Frictional Games Presents SOMA – Available Now

We were always suspicious of last year’s supposed survival horror renaissance. Unfortunately, the voice acting can be very hit or miss at times. While stealth gameplay and navigating around these patrolling horrors are advised, SOMA doesn’t fully punish you for being caught, which I appreciate. It’s one that encapsulates the isolating, unnerving nature of Frictional Games’ all-new title SOMA, which debuted across PlayStation 4 and PC today with a launch trailer to boot. The only real problem with the game’s story was its ending, although, in a way, that probably had more to do with the fact that it had one than that it didn’t fit well with the rest of the game. SOMA copies that at first, but within a few hours it’s given you most of the answers. Unlike Amnesia, where enemies felt like a true threat everywhere you went, it was hard to feel likewise in SOMA; getting the impression that you were being stalked from a distance rather than being hunted down by nightmarish beasts. Although it has those too. Set in a spectacularly immersive setting and supported by masterful sound design, SOMA is solid evidence that the Swedes are still in total control when it comes to horror. The themes and trappings aren’t anything new: You play as Simon Jarrett, a man who suddenly and mysteriously wakes up in an underwater research lab that’s been taken over by a corrupt artificial intelligence and its army of biomechanical zombies. It’s chilling horror done right; the sort of lingering, psychological stuff that sits in your brain, wriggling in your subconscious for ages afterwards, not the cheap-thrills jump scare horror that’s become so popular. Bizarrely, and quite unexpectedly, once the credits rolled and I’d seen all the game had to offer, I was left pondering some big questions. Of course you are not entirely alone on your journey, as you find assistance from a scientist named Catherine working in the underwater base.

But where things break down somewhat is that there’s rarely any simple way to deal with the monsters. “The radio is dead, food is running out, and the machines have started to think they are people”, reads the description. I feel nearly afraid to speak any details at all, in fear of ruining aspects of the story, but it is a narrative that will be better enjoyed by playing it with no prior information. And while they’re certainly scary they don’t quite make the jump to engaging video game enemies.

Enter the world of SOMA and face horrors buried deep beneath the ocean waves. There are a few puzzles that revolve around more complicated interactions but they’re there for atmosphere more than they are a genuine obstacle. You can use certain objects to draw the attention of enemies away from your location, but this does not guarantee survival. Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. However, Frictional Games is known for toying with the perception of others, so as you progress through the story you’ll definitely have some necessary soul-searching conversations with your mystery confidant.

SOMA’s quieter (but no less creepy) moments are actually a positive for me, as I’m not usually a huge fan of survival horror. SOMA is not just a horror game, it’s a nightmarish commentary on the possible future of humanity. Even with what SOMA was doing to me at this point, I was in for even more terrifying monsters to come, I just didn’t know it yet. While the game ran relatively smoothly most of the time, there were several sections that nearly stuttered to a halt and numerous Quake-like loading screens that felt like they popped up everywhere.

Pros: An intelligent, well-written script that has important things to say about morality and identity. The spectacular set pieces and goosebumps-inducing sound design help SOMA reel you in hook, line and sinker.