or intense pressure doesn't kill you, a nasty fall or an aggressive aquatic creature might. Our hero faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles in his quest to survive, but he never gives up, using a mix of wits to work out solutions to contextual puzzles and brawn to take on the deadly fish of the deep. Using air canisters to boost through the water is handy and fun, but the constant need to replenish oxygen means you have to be careful in choosing when to use them. It's not an easy game.
That's why it's better experienced using a traditional controller -- either on Switch or on a mobile device with a Bluetooth gamepad. Jumping, boosting, and floating are hard enough on their own without adding finicky touch controls to the equation. Aiming on a touchscreen can be tricky, too -- especially while moving. Add in a confusing opening hour, when players are provided scant instructions, easily getting themselves stuck and unable to progress, and some people are bound to grow aggravated. If you can play with a gamepad, it becomes a much more accessible experience, leaving players free to fully appreciate the thoughtful narrative while gracefully moving around the sea floor. Shinsekai: Into the Depths is a smart and bold take on side-scrolling adventures, and it's well worth a look for players interested in an adventure with more than just button-mashing action.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about screen time. Which devices do you tend to use most? What do you use them for? If you had to cut one device from your life, which would it be, and why?
Shinsekai: Into the Depths imagines a world suffering a climate-based catastrophe, but what sorts of changes can we make individually and as a society to help offset or reverse humanity's impact on the environment?
Game Details
- Platforms: Apple Arcade , Nintendo Switch
- Pricing structure: Paid (Also available through Apple Arcade, a subscription service that costs $4.99 per month.)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Capcom
- Release date: March 26, 2020
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures , Ocean Creatures
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Last updated: April 6, 2020
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