SOMA

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 618 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 493 out of 618
  2. Mixed: 76 out of 618
  3. Negative: 49 out of 618

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  1. jakeman25
    Sep 22, 2015
    10
    I love Frictional Games work. Amnesia was a classic, this game comes 5 years later and feels like a true successor to what they have been working towards. It's an awesome game with a very mature, thought-provoking story that you'll wanna see through to the end. I won't spoil anything but you are in for a treat... Enjoy! 10/10
  2. SS_Talon
    Jul 29, 2017
    4
    Even though the game is unique in terns of its sci-fi story, it is rather tedious and very frustrating most of the time. Video games should be fun and this is not. I would definitely pass up this game up, even if it's on sale. Not worthy of the overall strong reviews it has received. If you're interested in this game, watch the playthrough on YouTube, rather than waste your time withEven though the game is unique in terns of its sci-fi story, it is rather tedious and very frustrating most of the time. Video games should be fun and this is not. I would definitely pass up this game up, even if it's on sale. Not worthy of the overall strong reviews it has received. If you're interested in this game, watch the playthrough on YouTube, rather than waste your time with this boring dreadful game.… Expand
  3. LagJ
    Mar 24, 2017
    7
    Soma is a very interesting game which tells a compelling and provoking sci-fi story that must be experienced with headphones in the dark. I can't stress enough how brilliant the sound effects are. The game has one major drawback holding it down though - the enemies. I've never been scared but bored at the same time before - it's a strange feeling.
    The noises that they make are    Soma is a very interesting game which tells a compelling and provoking sci-fi story that must be experienced with headphones in the dark. I can't stress enough how brilliant the sound effects are. The game has one major drawback holding it down though - the enemies. I've never been scared but bored at the same time before - it's a strange feeling.
    The noises that they make are stress-inducing but the actual gameplay mechanics to avoid them are extremely dull. It's either running away aimlessly hoping you don't end up in a dead end or cowering in the dark waiting for them to go away. There's even one enemy that gets triggered if you take more than a half-step, which means you spend half an hour traversing around it.
    There's a mod on the PC version to make the enemies stop aggroing you. Frictional I like you guys but this is a clear indication that you need different focus groups.    … Expand
  4. KvltKitty
    Jan 31, 2017
    9
    While the scares weren't quite what I anticipated, this did not disappoint me as the narrative is one of the best I have ever seen. The pacing of this game is phenomenal. When you begin the game you are hurled into a different world that makes you question reality. Initially, it seems like maybe your character has lost his mind. The plot is very slowly, and deliberately, revealed toWhile the scares weren't quite what I anticipated, this did not disappoint me as the narrative is one of the best I have ever seen. The pacing of this game is phenomenal. When you begin the game you are hurled into a different world that makes you question reality. Initially, it seems like maybe your character has lost his mind. The plot is very slowly, and deliberately, revealed to you and the true nature of your new existence becomes clear. I have honestly never had a game give me such an amazing mental experience. Get this and play it start to finish over a couple days.… Expand
  5. Feeder16
    Mar 20, 2016
    9
    Wow I've just got to this amazing game and the ending had a tear to my eye.

    Amazing story based game with puzzles and stealth elements thrown in. The only gripe I had was the super sighted monster at the back end of the game!

    True amazing experience.
  6. owmynose9000
    Feb 22, 2016
    9
    SOMA is a unique standalone horror experience that is driven by its excellent narrative and environment. This game was an experience that drew me in instantly and had me marathon right through it. The moral and philosophical discussion that is the underlying plot of the narrative fit so well as the character makes their way through a dark and depressing world. The fact that the world lacksSOMA is a unique standalone horror experience that is driven by its excellent narrative and environment. This game was an experience that drew me in instantly and had me marathon right through it. The moral and philosophical discussion that is the underlying plot of the narrative fit so well as the character makes their way through a dark and depressing world. The fact that the world lacks humanity so obviously and
    that the protagonist Simon questions it so often was interesting. The world of PATHOS-II is littered with humanity's failed attempt at creating a new world and in turn giving up on what it means to be human by abandoning the human body in a physical sense. Simon's philosophical struggle with the fact that he is no longer human makes for especially outstanding moments as we see him lose hope for a possible future in his predicament. He questions his own moral decisions often throughout his unusual journey where the right decision is never obvious. The goal of the journey is to transport Simon and Catherine's beings artificially into a pod which will launch into space, allowing them to leave the underwater nightmare world of PATHOS-II and live uninterrupted in an artificial paradise where they will find a new meaning to their lives altogether. This journey and the moral conflicts that compliment it are why SOMA is such a unique experience with an excellent narrative. It stands out in the genre and as a beautifully written narrative.    … Expand
  7. jtlats
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    Wow! Finished last night(Only played at night so the darkness would add to the atmosphere) and loved it!
    The questioning, the mood, the stellar designs, amazing!
    I had just finished Outlast, picked up SOMA, and feel SOMA did it better. The no fighting, just run and hide, is a great mechanic and unlike Outlast I could actually hide. Gah, sit in a locker for 2 minutes, can't see or hear    Wow! Finished last night(Only played at night so the darkness would add to the atmosphere) and loved it!
    The questioning, the mood, the stellar designs, amazing!
    I had just finished Outlast, picked up SOMA, and feel SOMA did it better. The no fighting, just run and hide, is a great mechanic and unlike Outlast I could actually hide. Gah, sit in a locker for 2 minutes, can't see or hear anything, open the locker and... Bam, guy is right there. Stupid. In SOMA, that never happens.

    The ending is also done amazingly well and makes you feel bad for the Protag. I understood what Catherine meant and wasn't upset but the Protag did not and freaked out. Leaves me wondering how long he will survive...    … Expand
  8. noahbruhh
    Feb 19, 2016
    8
    I thought this game would be far more SCARY than it turned out tone , thats not to say the game is completely barren of frights, no it does have jumpy moments but the real accomplishment here is the brilliant philosophical story about AI and treacly asks the question , what are we as human beings? The only complaint I have is the graphics are a bit sub-par.
  9. ipou
    Feb 26, 2016
    8
    For me it's a straght horror game. I'm a horror fan and I think Soma is rather scary. I love the storyline, this game could make you feel different emotions. Especially sad ones ;). The levels with monsters, when you have to hide and lurk.. sometimes i didn't believe there's a way to hide from monster, it felt like bad level design. But I' not sure about this :). Anyway it's a good game,For me it's a straght horror game. I'm a horror fan and I think Soma is rather scary. I love the storyline, this game could make you feel different emotions. Especially sad ones ;). The levels with monsters, when you have to hide and lurk.. sometimes i didn't believe there's a way to hide from monster, it felt like bad level design. But I' not sure about this :). Anyway it's a good game, with a deep message inside. Respect for this to the devs! Hope to see Amnesia remake on ps4 some day... dreams.… Expand
  10. tomvs123
    Nov 11, 2020
    5
    A decent game, but a lack of cohesion between its parts and its not-so-well executed main theme keeps it from being great.

    This is another "good story" game I've tried out in my quest to find the best writing that video games have to offer. I wasn't expecting a run-and-hide survival horror game, but there's actually not much of that here. You'll spend most of your time walking    A decent game, but a lack of cohesion between its parts and its not-so-well executed main theme keeps it from being great.

    This is another "good story" game I've tried out in my quest to find the best writing that video games have to offer. I wasn't expecting a run-and-hide survival horror game, but there's actually not much of that here. You'll spend most of your time walking place-to-place, finding objects (essentially keys) that unlock the next section. Occasionally, a monster or ghost will be patrolling the hallways and you'll need to look away or hide before you can continue going about your business.

    To avoid spoilers, I can't say much about the story. I will say that the setting of a research facility in a damaged world is at least interesting, although not very unique. If you've played Half-Life, Doom 3, or Bioshock, you'll see many gameplay and setting similarities here.

    Unfortunately, the game takes the conveniently-placed, -timed, and -drafted email/audio recordings approach to telling its story, even though you essentially have an all-knowing companion with you who could tell you most of those things. Believability takes a big hit when you frequently come across over-explained emails and audio recordings of things that people wouldn't normally record. But I suppose the target audience is teens and people who don't actually work in research facilities.

    As for the monsters and ghosts, they simply don't fit well within the story and world. Why they're here, why they want to kill you, and why they like to show up right when you pick up a particular key doesn't make much sense. Though I hear this is typical in survival horror games, so this probably won't bother fans of the genre. They seem scary enough; at least my kids were scared while I was playing. Though I preferred to walk right up to them and get a good look and let them kill me, just to see what would happen.

    In most cases, you actually get two chances to escape from monsters. The first time, you get knocked out and get back up with the monster having disappeared. You don't normally have to reload until they knock you out a second time. This at least helped distance them from the story somewhat and made them seem more like dumb bullies than an actual threat. Well, except for that one section where after you take a particular action, you must accurately and precisely run from the monster through a maze to make it to the next section. At that point, I was a little disappointed that I couldn't switch to easy mode mid-game. So I ended up spending a good 10 minutes mentally mapping out the correct path to run to get past that section. This wasn't the best design choice to improve immersion.

    And finally we come to the main theme of the game, which I can't say outright due to it possibly being a spoiler. It's existential in nature and any sci-fi nerd would have already come to terms with this after contemplating a popular mechanic in Star Trek. Our protagonist, however, has not. He even gets a huge preview of what's about to happen to him and he still throws a tantrum at the end of the game when it actually happens. Well, it's okay that our protagonist isn't very smart, but our researcher/scientist companion should be, right? Unfortunately, she's no Neil deGrasse Tyson, and botches the explanation to our protagonist, which leads to his tantrum. Though if you're an average-intelligence person who doesn't consider existential ideas, I could see how this could be relatable and even amazing to you. Just don't expect this to impress any consciousness or existence philosophers/researchers.

