SOMA Reviews
While it is an enormously satisfying and well-crafted game, SOMA never managed to convince me that its themes and plot were in tune with its more traditional first-person frights. It scared me and it gave me cause to think about some of the issues raised, but now that I'm done, I doubt it'll stay long in my mind, or plucking at my nerves.
SOMA is a survival horror game that is undoubtedly one of the best of the genre, and its setting and plot are shining examples of how to engage an audience.
If you're looking to get your pants scared off, SOMA may not be the game for you, but for those who appreciate its brand of subtle horror, it is truly a masterpiece. Leaning towards the cerebral, the narrative has been set up to make you ponder all of the dialogue and question every decision, even one that moves you forward. It's a thought-provoking story wrapped in a stunning package.
Soma tells an affective tale and carries the horror genre a few steps forward. Had Frictional shown the courage to shake off tradition entirely, it could have carried it further still.
Overall, SOMA is a great achievement in the survival horror genre due to its story.
SOMA is a worthy successor to Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and sits among the best video game stories of 2015.
SOMA is a suspenseful and frightening journey to a mysterious underwater research facility that keeps players engrossed till the credits roll. While it might not be as scary as its marketed, its science fiction setting and compelling narrative make for one of the more memorable gaming experiences this year.
The plot is compelling, the presentation is generally very good, and the conclusion is outstanding. But all of these achievements will be tempered if you're looking for the kind of scares that defined Amnesia: The Dark Descent.
While I still think Amnesia takes the cake for scare factor, everything else in Soma is done better here Story, visuals, and the soundtrack are superb and top tier from Frictional at this point. One of the best sci-fi stories I've ever experienced in a videogame and one that can get under your skin.
SOMA had the tools to come together to be something special, but like some of the AIs and machines in the game, it's not quite a complete product, but still quite enjoyable nonetheless.
A thought-provoking journey that creates tension with its brilliant audio work, SOMA lacks some of the jump scares found in other survival horror games, but offers new ideas that keep you totally immersed.
SOMA is a good horror game that does most things well, but more than that, it is an exceptional science fiction tale that no genre fan should miss.
SOMA is a survival horror game that shows us a bleak future on several levels.
SOMA is a fantastic example of perfectly pitched atmosphere. Its gripping sci-fi mystery make for a uniquely effective experience that puts story above cheap jump scares.
It's an interesting experience that shows at the same time how Frictional is trying to break out of their mold but simultaneously held back by it, and I hope they can stretch out even further the next time around.
Soma is an exceptionally-compelling story, told in ways that are both innovative and very traditional in turn. It takes you from the highs of puzzling where you're interrogating the back-up of a long-dead technician repeatedly until you manage verisimilitude to the lows (in terms of innovation, not in horror) of yet again skulking behind a table waiting for another insta-kill monster to wander by.
Frictional Games has attempted to merge sci-fi horror with a philosophical investigation into the mind-body problem.
All in all, SOMA is a fantastic game. From the detailed world in which it takes place, the engaging plot, and the perfect amount of creeping terror and suspense, there's a lot to love if you're into horror.
Despite the issues outlined above, most horror fans will have a good time with SOMA. Frictional Games have shown us time and time again that they are masters of telling a scary story; this time, without the crutch of plentiful jump scares. SOMA is a game that can cause you to question your humanity, if only for a few moments. It's just a shame that the HPL Engine 3 was not up-to-snuff for the PlayStation 4.
Ultimately, SOMA provides a unique tale of sci-fi horror that is unlike any of its contemporaries. While it's fun to get the heart racing while being chased down by a huge robot set on dismantling you, it's the narrative parts of SOMA that left me thinking about it long after completion.