SOMA

If there was such as thing as "arthouse video games" this would be one of them. It's game that tries to provoke thought, disturb and question, more than purely entertain. I kept thinking about its story and some of its implications long after finishing it. The game itself is set in a fascinating and immersive environment but the realisation is uneven. Some scenes, particularly the long underwater hikes, are phenomenal, but parts of the various stations visited during the adventure offer vast areas where there is not much interesting to do. Another point I disliked were the enemies and monsters. Again, some are wonderfully designed and rendered and are genuinely frightening, but some (especially the most aggressive and dangerous ones) end up feeling more like an arbitrary irritating distraction rather than something that adds to the story. Like most games SOMA also fails to avoid some of the most tired old cliches: why does EVERY vehicle always have to crash or malfunction? Why does every incredible facility or structure always have to be falling apart? As an adventure game, SOMA is rather easy. For most problems the solution is literally staring at the player and the little logical puzzles are also solved very easily. But this is not Monkey Island; SOMA is all about the storytelling and the characters. All in all I highly recommend SOMA. If you are looking for an action-paced shooter or a Lucas Arts-style comedy adventure, this is not it, but if you enjoy a rich and intelligent plot, a wonderful yet terrifying world and characters that aren't black and white, and if you are willing to forgive the occasional game design weakness or a scene that is not as developed as it could be, then you won't regret buying this.

I had, for some reason, bought this game with the impression that it was a Lovecraftian horror title. It turned out not to be a cosmic horror game, but an absolutely fantastic sci-fi title with some very creepy moments. Like the best sci-fi, it uses its futuristic setting to explore deep questions about humanity and existence, and I think this might just be the most masterful accomplishment I've ever seen of that purpose in a video game. The storytelling is so immersive that you almost forget you're playing a game- it felt like I was simply living the experience. The characters are absolutely believable and well-acted, the plot is interesting and has unexpected depth, the stealth sequences are genuinely scary but not frustratingly difficult, and there are seldom easy answers to the choices the game throws at you. I would normally write much more when reviewing a game, but I don't want to give anything away- just get this and play it, you won't be sorry. It's an unforgettable experience.

Not so much a game in the usual sense as an interactive story with some light puzzle elements, but this isn't a bad thing in the slightest; the story is superb, as is the execution. The whole game is beautifully atmospheric and perfectly scripted, with a real sense of haunted melancholy throughout. As a novella or a movie it would be excellent, and as a game it's a must-play for anyone with a taste for the kind of philosophically astute science fiction that piques your sense of existential unease. Not so much a horror game as an "unheimlich" game, and one that will stay with you long after you've played it through. Absolutely recommended.

Amazing game that should be played without knowing too much about the story.

The writing in this game is so good that i can forgive the fact that the gameplay is pretty basic (a step down from Amnesia in this aspect), and that the segment with monster were clearly shoehorned because this is a Frictional game, and to appease streamers. The kind of terror one might from this game is much more interesting than monsters jumping at you, though: it's existential.