    I spent the last several paragraphs explaining why I don't think the game is great. Though by no means is the game bad. It's interesting enough, even for the most intelligent players, and is at least pretty to look at. It's likely perfect for people who like the genre and can't get enough of it.    … Expand
  11. Grayscale
    Aug 14, 2016
    9
    So before you consider getting this game there are some things we need to get out of the way. Are you a horror fan expecting a horror game? If so, this game is less of a horror game and more of an exploration game(similar to bioshock in appearance, but without any combat) where you are essentially piecing together a story that yields a grand conclusion. It still can be very frightening atSo before you consider getting this game there are some things we need to get out of the way. Are you a horror fan expecting a horror game? If so, this game is less of a horror game and more of an exploration game(similar to bioshock in appearance, but without any combat) where you are essentially piecing together a story that yields a grand conclusion. It still can be very frightening at times. If you don't like horror games this game is fairly light on the jump scares, although there will be a few moments, its all definitely all relative.

    With that stuff being said, I don't care what type of gamer you are, you should play this game, especially at the price tag. I was very quickly sucked into one of the most interesting stories i have seen in a game in a long time with an amazing ending that kept me thinking about it for a very long time after playing it. I love this game and I am highly willing to bet you will too if you finish it, especially if you enjoy cerebral stories and any elements of sci-fi or any elements of horror.

    Give it a chance, I'm willing to bet you will not regret it.    … Expand
  12. SubmergedSnake
    Aug 25, 2016
    9
    After finishing this game I felt obligated to tell others about it. It's a fantastic game, albeit not for everyone. If you enjoy a game with a good, engaging and thought-provoking story, look no further. It tackles a theme rarely seen in video games. Once the end credits rolled, I just sat there, in awe: never before has a game had such an impact on me.

    At it's core, SOMA is a    After finishing this game I felt obligated to tell others about it. It's a fantastic game, albeit not for everyone. If you enjoy a game with a good, engaging and thought-provoking story, look no further. It tackles a theme rarely seen in video games. Once the end credits rolled, I just sat there, in awe: never before has a game had such an impact on me.

    At it's core, SOMA is a slow-paced. story-driven horror game that raises questions about our very existence. Go play it. You won't regret it (unless you're into games like COD, then this game will go way over your head).    … Expand
  13. Lewis-Angelo
    Dec 31, 2019
    3
    una historia entretenida y con matices, plantea dudas y genera curiosidad

    los puzzles son demasiado simples, la IA es un cachondeo, y el apartado técnico es patético y lamentable
    difícil recomendar un juego que llega a marear
  14. OvercastGamer
    Sep 24, 2016
    8
    Marketing for SOMA, Frictional Games’ in-house follow up to Prussian hide-and-seek sim Amnesia: The Dark Descent, may have had you brush it aside as nothing more than a well-realised bit of Bio or System Shock fan fiction. You’d be right, but the comparison only goes so far before SOMA strays from its spiritual brethren, mostly in the right ways.

    The game’s milieu is an eerie stretch of    Marketing for SOMA, Frictional Games’ in-house follow up to Prussian hide-and-seek sim Amnesia: The Dark Descent, may have had you brush it aside as nothing more than a well-realised bit of Bio or System Shock fan fiction. You’d be right, but the comparison only goes so far before SOMA strays from its spiritual brethren, mostly in the right ways.

    The game’s milieu is an eerie stretch of seemingly endless ocean and the inner passages of stations dotted about the sea floor. Much like Amnesia, SOMA’s true skill lies in letting your imagination run wild, and with something as boring as a bit of coral now putting a lump in your throat, it’s evident the fifteen-strong Swedish developer have continued to hone their craft.

    Barnacle-riddled wreckage forms aquatic tombs on the seafloor. Traipse the depths and ponder the nasties lurking within – this is where SOMA thrives. The inside areas of the game are a web of corridors with dodgy wiring and compartments whose austere sheen wouldn’t seem out of place aboard the Nostromo. If the ocean brews unease, the rooms and passageways damn well steep it, giving an immense feeling of entrapment and another reason to hold your breath as you dart between rooms and sift the possessions of a suspiciously absent crew.

    SOMA isn’t groundbreaking in its gameplay, opting for the ‘twist this, pull that’ blueprint (intercut with mad dashes from unthinkables) we’ve seen countless times. Computer terminals, audio logs and scraps of paper highlight extra bits of information but, for the most part, aren’t mandatory. This DIY storytelling isn’t anything new either and games of this ilk rarely work unless morsels contribute something substantial to something worth pursuing. Thankfully, SOMA’s central mystery will have you scouring crusted hulls until your eyes bleed.

    A mood as thick as molasses and a story asking all the right questions, SOMA should be an inescapable experience. Unfortunately, technical limitations are obvious and the PS4 can’t quite bear all the dust, rust and aquatic homicide. Outside areas see frame rates take a dive and checkpoints come part and parcel with short freezes – great for catching your breath, not so much for building immersion. The game also locked up completely after a few particularly intense set pieces, leading to moments of unforeseen horror as I caught glimpse of myself in the TV. These moments weren’t app killers but definitely detracted from an otherwise excellent white-knuckle romp. It’s uncertain if similar issues exist on PC, but in this instance, the PS4 does simply seem unable to handle all of Frictional’s lovely screen furniture.

    Not without flaw, SOMA’s story elevates it from what has come before. Frictional Games have crafted a terrifying but thoughtful experience and a true fascination of wonder and darkness. Much like Amnesia, horror enthusiasts will fall madly for SOMA, and technical hitches aside, you’d be doing yourself a grave disservice to stray from its madness.    … Expand
  15. ArthurMason
    Apr 4, 2017
    9
    Soma is an atmospheric, complex game that combines excellent visual and audio design with a compelling narrative. The world is chock full of lore and information and the enemies, though not as scary as those of its big brother Amnesia, are varied and well spaced apart to give the player time to enjoy the rich environments that are dotted with challenging puzzles. The dialogue isSoma is an atmospheric, complex game that combines excellent visual and audio design with a compelling narrative. The world is chock full of lore and information and the enemies, though not as scary as those of its big brother Amnesia, are varied and well spaced apart to give the player time to enjoy the rich environments that are dotted with challenging puzzles. The dialogue is occasionally slightly clunky and themes are forced into odd conversations, but make no mistake; this is a superb experience and a well crafted, polished game.… Expand
  16. jebe
    Dec 8, 2015
    10
    I loved this game. It got me hooked for the story (about 12 hours) and the world itself is very compelling. It has some tense moments until you find out how to escape from them. The story even surpasses the one in Amnesia. For an horror games fan, this is a must. I give it a 10 because is one of those games that remains in our head after finishing it.
    Great work Frictional Games.
  17. MetroidHunter
    Sep 23, 2015
    10
    I played this yesterday, i'm about half way through, and to be honest it really isn't that scary, the monsters are more annoying than scary, but in all it's still amazing and I would highly recommend that if you can, play it.
  18. JayLightBar
    Sep 29, 2015
    8
    A lovely horror experience, that could have actually been a bit better without the horror. With a story that's extremely interesting and deep, and gameplay that you expect from Frictional, Soma comes off as a step up from their last game in all departments and is an enjoyable experience that any horror fan should go through at least once.
  19. TheBiasedTruth
    Sep 24, 2015
    8
    Thank god for developers, like Frictional Games, that are willing to take the time to explore more complex themes and ideas. SOMA isn't perfect, but once the screen fades to black for the last time it more than makes up for any deficit.

    This was not the game I was expecting. If, like me, you have only glimpsed some early build trailers then clearly the design changed. Placed underwater,    Thank god for developers, like Frictional Games, that are willing to take the time to explore more complex themes and ideas. SOMA isn't perfect, but once the screen fades to black for the last time it more than makes up for any deficit.

    This was not the game I was expecting. If, like me, you have only glimpsed some early build trailers then clearly the design changed. Placed underwater, amongst the remains of humanity, you must come to grips with almost a century of change, and ultimately redefine the term human. Talking robots, mechanized humans and corrupted marine life all play their role in convincing you that something has gone horribly wrong.

    Frictional maintain a number of elements from their previous outings, including physics based puzzles. Almost any object can be grabbed, dropped and thrown; levers can be pulled; wheels can be twisted; doors pulled or pushed open. The concept lends a welcome tactile nature to the story which, sadly, falls back on a familiar trope -- your all alone, EXCEPT for a voice to guide you. While you identify the owner of the voice, and ultimately take on their objective as your own, it still feels like a commitment to revealing the story through environment and atmosphere would have strengthened the isolation, making searching out information a puzzle in itself.

    The look and setting of SOMA will bring obvious comparisons to Bioshock, but it's tenuous link at best. Skulking through the confined, industrialized corridors of Pathos 2 feels far removed from the Art Deco inspired, living spaces afforded to Rapture. No guns and plasmids, only exploring and hiding.

    Worth a special mention is the sound design, music and voice acting. Certain games lend themselves to headphones more than others, and you would be doing a disservice not to use them in this case. The effect is universally excellent in creating a sense of place, whether the groan of stressed metal or the muted, calm of the seafloor.

    Previous Frictional releases have relied on enemies to provide constant tension and scares, leaving you cowering in darkened corners. SOMA's mechanized enemies don't appear as frequently, and tend to be solo when they do, but I personally found them to be frustrating. My main issue was their completely random nature -- in one example I was left with the enemy blocking my only way forward, unresponsive to sound or light, and refusing to budge until I ran at it, died and restarted past that point. While they are fitting to the story and environment, I couldn't help but feel they may not have been necessary, and instead the developer felt pressured to include them.

    There are some other issues, I experienced, that may or may not concern others. Loading times are looooong (up there with The Witcher 3), with intermittent loading occuring at strange intervals. Pacing is slower in the first half than the more compelling second. Objectives are not marked which leads to wandering and backtracking trying to find items and puzzles to solve.

    The best test of the success of an idea is how it stays with you afterward. Like The Last of Us, SOMA has remained with me since finishing, debating the choices I made and trying to reconcile the events into chronological order. The game isn't perfect, none are, but if an interesting story, wrapped in an absorbing atmosphere and sprinkled with puzzles is your thing, then its an easy choice.    … Expand
  20. CntrlAltDel101
    Oct 2, 2015
    7
    I enjoyed this game. I don't understand the 9s and 10s it's getting though.

