Soma Reviews

All my minor qualms with SOMA seem to fade away the further I get from actually playing it. That’s not to say that they’re not there, but so much more of what I love about SOMA has stuck with me over what I didn’t. Its hauntingly captivating world, its excellent sci-fi story with big, terrifying concepts, and its bitter ending have given it staying power in the horror game conversation over the last decade. The feeling of all-consuming hopelessness SOMA provides is something that no oth...

"Soma - The body as distinct from soul, mind or body." Given the very definition of the word "soma", Frictional Games’ latest title does its name justice. It explores themes rarely discussed through the medium of videogames. SOMA takes its time to make the player think about consciousness, its attachment to our own body and how our reality is only perceived the way it is because each of those things are constantly working in unity. In SOMA, we’ll find out what could happen when one of those things are removed from the equation.

With intelligent story telling and beautiful imagery, SOMA pushes the boundaries of traditional survival horror in new, psychologically thrilling ways.

SOMA contains an interesting world with wonderful atmosphere and aesthetic. The puzzle solving gameplay lends some variety while progressing the story, but never in a way that stands out on its own or provides a strong challenge. Finding all of the audio logs, reading all of the story bits is what’s most enjoyable about the game.If you are looking for a creepy, interesting narrative you’ll be pleased with the engaging world that Frictional Games created with SOMA. If diverse gameplay, interesting mechanics or traditional horror is what you seek, you won’t find what you are looking for with SOMA.

SOMA is a spectacular adventure game stuck in the jaws of a mediocre horror game.

Frictional Games, known as a leader in this genre, delivers a compelling story in SOMA that makes you question the essence of humanity. Layered with moral undertones, SOMA takes you on an intense journey that doesn’t let up, even at the very end. It stands out as one of the best-crafted survival horror games I’ve played in a long time—if not ever—despite the underwater setting being well-worn territory (as seen in BioShock).

Soma is an excellent combination of an emotionally driven story and high-octane tension, that is superbly brought to life with an immersing sound design.

SOMA is a survival horror game that is undoubtedly one of the best of the genre, and its setting and plot are shining examples of how to engage an audience. Frictional Games has done a great job in sustaining their horror game reputation through narrative alone, by way of a game that's filled with probing questions of the soul and helped along by an engrossing plot. While the monster encounters feel forced and are certainly a weak point of the game, it does little to lessen the experience.

If you’re looking to get your pants scared off, SOMA may not be the game for you, but for those who appreciate its brand of subtle horror, it is truly a masterpiece. Leaning towards the cerebral, the narrative has been set up to make you ponder all of the dialogue and question every decision, even one that moves you forward. It’s a thought-provoking story wrapped in a stunning package.

Frictional Games has stood up to the challenge – SOMA is by far the biggest, most scary and elaborate project of the Swedish studio. However, it got lost in its fundamental premise.

SOMA tells an interesting albeit convoluted story but is a chore to play through.

SOMA is a truly excellent gaming experience, with the only flaws coming from your own personal expectation. If you’re expecting a game as terrifying as Amnesia and without any adventure game-style puzzles to solve you might have some complaints, but SOMA is still scary, dripping with tension and heart-stopping moments, and it’s easier to find the items you need to solve puzzles than in Amnesia. It’s the story and world of SOMA that is the highlight though, with a compelling storyline th...

Frictional Games returns to survival horror with SOMA. Here is our review!

What lies beneath.

While it is an enormously satisfying and well-crafted game, SOMA never managed to convince me that its themes and plot were in tune with its more traditional first-person frights. It scared me and it gave me cause to think about some of the issues raised, but now that I'm done, I doubt it'll stay long in my mind, or plucking at my nerves.

No summary available

SOMA is a sustained exploration of an original and thought-provoking idea. The concept of artificial intelligence has been explored by lots of science fiction, so it isn’t unique in that regard, but it makes particularly intelligent use of video game conventions to present those familiar ideas in new and surprising ways. At 12 hours long, the story feels a little stretched, especially when so much of its gameplay feels less original than its ideas. That’s not to say it’s scares aren’t effective or intense but I found myself drawn to its quiet moments in which its philosophical yet unpretentious storytelling is allowed to breathe without interference from unintuitive puzzles and monsters that can’t be manipulated.

All the stumbling around trades away any sense of suspense. It's hard to feel scared of monsters after you've walked circles around them several times. Not even tricks like suddenly switching off the lights saves the mood. Soma does a great job of making me feel lost and frustrated. Perhaps too good.

I’ve never played a game that’s affected me as much as SOMA, and to be honest I’m not sure I want to ever again, although I’m very glad I did. It has the DNA of movies like Alien, 2001, Sunlight, and Event Horizon, with a splash of the original Dead Space and Bioshock, but brings plenty of new ideas to the table. It makes you think about what it means to be alive, and indeed how you classify life, and is a brilliant example of just how far video games have evolved.

SOMA is a suspenseful and frightening journey to a mysterious underwater research facility that keeps players engrossed till the credits roll. While it might not be as scary as its marketed, its science fiction setting and compelling narrative make for one of the more memorable gaming experiences this year.