This seems to be a beloved game but I must say I'm rather underwhelmed by it. Some bewildering plot holes aside, it includes frustratingly long sequences with nothing interesting to do and which add nothing at all to the narrative. It feels like there are entire levels that the developers decided to leave out or perhaps cut due to budget reasons (like the totally unnecessary scene of firing the cannon). At least cutscenes can be skipped. Another thing that turns me off is the final boss battle. I know that some players love bosses but I can't stand them - once again, I find them simply long, tedious, arbitrary and with no value to the story. Basically they feel more like doing lines at school (you will shoot this on that spot three times for no reason at all). Having said that there is also some really great shooting with both stealth sequences as well as times to just go in all guns blazing. There are some cool weapons too and I found the player's characters (William Blaskowicz) surprisingly relatable and likeable. On the other hand, the main villain, General Willhem Strasse, seems undeveloped and just cartoonishly evil. Of course in a world that has seen Dr Mengele, we know that a mad Nazi scientist can indeed be insanely evil, but there was probably room to make Strasse more intriguing than just the designated bad guy.
Ron Gilbert is in sparkling form in this goofy mystery tale. From the get-go, which feels like something half-way between an X-Files episode and the Stepford Wives, to the final "twist", which we of course see coming but it only makes it more funny to see the characters being shocked as they make the discovery, there is never a dull moment. It's just a shame that the creators opted for a retro style, with an old-fashioned UI with its list of verbs and the pixelated graphics. Of course it was a deliberate decision - and obviously it fits with the game itself - but unfortunately it means that Thimbleweed Park will never stand on its own. It will always be regarded as a mere tribute to the genre classics - when with a less deferential treatment it should and would be a great classic itself.
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.