    If you are looking for scary then this isn't the game for you. If you're looking for a thought provoking puzzle solver then this might be the game for you.
  21. Furtin
    Sep 25, 2015
    10
    Don't watch youtube videos of SOMA - experience it!
    The story is mindblowing and must be one of the best in the past decade. Outstanding, thought-provoking stuff. It might seem at first like an Alien Isolation meets Doom3 clone. And it might be true regarding spaceshiplike setpieces and fear of monsters but it's not. It is set in a very credible world of it's own.
    Negative: Yes, the    Don't watch youtube videos of SOMA - experience it!
    The story is mindblowing and must be one of the best in the past decade. Outstanding, thought-provoking stuff. It might seem at first like an Alien Isolation meets Doom3 clone. And it might be true regarding spaceshiplike setpieces and fear of monsters but it's not. It is set in a very credible world of it's own.

    Negative: Yes, the loading times are way to long for a 2015 game, as well as the singledigit framerate drops, which really is unforgivable and unnecessary on the PS4 and I hope for a patch.

    But none of the above should let you miss out on this great experience of a game!
    The story and atmosphere is GOTY material. Oh, the ending!!!    … Expand
  22. brokenOne
    Sep 28, 2015
    10
    Horrifying, intensely emotional, captivating. These are all things that i had experienced whilst playing this game. SOMA is the first game i have ever played that has caused me to cry from emotional sadness. What does it mean to truly be alone? What happens when there is no one around but you? What does it mean to be alive and be a part of the experience that is human? These were questionsHorrifying, intensely emotional, captivating. These are all things that i had experienced whilst playing this game. SOMA is the first game i have ever played that has caused me to cry from emotional sadness. What does it mean to truly be alone? What happens when there is no one around but you? What does it mean to be alive and be a part of the experience that is human? These were questions that i found myself asking after playing this game.

    I found myself genuinely concerned for Simon. And the ending hurt really badly. This game will be on my mind i am sure for quite some time. It is in my opinion a master piece of story telling and horror. But this game played with my emotions as a human because we are extremely social creatures and as the story goes on you can tell Simon really just in the end doesn't want to end up alone. I think that is a big message in this game. That helplessness of being alone. Fighting for our survival no matter how futile it might be. Trying to be... Alive.. Human?... This game has given me a lot to think about and it is truly a masterpiece.    … Expand
  23. lifehunt
    Feb 25, 2017
    1
    Couldn't play more than an hour of this game. A mind numbing, boring experience. Uninteresting setup for the story and terrible voice acting, Gameplay more or less consists of flipping switches.
  24. adam000
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    this game is a thoughtful, psychological horror/ sci-fi masterpiece. If you like deep storytelling, and heavy atmosphere then this game is made for you. The scariest thing about this game that it will make you think about life and death, and not in the happy way. there're far worse fates than just dying, it's not an easy game to just digest.
  25. C3realkillah
    Sep 27, 2015
    9
    This may be the most superbly written scifi horror game in history. I don't want to spoil it because it's a wild ride and deserves to be experienced first hand. The game is also very fun to play and beautiful to look at. The monster encounters for the most part are scary and horrific looking and provide plenty of scares and tense encounters or chases. The ai is smart and will react toThis may be the most superbly written scifi horror game in history. I don't want to spoil it because it's a wild ride and deserves to be experienced first hand. The game is also very fun to play and beautiful to look at. The monster encounters for the most part are scary and horrific looking and provide plenty of scares and tense encounters or chases. The ai is smart and will react to noise or if items are thrown or knocked over. The game can be hard at times especially getting lost and some of the puzzles are delightfully ingenious but they are still fun. The game will make you think about your very existence and question what it means to be human similar to the system shock series. The story is amazing and very well told and paced. Everything you do in this game makes sense wether you are gathering supplies to power a super suit or finding data chips and transferring simulations on to it. I haven't seen collectibles or items done this well in a while. The only complaints I really have are that the game has crashed on me a few times and once I fell through the map also the load times are pretty long but nothing game breaking. Overall Frictional games have really outdone themselves and created a brilliant smart horrific and beautiful horror game. I highly recommend this to any horror fan.… Expand
  26. Spyros_spy
    Aug 9, 2016
    8
    I only got it because it was on a sale but the experience was unique. The game was pretty good overall. Sounds, music, graphics were nice. The only thing I couldn't stand was that if you get hit by an npc the screen blurs so much that after a while you might get a headache if you don't find a heal. It was the only reason I was pausing the game. Apart from that I was really hooked up.
  27. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 26, 2015
    9
    SOMA
    A Canadians worst Nightmare
    Soma is a survival horror game where you play as a Canadian in his late 20s what could possibly go wrong perhaps you could wake up 1000 years later and everyone around is gone.. or robots.. or both.. or neither and the fate of humanity is in your Canadian hands. Like Bioshock, SOMA takes place underwater and is terrifying and relaxing simultaneously.    SOMA
    A Canadians worst Nightmare
    Soma is a survival horror game where you play as a Canadian in his late 20s
    what could possibly go wrong
    perhaps you could wake up 1000 years later and everyone around is gone.. or robots.. or both.. or neither and the fate of humanity is in your Canadian hands.
    Like Bioshock, SOMA takes place underwater and is terrifying and relaxing simultaneously.
    The game is so varied and well-paced that even getting scared half to death is actually fun.
    There’s no telling what if anything lurks behind the corners as you make your way through sea and buildings throwing switches and solving the problems thrown at you.
    There are mechanical monsters of all variation in SOMA, these encounters keep you on the edge of your seat and are forgiving enough to not make the game ever feel frustrating.
    While these encounters are terrifying, you’ll rarely die if caught, you’ll only be much slower and have blurred vision, which leads to a very casual friendly experience.
    To shake the blurriness you can find these weird monster mouth things to stick your hand into… or monster butts.. or something else.
    I’m not sure what these are but they heal you.
    You’re given no weapons in SOMA, if a monsters around, your only options are to turn off your flashlight and hide, try to sneak past them, or run as fast as you can while a fluid thirsty alien looking robot is chasing you down the halls, just try not to run into a dead end, or you’ll meet your dead end.
    The majority of the gameplay though is trying to create a domino effect of unlocking doors to proceed to the next section of the game and soak in all of the information you can about this world you’ve woken up in.
    What makes Soma so great though is that the story is always being pushed forward.
    Back tracking hardly exists, and when it does it’s in a very confined space.
    Of course you’ll have to run back down stairs to open a door you’ve unlocked, but you never have to go back to areas you’ve completed in the game.
    Which leads me to the sea, the sea sections to me were really the most relaxing sections,
    I found the deep blue to be beautiful.
    There are very few threats out here and it does a great job of making the entire game feel connected and whole.
    I’ve never enjoyed being scared by anything until I played SOMA.
    If you’re a fan of horror in anyway, you owe it to yourself to play this game.
    For what it is

    Survival Horror:
    9/10

    Overall:
    8.5/10    … Expand
  28. heatonx23
    Oct 12, 2015
    9
    I didn't really know what to expect from this game, but it was excellent. The story, visuals, and audio create such an immersive experience. I highly recommend this game, especially for the price.
  29. Be_Objective
    Oct 29, 2015
    9
    If you want a game like Outlast in which the monsters and jumpscares are the main source of terror, then look away. However if you want to be unnerved by how far a game can go to make you question what is concience and humanity and the implications of these, then stop reading, stay away from reviews and buy this game.
  30. Sleepyday
    Sep 29, 2015
    9
    As much as I'd love giving this game a 10, it has some freezing and loadings which are annoying (I know, that's something to overlook since it is release). The game itself has a better story than I expected, not to mention the great DualShock and headphones functions which make the game more immersive
  31. Agarwel
    Oct 10, 2015
    9
    Great exploration game. Interesting well told story. Good pacing (i was never bored). Nice atmosphere. Decent length. Definetelly worth buying. Just dont expect horor game. This is not a horror. It is exploration with ocasional easy stealth parts. For me this was plus (you dont have cheap jump scares, unnecessary gore, etc). But someone why expects to be scared may be dissapointed.
  32. Served001
    Nov 13, 2015
    8
    The best horror game you'll ever play. The story is amazing and will leave the most unique emotional impact on you. I was amazed by the sounds, the graphics, the character interaction and mostly the fear of what's going to happen next. The monster design is superb, maybe not as difficult as Amnesia but having to solve a puzzle while being chased by one is no laughing matter. Some bugsThe best horror game you'll ever play. The story is amazing and will leave the most unique emotional impact on you. I was amazed by the sounds, the graphics, the character interaction and mostly the fear of what's going to happen next. The monster design is superb, maybe not as difficult as Amnesia but having to solve a puzzle while being chased by one is no laughing matter. Some bugs while exploring underwater sections were weird and little guidance to some easily miss-able keys is not present, which pull it away from a perfect score. Can't wait for more games from this studio.… Expand
  33. sariman
    Nov 19, 2015
    10
    i love horror and mysterious games. so that's the game. acceptable graphics. little lags some times, but it will not bother you. good story line. the game worth the price.
  34. Venegrad
    Oct 4, 2016
    10
    Для всех любителей научной фантастики к прохождению обязательно. Захватывающая и на мой взгляд уникальная история, приправлена отличным сюжетом и лором. Отличные головоломки, которые встречаются на протяжении всей игры. Игра точно знает, когда вас нужно пугать, когда нужно давать просто походить, и когда заставлять вас подумать. В целом игра отлична, и заслуживает почетного звания средиДля всех любителей научной фантастики к прохождению обязательно. Захватывающая и на мой взгляд уникальная история, приправлена отличным сюжетом и лором. Отличные головоломки, которые встречаются на протяжении всей игры. Игра точно знает, когда вас нужно пугать, когда нужно давать просто походить, и когда заставлять вас подумать. В целом игра отлична, и заслуживает почетного звания среди лучших игр, за всю игровую индустрию, спасибо всем, кто ее создавал!!! Моя оценка 10/10.… Expand
  35. CompLex_2kG
    Nov 4, 2015
    9
    I love this game so much. It's kind of like Alien: Isolation. I played on PS4 and SAVING, LOADING moments drops the Frame for a while... Voice acting is so cool by the way :)
  36. CriticsCave
    Jul 28, 2016
    10
    Philosophically horrifying...

