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.
