Soma Reviews

Leon Hurley

GamesRadar

November 28, 2018

A disturbingly different take on interesting sci-fi concepts let down by a slow start and disappointing monsters, but worth it overall.

Jason Eliason

Attack of the Fanboy

December 20, 2015

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

Elijah Beahm

Game Skinny

October 27, 2015

8/10

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

Keith Mitchell

The OuterHaven

October 1, 2015

8.5/10

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).

John Jacques

Game Rant

September 28, 2015

8/10

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.

Sarah Marchant

GamingTrend

September 24, 2015

90/100

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.

Anonymous

GamePressure

September 24, 2015

8.5/10

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.

Kyle Lawrence

TechRaptor

September 23, 2015

5.5/10

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

Joe Jasko

Den of Geek

September 21, 2015

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

Richard Wakeling

GameSpot

September 21, 2015

9/10

What lies beneath.

Steven Wong

ShackNews

September 21, 2015

7/10

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.

Tuffcub

TheSixthAxis

September 21, 2015

9/10

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.

Travis Huinker

Gaming Nexus

September 21, 2015

8.8/10

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.

Chris Capel

GameWatcher

September 21, 2015

9/10

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...

Adam Smith

Rock Paper Shotgun

September 21, 2015

Unscored

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.

Daniel Krupa

IGN

September 21, 2015

8.1/10

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...