    This game is hard, very hard. I'll say that right off the bat. There are very difficult monster encounters and some pretty annoyingly complicated puzzles in the mid section of the game. But if you manage to get through it, you will have something in your mind that won't stay away for a long time; something to think about very deeply. SOMA succeeds in all    Philosophically horrifying...

    This game is hard, very hard. I'll say that right off the bat. There are very difficult monster encounters and some pretty annoyingly complicated puzzles in the mid section of the game. But if you manage to get through it, you will have something in your mind that won't stay away for a long time; something to think about very deeply.

    SOMA succeeds in all usual aspects of a good game: It has a mesmerising yet sometimes creepy soundtrack, it has very satisfying gameplay (especially the function to pick things up), and it has a fantastic story accompanied by amazing voice acting with believable writing. The visuals might not be the best in the world, but they get the job done. The graphics in open water, however, are absolutely brilliant and couldn't look more believable.

    Here are some small cons that might be worth noting:
    -The game freezes for a few seconds every time it saves, which can be every few metres sometimes
    -Some of the monster AI can be a bit faulty. e.g. I was willing to commit suicide so I stared at a monster and it fascinatingly just stood there and then turned around.

    The cons are really almost nitpicking, and don't make SOMA any less enjoyable. This is a must play in my opinion, especially if you're looking for something deeper with a good, captivating storyline.

    And it's worth noting that this is technically an indie game, developed by frictional games, a 15-people development team, which makes SOMA even MORE impressive than it already is.    … Expand
  37. Lastlivingsoul
    Jun 26, 2016
    10
    Any score between a 7.5 and 10 for this game is fair. It was creepy, not scary. It has a slow start, the graphics were slightly underwhelming, and the acting was occasionally...subpar. That said, it is within my top 5 favorite PS4 games. The last thing I expected was to become some emotionally involved in the story. If you were ever obsessed with the writer Philip K. Dick, just get this game.
  38. Rosario
    Oct 11, 2016
    10
    Este juego merece un 10 por su planteamiento y modo de contar su historia. Que asco la prensa, Frictional Games al parecer no tiene la pasta para que la supuesta prensa experta lo llene de "dieces" en sus "reviews". No tiene los mejores graficos de la generación (aunque tiene momentazos) y en algunas pocas partes adolece de caídas de framerate (el 95% del tiempo va muy suave asi queEste juego merece un 10 por su planteamiento y modo de contar su historia. Que asco la prensa, Frictional Games al parecer no tiene la pasta para que la supuesta prensa experta lo llene de "dieces" en sus "reviews". No tiene los mejores graficos de la generación (aunque tiene momentazos) y en algunas pocas partes adolece de caídas de framerate (el 95% del tiempo va muy suave asi que tampoco es como para preocuparse) ; y sin embargo logra convertirse en uno de los mejores juegos que me ha tocado jugar en el ps4. Por fin una buena historia, ya echaba de menos la sensación. Buenos puzzles. Excelente desarrollo. Gracias Frictional Games… Expand
  39. ourtimehascome
    Dec 14, 2016
    9
    Horror is subjective, but I found this game to be scary. Besides that, it has one of the greatest stories told through the medium of video games. It made me question what I believe about what it means to be human, and it does this in the most original way possible. It's a true sci-fi narrative told in the way only video games can. The only problem I find is the A.I. of the enemies. NoHorror is subjective, but I found this game to be scary. Besides that, it has one of the greatest stories told through the medium of video games. It made me question what I believe about what it means to be human, and it does this in the most original way possible. It's a true sci-fi narrative told in the way only video games can. The only problem I find is the A.I. of the enemies. No matter what your interest in sci-fi, horror, or any other genre, you owe it to yourself as a human to give SOMA a chance.… Expand
  40. FromKanga
    Jun 15, 2017
    9
    Soma is a walking simulator horror game made by the creators of amnesia.
    Soma was a really weird experience to me because like I said, it's a walking simulator and I hate games like that (everyone's gone to rapture and outlast) so when I heard about this game, I wasn't exactly exited to play it...
    And to my surprise, I freaking loved it, this is officially my favourite story in any video    Soma is a walking simulator horror game made by the creators of amnesia.
    Soma was a really weird experience to me because like I said, it's a walking simulator and I hate games like that (everyone's gone to rapture and outlast) so when I heard about this game, I wasn't exactly exited to play it...
    And to my surprise, I freaking loved it, this is officially my favourite story in any video game, it's one of the smartest stories I have ever seen in any kind of media, this is the first game that kept me from sleeping at night, not because of "jumpscares", but because this story made me feel emotions I never felt before. It kept me with a unease feeling for days and I would recommand it just for the story.

    Now with that said, it's still a walking simulator and I know people hate calling games like that but I'm sorry, other than shooting a robot for 2 seconds and remove plugs, you just walk and run for 10 hours.
    BUT this is the first time I didn't mind this because it does actually make sense that this is a walking simulator because I really can't imagine having gameplay that would match perfectly with this game ESPECIALLY with this kind of story, so wasn't that big of a problem, it just means that this game doesn't have any replay value.

    But if you are looking for a story so good that it will give you chills in more than one occasion then I would highly recommend this game, if you can forgive the boring gameplay.    … Expand
  41. DreamEaglr
    Mar 1, 2017
    7
    Frictional Games удалось сделать великолепную игру с интересным сюжетом, который держит в напряжении во время всего прохождения, жуткую атмосферу и вновь преобразовать свой старый геймплей. Разочаровало в этой игре одно - как ни странно, это монстры. Они не пугают, а только раздрают. В остальном игра отличная и очень большой скачок для Frictional Games.Frictional Games удалось сделать великолепную игру с интересным сюжетом, который держит в напряжении во время всего прохождения, жуткую атмосферу и вновь преобразовать свой старый геймплей. Разочаровало в этой игре одно - как ни странно, это монстры. Они не пугают, а только раздрают. В остальном игра отличная и очень большой скачок для Frictional Games.
  42. ceoofyoutube
    Sep 1, 2019
    10
    I Love the Game I got it for free on ps plus free monthly games in December of 2018. The game is very unique because it's one of the few games that is a horror game that takes place in the ocean. The story is cool and the game Really has very scary enemies and the sounds they make are even scarier at times.
  43. Fersay
    Oct 6, 2019
    10
    For more games with philosophical point of view. This game mekes me think about myself existence! Such amazing piece of art
  44. Pounce
    Apr 24, 2021
    2
    I love the horror game genre, and this game came highly recommended from countless sources. Needless to say, I was very excited to try it out. However, I had a horrible experience during my playthrough. The praise this game receives is incredibly baffling to me. Rarely do I delete a game, but Soma has earned that honor.
  45. ezeric007
    Jul 19, 2016
    4
    Graphic's are good, sound is good, but the game play is kind of clunky like most Indie games, and the story is kind of cheesy which is what killed it for me. The guy has brain bleeds so he goes to see some two bit scientist that doesn't even have his own office, no education, or state certifications of any kind instead of going to a neurosurgeon which I found beyond ridiculous. Then theGraphic's are good, sound is good, but the game play is kind of clunky like most Indie games, and the story is kind of cheesy which is what killed it for me. The guy has brain bleeds so he goes to see some two bit scientist that doesn't even have his own office, no education, or state certifications of any kind instead of going to a neurosurgeon which I found beyond ridiculous. Then the scientist then straps him into a chair and he passes out only to wake up in a submarine. I read this site and thought I'd give it a shot but I'm incredibly disappointed so save your $20 bucks.… Expand
  46. epistm87
    Nov 11, 2015
    10
    slowly-unfolding story, and the choices you live with, make the experience one that will stay with you for some time mazing and I would highly recommend that if you can, play it.
  47. IndieFreak
    Dec 14, 2016
    10
    By far my favorite game ever. The horror doesn't come from the monsters but the ideas the game imposes on you and how you take those ideas. When you start to think about what this game really is about, THAT is when the horror starts.
  48. WeekBoxDone900p
    Sep 25, 2015
    10
    I love SOMA the detail, the story and all the amazing lighting. this game is full of excitement and I love all the characters and the cell phone use. I'm a proud PS4 Gamer and I'm glad this is a console Exclusive. On the PS4 this game will run you about $26.99 well worth the price
  49. TheDahaka
    Sep 27, 2015
    10
    This Game is absolutely superb and fortunately the PS4 port is very well done. It runs very smooth with the only drawback being semi-regular load hitching, which to me wasn't frequent enough to disrupt the flow of the game. The story is very engaging and the atmosphere spot on. At one moment you'll be on the edge of your seat wondering what dangers lurk around the corner whilst the nextThis Game is absolutely superb and fortunately the PS4 port is very well done. It runs very smooth with the only drawback being semi-regular load hitching, which to me wasn't frequent enough to disrupt the flow of the game. The story is very engaging and the atmosphere spot on. At one moment you'll be on the edge of your seat wondering what dangers lurk around the corner whilst the next you will be exploring a safe area soaking in the scenary. It's hard to say anything specific about this game without any spoilers so ifyou're wondering why I am being so vague that's the reason. If you're remotely interested in horror/puzzle solving, the do yourself a favour and experience this game.… Expand
  50. tdebug
    May 13, 2016
    9
    One of the best games I played recently. Very nice story! Graphics can be better - it's a pity developers didn't get more money for this game. Really stand out comparing to many recent PS4 titles , pumped with money and so got beautiful graphics but 0 gameplay and story (hello ubisoft).
  51. RedWulfr
    Dec 27, 2015
    6
    It doesnt matter how much i try, but there is something about Frictional Games that doesnt hit my nerve. The beginning of this game was a nightmare, had to spend an hour just to find my medicines and its a wonder i continued play at all after that. Its pretty relieving though, that you dont have to fight your way forward, but again, there is plenty of darlings these guys need to learn toIt doesnt matter how much i try, but there is something about Frictional Games that doesnt hit my nerve. The beginning of this game was a nightmare, had to spend an hour just to find my medicines and its a wonder i continued play at all after that. Its pretty relieving though, that you dont have to fight your way forward, but again, there is plenty of darlings these guys need to learn to kill in favor for the story, which in my opinion is too good for the technical implementation.… Expand
  52. Ajfiricano1
    Nov 3, 2015
    6
    The story was pretty good, but the game itself didn't draw me in as much as I would of hoped. The level design felt very repetitive and dull. If your hoping for a scary game than this might not be what you are looking for, I have played outlast and thought this game would be scarier since it's made by the makers of amnesia but SOMA fails in the horror department.

    Pros - 1: story is    The story was pretty good, but the game itself didn't draw me in as much as I would of hoped. The level design felt very repetitive and dull. If your hoping for a scary game than this might not be what you are looking for, I have played outlast and thought this game would be scarier since it's made by the makers of amnesia but SOMA fails in the horror department.

    Pros -
    1: story is compelling
    2: graphics are pretty good

    Cons-
    1: level design is repetitive
    2: scare factor is not all there    … Expand
  53. plotlesviolence
    Mar 1, 2016
    0
    OVERVIEW = 0
    A strong contender for the worst game ever made. Not enough gameplay to call it "stealth" or "puzzle," so it's closest to the "Walking Simulator" genre, with an awful story. I didn’t expect to like it, but a ton of recommendations convinced me to try it anyway, and in retrospect I have no idea what the recommenders were smoking.
    [CONTROLS/MECHANICS = 0] "Walking    OVERVIEW = 0
    A strong contender for the worst game ever made. Not enough gameplay to call it "stealth" or "puzzle," so it's closest to the "Walking Simulator" genre, with an awful story. I didn’t expect to like it, but a ton of recommendations convinced me to try it anyway, and in retrospect I have no idea what the recommenders were smoking.

    [CONTROLS/MECHANICS = 0]
    "Walking Simulators" are defined by the absence of gameplay, the 3D world existing only to showcase the plot, like an art gallery exists only to showcase 2D paintings in a way better served by an artbook. The experience can be faithfully recreated on Youtube, with branching videos for each choice. Calling these "games" is like calling footage of text crawling across a screen a "movie": it would have worked better as a book, just like Walking Sims work better as movies.
    Soma is somehow worse, in the sense that the barest whiff of gameplay is actually less enjoyable than zero gameplay: I prefer cutscenes to Quick-Time-Events because, if you're not going to offer real control, you might as well let me sit back and enjoy the movie instead of aggravating me with reflex testing.
    There are arguments to be made that "The Stanley Parable" because it relies so heavily on movement-determined choice, and "The Beginner's Guide" because its plot is about showcasing game worlds, justify their formats as games rather than sequences of videos. Rather than answer that question here, I'll point out that nothing in Soma, at least, justifies its pretense towards being a game instead of a video.
    (Physics Puzzle = 0) You can pick up, and throw objects, like Half Life 2's gravity gun without the "force pull" option. And unlike the 2004 masterpiece, the puzzles are all of the keyhunt variety. None of them do anything as interesting as HL2.
    (Stealth = ?) I quit before getting to the stealth portion, I'll admit that. But from what I saw on Youtube, you have basically no tactics other than running and hiding. If you want to call Soma a stealth game, it's going to have to compete against Metal Gear Solid V in that regard.
    Games like this are often called “horror,” as if identification with that genre somehow excuses the fact that you have no control options and are therefore weak. It wasn’t scary to me, but little is. It also wasn’t fun, and I have difficulty understanding why other people did find it fun.

    [PRESENTATION = 1]
    (Graphics = 7) I was really impressed with the graphics and textures for the machines and backgrounds. The human people look a little fake.
    (Visual aesthetics = 5)
    (Sound Effects = 5)
    (Voice Acting = 8)
    (Plot = 0) If Walking Sims are just movies presented in the wrong format, they can still redeem themselves if the movie is good. I have only ever played 5 games where the plot/cutscenes were good enough to stand on their own: MGS3:Snake Eater, Bioshock:Infinite, The Walking Dead: Season 1, The Stanley Parable, and The Beginner's Guide. By contrast, Soma has one of the worst plots I've ever seen.
    After I gave up on playing it, I finished watching all the dialogue on a Let’s Play, and it was almost unwatchable. The one plot thread is the philosophical question: when you copy your brain into another body, you are not “transferring” consciousness, you are just making a copy. It’s the same plot that was handled much, much better by the (still horrible) “The 6th Day” Schwarzenegger movie. That’s it. It’s a 5-minute short story padded and overstretched across a 9 hour game.
    It asks the question “What is identity?” but so does every other form of entertainment ever created. What it doesn’t do is ask that question intelligently, or offer any answers, or any competent discussions. There are only 2 characters and they only exist to restate and argue that same theme in the same way over and over. Even for a medium where plot is seen as an irrelevant distraction from the “good stuff” of action, and therefore as important as plot in pornography, this was bad. If it weren't for the fact that it was a Walking Sim, I would think the story had been shoehorned in as an afterthought.

    DESIGN = 0
    (Level Design = 2) Keyhunts were the worst part of every FPS; I would enjoy a bit of 1993’s “Doom”, kill all the enemies and then, bam, red door needs a red key, and now you have to check every single room for the next 20 minutes before you're allowed to have fun again. I only played Soma for an hour, and more than half of that was me being lost, trying to figure out what to press next to continue a story that would never pay off. Not fun.
    (Length = 9 hours, 75% padding)

    CONCLUSION
    Soma fails on almost every level. Even if you like Walking Sims, even if you’re willing to just watch the cutscenes, there is nothing worth your time here. I seriously cannot understand where the accolades are coming from. Dark Souls is probably a worse game, but only because DS is intentionally designed as poorly as possible to hurt its own players.    … Expand
  54. phoeniix23
    Sep 4, 2017
    0
    Lame boring artsy game trying to be smart/philosophical with crap run-away-or-hide-from enemies mechanics. Its more frustrating than engaging. Bioshock this is not and that game PULLED me in. Gone Home's story was intriguing. After reading so many glowing reviews of this game, I came away severely disappointed. Didn't finish this, stopped at Delta site where it just frustrated the heck outLame boring artsy game trying to be smart/philosophical with crap run-away-or-hide-from enemies mechanics. Its more frustrating than engaging. Bioshock this is not and that game PULLED me in. Gone Home's story was intriguing. After reading so many glowing reviews of this game, I came away severely disappointed. Didn't finish this, stopped at Delta site where it just frustrated the heck out of me with the back and forth trying to find stuff. Argh, so annoyed. Hellblade was SOOOO good. SOMA WAS SOOOOOOOO MEH… Expand
  55. Greggor
    Oct 2, 2015
    7
    The game play is pretty good. I like the way that you interact with the enemies in this game; they don't immediately kill you, but first freak out your display.

    The plot is pretty captivating, but it really makes you work for bits and pieces of the backstory rather than just handing it to you. I only ran into one gamebreaking bug, when my character phased out of the gameplay area    The game play is pretty good. I like the way that you interact with the enemies in this game; they don't immediately kill you, but first freak out your display.

    The plot is pretty captivating, but it really makes you work for bits and pieces of the backstory rather than just handing it to you.

    I only ran into one gamebreaking bug, when my character phased out of the gameplay area into empty space and I couldn't bring him back.

    Most of the puzzles and challenges are reasonable, but there are a couple that are asinine and that you don't really have any hope of getting without cheating or foreknowledge. I mean to say that I'm thinking of two specific parts of the game where you're going to be wandering aimlessly without knowing what to do.

    While the story of SOMA was interesting, it made me really uncomfortable in an existential sort of way. This isn't really the sort of philosophical quandary I expect to get when I'm playing a video game. I'm being serious when I say you should put this game down if you are troubled by thoughts about what happens after death and the future of the human race.    … Expand
  56. John_Mullins
    Oct 12, 2015
    5
    Same tired formula that has been done to death by dozens of other games with absolutely NOTHING new, exciting, or even interesting to talk about.

    Run down hallway, hide in closet. Run down hallway, hide under bed. Jump Scare. Run down hallway, hide in crate. Run down hallway, hide in closet. Jump Scare..... "scary plot"... Run down hallway...... hide... in... closet...    Same tired formula that has been done to death by dozens of other games with absolutely NOTHING new, exciting, or even interesting to talk about.

    Run down hallway, hide in closet. Run down hallway, hide under bed. Jump Scare. Run down hallway, hide in crate. Run down hallway, hide in closet. Jump Scare..... "scary plot"... Run down hallway...... hide... in... closet... ZZZzzzZzZZZZzzzZZZZzzz    … Expand
  57. Lodge1960
    Oct 11, 2015
    1
    Spending a frustrating hour crawling around identical seemingly endless corridors trying to find the room you accidentally left the key card in whilst being chased by what I am assuming is a severely pissed off burns victim. And this is fun - how?
  58. rodericrinehart
    Jan 30, 2016
    7
    The story and what it makes you think about is far better than the gameplay. I didn't do it, but after seeing themod afterwards, I highly recommend you play with the "Wuss Mode" mod because the enemies just get in the way of what I considered the core element of the game - exploration, story, and me just thinking about it all. The chase mechanics made all 3 of those things worse, soThe story and what it makes you think about is far better than the gameplay. I didn't do it, but after seeing themod afterwards, I highly recommend you play with the "Wuss Mode" mod because the enemies just get in the way of what I considered the core element of the game - exploration, story, and me just thinking about it all. The chase mechanics made all 3 of those things worse, so turning it off would make the game better in my opinion.

    What it says about humanity, consciousness, and what it means to be alive is terrific ... and terrifying - far more terrifying than the actual monsters.    … Expand
  59. Malooga
    Nov 12, 2015
    7
    I struggled a little with this score. If there was a 7.9 option I would take it, because that's where it falls for me, just short of a great game. Very much a lateral move from Amnesia, better graphics and lighting but story is convoluted and lacking. It seems to add meaningless depth to bit characters but surprisingly little clarity on the overall purpose of the protagonist. Much lessI struggled a little with this score. If there was a 7.9 option I would take it, because that's where it falls for me, just short of a great game. Very much a lateral move from Amnesia, better graphics and lighting but story is convoluted and lacking. It seems to add meaningless depth to bit characters but surprisingly little clarity on the overall purpose of the protagonist. Much less tense and foreboding, the atmosphere reminded me of a slightly less spooky Dead Space. Drab interiors come alive under excellent use of lighting, but at a closer look are still drab. For all that the game does a lot right, good movement mechanics and strong supporting characters/enemies. More focus on background and story even though you will be guessing until about hour 7 "just what the hell is going on?". Some people like that, but if Outlast or RE are any testament to the survival horror genre, its much easier to be scared of an enemy you are familiar with. At roughly 13-15 hours the campaign is a decent size, perhaps too long for the story they told. I found myself bored of the same routine of flip this, search this, fetch this that I expect more out of RPG and less from a survival horror game. 7/10, worth the look if you are a fan of the genre, but falls short of its predecessor.… Expand
  60. Rox22
    Jan 24, 2016
    6
    If anything I can see this game is really, really trying to be something different and do justice to the horror genre. However, for all its effort it falls a little flat.

    Visually the game is very pretty, but lacking in variety. Each area is just a more messier version of the last. You can see allot of effort went into the visuals, yet allot of it is shrouded in darkness. You can    If anything I can see this game is really, really trying to be something different and do justice to the horror genre. However, for all its effort it falls a little flat.

    Visually the game is very pretty, but lacking in variety. Each area is just a more messier version of the last. You can see allot of effort went into the visuals, yet allot of it is shrouded in darkness.

    You can pick up pretty much anything that isn't nailed down. Yet, why? There are perhaps only a handful of objects that are relevant to anything, so this feature feels pretty pointless.

    The Clock Tower-esque run and hide approach to "combat" was a novel one and did add a sense of "get the f*** out of here" to each area. But these sections start to get more and more frequent as the game progresses and just get disruptive and irritating by the end.

    It would have been nice if there was a map system as it is far to easy to get lost, especially in the outdoor sections.

    But not all I have to say is negative. The game does have a great story. It also tackles some deep ideas that will give you allot to think of.

    Overall:
    Soma kinda feels like Deep Space meets Bioshock 2 meets Clock Tower. There is clearly a good game here with great story and concepts, but it is kinda dragged down by to much clutter of underdeveloped ideas and manic pacing thanks to forced mechanics.Its faults aside, it's still worth playing through once.

    It's too expensive for what it is wait for at least a 50% price drop.    … Expand
  61. Nobilis1984
    Mar 19, 2017
    5
    Only here and there well.
    On the console the control is worse to. The opponents are too strong. Above all the opponent with the disco helmet annoys.
    Unfortunately, an irritating, excessively heavy play.
  62. chr1so
    Oct 21, 2019
    9
    Surprised me how much I ended up enjoying this game since it didn't get that much hype. It's a psychological thriller and sets a real dark, atmospheric mood that just sucks you in. Would recommend
  63. curzon_dax
    Jun 5, 2019
    8
    I think it was kinda overrated, but still great.

    1. I think gameplay could be more complex because most puzzles are extremely easy to the point of feeling like a walking simulator for most of the time. There are some exceptions but it's never hard and never enough. 2. The horror element wasn't done badly but personally I think it was a bit forced. It was relatively repetitive and    I think it was kinda overrated, but still great.

    1. I think gameplay could be more complex because most puzzles are extremely easy to the point of feeling like a walking simulator for most of the time. There are some exceptions but it's never hard and never enough.

    2. The horror element wasn't done badly but personally I think it was a bit forced. It was relatively repetitive and predictable, it did manage to scare little but it wasn't very pleasant. I guess it was also fan service.

    3. The story in general was the better part of the game, however it wasn't anything extremely revolutionary nowadays and the main character could have been a lot more intelligent.    … Expand
  64. Turbodowg
    Jul 8, 2017
    10
    If you are a fan of Horror and Sci-Fi games; SOMA is a must play. I bought the game in a sale around a year ago and payed little attention to it. I finally got round to playing and was totally drawn in by the unbelievably mind blowing story-line, beautiful but terrifying environments, fantastic voice acting and sound score and (at times) slick game design.

    SOMA is a game that you will    If you are a fan of Horror and Sci-Fi games; SOMA is a must play. I bought the game in a sale around a year ago and payed little attention to it. I finally got round to playing and was totally drawn in by the unbelievably mind blowing story-line, beautiful but terrifying environments, fantastic voice acting and sound score and (at times) slick game design.

    SOMA is a game that you will need to keep playing right to the end, it will keep you up at night due to the just-one-more-hour factor. The narrative is so intriguing and well written that the mystery of why you are under the ocean exploring the dark tunnels of abandoned research facilities keeps you fully engaged until the mind blowing climax.

    SOMA has one of the best narratives I have seen in any video game, it really is. I don't want to explain why because you need to experience it without any spoilers.

    The graphics are fantastic. The world that has been created deep beneath the ocean is magnificent. At times its a place of wonder and other it's one of your worst nightmares. Everything is detailed from the lush underwater environments complete with rusty abandoned underwater buildings to the dark other worldly landscapes at the bottom of a truly terrifying abyss.
    The interiors to the many research facilities are reminiscent of Ridley Scott's Alien. Everything seems lived in, worn and real. The many computer terminals have a retro vibe and the rooms and corridors give a claustrophobic feeling that adds to the dread.

    The use of lighting works wonderfully adding to the already creepy environments. The sound-score and effects also help with the ambiance. The creaking of metal adds suspense making you always aware there are thousands of gallons of water above you. Sound is always around you, bleeps, creaks, groans and moans keep you on edge even when safe.

    The game-play mechanics work well. Controls make sense and interacting with the environment is simple. Puzzles are entertaining and always have a reasonable and logical conclusion.
    You don'[t have any weapons so when you encounter any of the monsters or killer robots you have to use stealth and intelligence to outwit them, when that fails you may often find your self running in a blind panic.
    The moments when you are been stalked by a beast in the dark -under the ocean in claustrophobic environments - really do make the heart race. I literally screamed on a few occasions causing my wife to shout 'what the hell are you doing in there!' SOMA seriously delivers on the scares.

    There are not many negatives, there's the odd drop in frame rate but that's rare and doesn't greatly affect game-play. It also would have been nice to get gold and platinum trophies for going through such a heart pounding hell!

    So I highly recommend SOMA. It all adds up to create an unforgettable game and by far the best horror game I've played this Gen of consoles.    … Expand
  65. SunRider
    Nov 7, 2017
    9
    As I was always a fan of games with a horror theme, this was a truly great experience. Story is complex and interesting, atmosphere is more than suitable, graphic is great as well. For those ones looking for hardcore action, I would suggest to avoid the game, however if you're into immersive and catastrophic story / experience, this is a way to go. In my opinion, it's better and moreAs I was always a fan of games with a horror theme, this was a truly great experience. Story is complex and interesting, atmosphere is more than suitable, graphic is great as well. For those ones looking for hardcore action, I would suggest to avoid the game, however if you're into immersive and catastrophic story / experience, this is a way to go. In my opinion, it's better and more complex than Amnesias. Definitely looking forward to the next Frictional Games title of this genre.… Expand
  66. brandoncargill1
    Jun 8, 2019
    8
    Great game, I loved it! It explores some interesting questions about reality.
  67. badgerryan19
    Jun 19, 2017
    8
    A refreshing horror game by the creators of Amnesia. I had goosebumps the whole time playing this one. What an fascinating story told as well being played as a robot. What does it mean to be human?
  68. mustang8
    Oct 8, 2019
    10
    An existential crisis is taking place - 5000 meters below the ocean:

    Calling SOMA merely a horror game and comparing it to those who utilize one's defensive reflexes to tediously scare them, would be indignity to this masterpiece that is merely meters away from defining a genre. In SOMA, you need to find your way through an underwater observatory named PATHOS-II, with intriguing    An existential crisis is taking place - 5000 meters below the ocean:

    Calling SOMA merely a horror game and comparing it to those who utilize one's defensive reflexes to tediously scare them, would be indignity to this masterpiece that is merely meters away from defining a genre.

    In SOMA, you need to find your way through an underwater observatory named PATHOS-II, with intriguing characters, terrifying beasts and enthralling environments scattered around the journey.

    Monsters, creatures that spur as a mixture of our definition of a predator and an abomination are not the main devices used to scare the player in SOMA. In fact, it's quite the opposite.
    In SOMA, the idea of a monster is what terrifies the player. The fact that it could be right around the corner you're staring at, or that it could hear you placing that fuse and lash out at you any second.

    In SOMA, it is not a random generator that dictates whether your fate leads to victory or the belly pit of an agitated monster; it's entirely and only your actions. As the player, you need to overcome the terror induced by the agonizing screams coming from the beast next door to think, grab and complete your objective.

    Besides the frightening mechanics, SOMA does an incredible job of having the player feel like they are actually roaming an ocean floor sprinkled with aging yet top-of-the-line technological material. It does an excellent job of having the player feel free to (anxiously) go anywhere even if their path is a dedicated linear passage.

    Overall, SOMA is an ambitious yet brilliant game that both terrifies you through original and fun mechanics while exploring an extremely controversial subject regarding the human soul.    … Expand
  69. KayVen17
    Jan 1, 2019
    8
    Deutsche Review - Kritik Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. RegelnDeutsche Review - Kritik Der folgende Test ist in 5 Kategorien zusammengefasst. Diese 5 Kartegorien ergeben die Gesamtpunktzahl von 0 - 100 Punkten. Um einen passenden Userscore zu geben wird auf oder abgerundet. Bei 84 Punkten ergibt das einen User Score von 8. Bei 86 einen von Userscore von 9. Falls eine 85 kommt entscheide ich ob ich es eher positiv oder negativ nehme. Regeln verstanden? Dann sind hier meine Punkte.

    Punkte: 78/100    … Expand
  70. sjwilkin
    Jul 7, 2017
    8
    Awesome indie game. Thought provoking, terrifying, tense, mysterious, emotional and incredibly involving. Will stick with me for many months I suspect.... perfect amount of gameplay, story, difficulty, horror and length. I really do hope these guys make more and more and more games and focus more on the story side of things.
  71. vdanja
    Mar 23, 2020
    9
    I didn’t know what to expect, I pissed in my panties. Depressing and stressful horror.
  72. Alvokun
    May 17, 2019
    9
    The story is absolutely brilliant, a proof of what video games can actually narrate. In terms of gameplay it is also good, I do not mind that there is no action other than escaping from the monsters. Highly recommended if you are searching for a deep thought-provoking experience.
  73. AndersL
    Apr 12, 2017
    6
    I did like this game, but it was not enough of a game. Felt like 1/3 of a game. Interesting idea that could have been done better. Both the start and the end were satisfactory though, worth playing all the way through which is why I give it a 6.
  74. CoreGamer1408
    Oct 6, 2018
    9
    Ever played Penumbra Black Plague or Amnesia the Dark Decent? More of the same competent spooky slow paced walking simulator type deal with a few puzzles thrown in as normal to mix things up. I really enjoyed this for what it was you hide and they seek sort of deal. Very immersive the story, local and characters sucked me right into that world till the very end. Some general performanceEver played Penumbra Black Plague or Amnesia the Dark Decent? More of the same competent spooky slow paced walking simulator type deal with a few puzzles thrown in as normal to mix things up. I really enjoyed this for what it was you hide and they seek sort of deal. Very immersive the story, local and characters sucked me right into that world till the very end. Some general performance issues and the crappy auto save stuttering was a bit jarring. For those that are into story and atmosphere with minimalistic gameplay I suppose?… Expand
  75. brendo214
    Jun 14, 2019
    9
    SOMA was a wonderfully scary video game. Unlike a lot of horror games, SOMA did a fantastic job at not just being scary for the sake of being scary. There was a lot of nuance to how SOMA went about being scary.
  76. VityaSchel
    Oct 27, 2019
    9
    Нескучный сюжет, прошел без перерывов за 1 заход.
  77. Justmygaming
    Aug 15, 2018
    8
    I don't get scared easily by games and movies, but Soma and Frictional games as a whole manage to put the fear in me. This game is frightening and fun to play as it makes you feel powerless and weak, having to hide and hope an enemy isn't lurking nearby.
  78. 613th
    Jan 12, 2019
    8
    This game is not a horror in classic meaning, it is scares with other things. Sometimes being rather boring, having a lot of not really interesting and not usefull photos, computer docs and other infirmation the game just trying to be more longer. But almost all audiofiles and the blackbox of every deadman sounds interesting and even scare sometimes, when you realize all people's despair.This game is not a horror in classic meaning, it is scares with other things. Sometimes being rather boring, having a lot of not really interesting and not usefull photos, computer docs and other infirmation the game just trying to be more longer. But almost all audiofiles and the blackbox of every deadman sounds interesting and even scare sometimes, when you realize all people's despair.
    So with all game problems the main story is very exciting. Advise you to try, even if you are not a horror fan, like me.    … Expand
  79. Tasty_Jexess
    Dec 10, 2018
    9
    Amnesia meets Bioshock. It has an incredible story, Amazing atmosphere, Great sound, Lovely dialogues. A brilliant game that also makes you think about life. The only point of critique is the monster AI that seem a little off at times that could get you stuck at certain points.
  80. r4di8t0r
    Jan 2, 2019
    10
    Free on PS Plus for the month of December 2018, the game previews look intriguing so I downloaded it. It's difficult to put into words what this game is, because it would be an injustice to categorize it by associating it with other games. Sure, games like Bioshock, or Amnesia are throw about. But this is neither. As a lifelong gamer (I am 40 now) I've seen and played everything. But veryFree on PS Plus for the month of December 2018, the game previews look intriguing so I downloaded it. It's difficult to put into words what this game is, because it would be an injustice to categorize it by associating it with other games. Sure, games like Bioshock, or Amnesia are throw about. But this is neither. As a lifelong gamer (I am 40 now) I've seen and played everything. But very rarely does a game grab me and hold me for very long...Half-life...Portal....Demon's Souls...Bioshock (ok well there it is)....games that pull you in with their atmosphere, adventure, suspense, and puzzles to solve along the way. SOMA is one of the most engrossing, detailed, and probably underrated games to ever have been created. I could not get enough and can't say enough about this game. If you enjoy attention to detail, thinking, surprises, a great story, and solving problems, this game has it all. If you missed it when it was free, it is still worth the purchase. And after having played thru until the end, I am left satisfied, yet wanting more, with a single question: Why aren't all games being made like this?… Expand
  81. Blood8282
    Feb 23, 2019
    10
    After the great Penumbra and Amnesia PC horror games, Frictional Games have at last released a game on consoles ! While not a particularly scary game, Soma features one of the most mind blowing stories ever seen in a game ! That alone makes the game a must play! It features a lot of exploration, hiding from monsters and some puzzle solving, but the game’s core is getting immersed andAfter the great Penumbra and Amnesia PC horror games, Frictional Games have at last released a game on consoles ! While not a particularly scary game, Soma features one of the most mind blowing stories ever seen in a game ! That alone makes the game a must play! It features a lot of exploration, hiding from monsters and some puzzle solving, but the game’s core is getting immersed and discovering it’s dark and unforgettable story. Epic !… Expand
  82. miczat
    Apr 9, 2019
    9
    Intelligent concepts and story, an atmospheric game with a wonderful soundtrack, graphic and sound design. I'm glad they released the soundtrack on Spotify too.
  83. LarmusGaelWar
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    This is not just a game, it is truly a grandiose and epic book, with notes of philosophy and a lot of horror - in the good sense of the word. A large-scale developed world, over which you will think for hours after the end of the game. I am not joking this game is a masterpiece thet plunge you into the world like in a good book - and even better because you playing the character in theThis is not just a game, it is truly a grandiose and epic book, with notes of philosophy and a lot of horror - in the good sense of the word. A large-scale developed world, over which you will think for hours after the end of the game. I am not joking this game is a masterpiece thet plunge you into the world like in a good book - and even better because you playing the character in the game; made choose how to move and what to see or not to see.That requires talent and a lot of work to creat such game, so Thank You were much, you who made and support the game. SOMA will stay forever in my heart.… Expand
  84. Bader123
    Sep 21, 2019
    9
    Shdhudhuhhdudhduehdueheudeduehdhehdvdhdbedhhddhdhdhdhdhhdhdudhdhdhdddhdudhd
  85. 5150-Gonzo
    Nov 2, 2019
    9
    SOMA is essentially a walking simulator turned horror game. Similar to Outlast and Amnesia, but with far too many puzzles. The gameplay in this game is okay, it will have you occasionally running from monsters, solving puzzles, or searching through rooms and accessible areas to solve the puzzles. The game, like I said, is a walking simulator so you will spend most of your time walkingSOMA is essentially a walking simulator turned horror game. Similar to Outlast and Amnesia, but with far too many puzzles. The gameplay in this game is okay, it will have you occasionally running from monsters, solving puzzles, or searching through rooms and accessible areas to solve the puzzles. The game, like I said, is a walking simulator so you will spend most of your time walking around on the seafloor trying to figure out where to go. There is an option to play the game in a safemode, which makes it so enemies can't kill you. But the bread and butter with this game is the set pieces and narrative. Many people bag on this game and say it has rather ugly graphics, but I disagree and think this game has a beautiful and unique art direction that we just don't see in most video games. The story of SOMA is one of the best in modern gaming, I won't spoil much, but the character you play is essentially a robot who is stuck at the bottom of the ocean, won't say much more as the entire game revolves around WHY you're trapped on the sea floor. SOMA is an amazing game for horror fans, it's a most play for fans of games like Outlast and Amnesia. I will say, there are definitely people who won't like this game, and I recommend watching some gameplay videos too see what the game is like before making a purchase.… Expand
  86. painava
    Jan 15, 2020
    8
    Great atmosphere, story and design. Some tedious monsters, unexplained goals/puzzles.
  87. tiner1vg
    Feb 23, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. not a horror expert. especially the videogame counterpart, but dis game is pretty pretty pretty scary .. !!

    personally more enjoyable than amnesia... setting allows for a more dynamic experience than amnesia; moving from extremely claustrophobic bases to wide-open seabed. more variation in enemies/enemy mechanics too. good job of making u feel very isolated and alone. besides ur interactions with Catherine (which was always cool). a few trite dialogue moments, but overall its fine. va starts off shoddy (probably a dialogue problem still) but it gets better. characters are fleshed out thru existential dilemma which i thought was interesting enough. ending was great.

    atmosphere is 90% of horror imo. again, not an expert, but with these type of horror games i feel there isn't much too them but to explore, pick up items, solve puzzles, and hide from monsters. this isnee a bad thing, it just means dat if u dont nail the atmosphere then its easy for ur game to become boring. luckily soma is a game dat has atmosphere in spades. this game is amazing.    … Expand
  88. Jonneeyy
    Apr 4, 2020
    8
    Dieses Spiel bietet spannende Ideen, welche teilweise hervorragend und teilweise ok umgesetzt sind. Für Fans von Sci-Fi-Krusel lohnt es sich auf jeden.
  89. Nomax
    Apr 19, 2020
    10
    Игра понравилась практически сразу, по атмосфере напоминает Alien: Isolation. Интересный сюжет и твисты присутствуют ну и напугать она весьма способна.
  90. GetBreadDuck
    Aug 1, 2022
    0
    A boring uninspired walking simulator with a ultra cliche story. The monster and character designs looks like something from the early 2000s.
  91. drlowdon
    Jul 5, 2022
    7
    Having suffered life changing injuries in a car accident, Simon Jarrett agrees to undergo an experimental brain scan under the control of David Munshi. Upon regaining consciousness he finds himself alone in an abandoned facility with no knowledge as to how he got there.

    The survival horror elements become less scary and increasingly frustrating as the game progresses, but the foreboding    Having suffered life changing injuries in a car accident, Simon Jarrett agrees to undergo an experimental brain scan under the control of David Munshi. Upon regaining consciousness he finds himself alone in an abandoned facility with no knowledge as to how he got there.

    The survival horror elements become less scary and increasingly frustrating as the game progresses, but the foreboding atmosphere and interesting, thought-provoking plot ensure SOMA is worth seeing through to the end.    … Expand
  92. doodlerman
    Nov 17, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's an obvious twist you'd assume Soma is building up to, but Frictional knows that's what you think and floors you with what may be one of the most narratively devastating games I've played. While the latter half was genuinely scary, mindblowing, and tragic; the first half takes a while to heat up. You have many enemy encounters, but the weight of those encounters is hindered by the fact you may be thinking the whole game is just a dream. When you learn this is not the case, you may be wondering the logic behind some of the enemies' existence and ability to teleport (this is Sci-Fi after all), but there's a lot left unanswered by the end. I honestly love this. We never know the full nature of the WAU, but we do witness it corrupt things in violent and unpredictable ways. I love that each station has its own unique monsters, too, letting your imagination run wild on what lore could be behind them based on context clues in the scenery and computer logs. Gameplay-wise, it's similar to Amnesia - hiding from patrolling monsters while solving puzzles. I've heard some criticize the usage of these monsters - they even added an easy mode where you can't die in response to this, I presume - but I thought the narrative and its inclusion of monsters meshed very well. It even ended up being pretty freaky.… Expand
  93. nascent
    Jun 2, 2021
    9
    SOMA is a highly praised game, but after playing it, I believe it completely deserves this praise and accolade.

    To get it out of the way, there's a single negative I had with SOMA whilst playing it on PS4, frequent and disrupting FPS drops in underwater and frantic periods of the game. They weren't bad enough to make the game unplayable, but they really took me out of the game when    SOMA is a highly praised game, but after playing it, I believe it completely deserves this praise and accolade.

    To get it out of the way, there's a single negative I had with SOMA whilst playing it on PS4, frequent and disrupting FPS drops in underwater and frantic periods of the game. They weren't bad enough to make the game unplayable, but they really took me out of the game when they happened. I hope one day SOMA gets a PS5 remaster to bump up its graphics and optimize its framerate.

    So the plot of SOMA is great. Surprisingly it's somewhat similar to Horizon Zero Dawn, although different enough to not overlap in story arcs, plus as SOMA was years earlier, I can't discredit SOMA much for this.
    Plus they're both great games and both deserve playing.

    I found the characters, world-building, and overall plot incredible, and completely unforgettable. I grew to be interested in both main characters and became invested in the story as it progressed.

    The world is ugly and dark (by design), some of it is underwater, and the majority of the rest is in metal ships and buildings. It's hard not to notice it's similar in design to Bioshock, but again there's not enough overlap for the game to feel repetitive or overly similar. Plus as SOMA is much more of a horror, it would be better to compare it with Dead Space, which again is far different enough to avoid any overlap.
    The game itself is mostly suspese horror, as there are only a few moments in the game that actually have anything scary happen, but the suspense is fantastic and it's hard to ever get complacent or bored with it. The times actual horrific action takes place are fairly terrifying and can be very difficult to progress past. But they're infrequent enough to not be a chore and don't feel repetitive. These moments are very similar in style of Alien Isolation, but far more varied and less of a constant.

    I also feel like the freedom of choice within the game is pretty masterful. Many games try to give an illusion of choice and this tends to feel fake, or overly complex, and either leads to the player not caring, or caring too much and turning to guides to not miss anything. SOMA didn't invoke that for me, most choices didn't paralyze me in doubt, and the ones that feel important didn't make me feel that I'd miss out on anything if I chose "wrongly".
    Other games should take note how this is done.

    One minor niggle to note was I had no idea there was a run button for half the game until I reached a point I couldn't complete because I kept dying, there was no need to run until that point and no hint to indicate a run button existed. I ended up checking the controls and discovering the run when I kept dying without it. Modern games tend to give you hints about mechanics when you need them, this didn't. However saying that, SOMA didn't give any hints for the other buttons either, so I have no one to blame but myself. But feel that hints to introduce movements in games on the first level are fairly common now and would be good to add if the game was remastered at some point.

    One other point to note is that the game is very dark, visually dark.
    I don't typically like increasing brightness or gamma in horror games too much as it kills the immersion, but I literally couldn't follow paths or interact with objects due to how dark it was.
    The default gamma should probably be around 75%. At least such an option was available.

    Anyway, fantastic game, highly recommended. And I have a feeling I won't be forgetting it any time soon.    … Expand
  94. p1menta
    Jun 1, 2019
    7
    the story is really really good, but something bugged me the whole game. cant really put my finger on what that is, but the experience is really good
  95. MaxPayneIsGod
    Jan 12, 2020
    6
    Couldn't grip me enough.
    Nice aesthetics, otherwise a boring walking sim.
    The story is a too slow and ambiguous and I'd have rather known a bit more of what was going on a bit sooner.
    Good effort but remember, your audience's time is valuable.
  96. Heisenberg93
    Aug 31, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While I wouldn't spend much time on horror video games like SOMA, since I like real survival horror video games, I decided to give it a chance as the game was on big discount and still lauded among those who played it.

    SOMA's plot is well written in dialogues and deals with important and deep themes – which can really be summed up in "They are not us!" – and it does it well. PATHOS-II is a nice setting and feels like a "human lived" place. 2104's Jarrett's obsession with "surviving" is implied: he knows that the human 2015's Jarrett is dead and he is inwardly obsessed with being able to survive fate: a perfect copy of whatever he was that this time has to make it out alive. This becomes his goal on which he cannot accept compromise – hence "They are not us!". The plot puts the player in front of increasingly controversial and difficult situations. Some are about making a choice, some are not. I may have lost something along the plot (I don't think I did), but some questions are not answered. Second thing: does the game's ending really close out into a "it's a copy and paste, not cut and paste" arguing? Does really Jarrett, even after mind copying at Omicron, did not "accept" or "metabolise" what a mind scan and copy really is about? It seems surreal he did not understand that, at this point. If it was the first time, thus cutting off mind copying at Omicron, it would have made more sense and actually been more impacting (a plot twist at that point) but this way it looks a bit forced, nonsense and a missed chance.

    As I said I don't like "survival" horror video games about running around unarmed and fleeing from antagonists. I don't consider it an adequate gameplay philosophy for the genre and I will always be faithful to the Mikami formula. SOMA is part of this "new" type of horror games but it has a good point in its favour: it is scary. And it succeeds in this by creating tension, great horror atmosphere and genuine fear of the unknown. Game's puzzles help this design direction, even if they are simple and easy enough. Player character's movement is slow, sometimes even a bit woody, but it makes sense also given Jarrett's nature. He can still run since running away is what he does best. There is no real game inventory but only the ability to highlight objects Jarret is carrying around, which are always plot-related and rarely more than one at a time. There are areas larger than others but the game remains fairly linear. Game's interactivity is good and functioning of user interfaces (computers, switches) very immediate and in real time. I didn't like in-water sections, which I found rather confusing, boring and forgettable. The "digital distortion" effect in the presence of nearby enemies or particular moments is a nice gimmick but in many cases more annoying than pleasantly frightening. It would have been better to lessen its intensity. While most enemies are easily avoidable (because only this can be done), some are much less so and can become more problematic.

    Graphically, SOMA is a good-looking game. Nothing special but still a remarkable result for a team of less than 30 people who used a proprietary game engine. A good job has been done on the audio component too, essential in a horror game. As others have rightly pointed out, the game boasts really high level voice acting you would expect from AAA budget video games.

    SOMA surely is a game worth playing. It has a good well written plot and its gameplay, while really nothing special, is supported by a well crafted horror atmosphere which keeps up the whole thing. I must admit that I am happy to see a European production of this type and level. It's a game recommended for this type of horror games' lovers, but I would say even more classic survival horror gamers should give it a try.    … Expand
  97. ElleryHQ
    Jul 27, 2021
    8
    Симулятор ходьбы. Графика посредственная, интересных головоломок нет совсем.
    Ставлю 8 за интересный сюжет и оригинальный сеттинг.
  98. Tellus12
    Feb 14, 2019
    7
    Soma is an intruiging creature from the star. It's a kind of cross between Alien Isolation and Bioshock in the way that its set in an underwater complex and the run'n'hide mechanic is all you have to tackle the monsters. No guns or weapons beyond a brief electrical EMP gun at one stage of the game. It also blends the suspense and mechanics of the F.E.A.R games where you can pick up andSoma is an intruiging creature from the star. It's a kind of cross between Alien Isolation and Bioshock in the way that its set in an underwater complex and the run'n'hide mechanic is all you have to tackle the monsters. No guns or weapons beyond a brief electrical EMP gun at one stage of the game. It also blends the suspense and mechanics of the F.E.A.R games where you can pick up and move anything, and also knock absultely anything off a table and alerting horrible monsters to your location.
    The story is thought provoking despite dragging at the beginning, but it keeps you hooked somehow. The controls and graphics are quite strong for an indie game but the lack of interaction makes it one of those lonely games like KONA or The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. The narrative is told in a Bioshock style through messages, computers, letters and blood trails that you discover and ultimately morphs into a philosophical dilemma regarding future ife and earth. The ending, despite being a bit tedious, was ultimately well executed and it actually stayed with me for a few days after. There isn't much light at the end of the tunnel.

    I feel people saying that this game isn't scary are showing off a little. There are few people who wouldn't jump or convulse the first few times they are killed, and some of the monsters are particularly nerve wracking. It doesn't hold a candle to Alien Isolation on that front however due to the lack of interaction with the scenery like hiding in lockers and things. You generally don't fit under tables either.
    I enjoyed it more than I thought I would though. I was disappointed with the lack of trohpies on the ps4 version. No platinum or Gold, only silver and one Bronze. Some of the tasks were quite difficult and unnerving. Not the best indie game out there, but a damn good effort.    … Expand
  99. alexandrea
    Nov 25, 2021
    8
    I love horror games so much and this was very special and even a little scary in certain parts.
  100. BoSonOfPirate
    Dec 13, 2018
    9
    Best game from frictional Games. I loved this game. Very interesting story.
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Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best PS4 Game of 2015
35
#35 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
39
#39 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Attack of the Fanboy
    Dec 20, 2015
    90
    With intelligent story telling and beautiful imagery, SOMA pushes the boundaries of traditional survival horror in new, psychologically thrilling ways.
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  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Nov 16, 2015
    80
    SOMA's a fascinating interactive story that occasionally wants to murder you dead. [Dec 2015, p.86]
  3. GameCritics
    Nov 13, 2015
    65
    While SOMA never hits the highs of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, it's still largely decent in its own right. Some confused environment design and lackluster monster scenarios work against it, but as an atmospheric jaunt under the sea with a reasonable storyline behind it... well, it works pretty well. Faint praise perhaps, but praise nonetheless.
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