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SOMA (PS4)
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Publisher: Frictional Games.
Developer: Frictional Games. Released: September 2015. Genre: Survival Horror. Other versions: PC; XONE. Posted 16th November 2021. By Shane Battams © 2021 |
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As survival horror enjoyed something of a renaissance in the 2010s, many saw Frictional Games as the figurehead of this new movement as their Penumbra and Amnesia series’ made waves on PC. SOMA would finally bring their brand of scares to consoles, swapping the castle setting for an underwater facility and replacing some of the more direct scares with psychological frights. While a few of the mechanical components aren’t quite as fleshed out, the excellent storytelling and absorbing setting combine with a morose atmosphere, leaving you consistently unsettled.
In 2015, Simon Jarrett, a seemingly ordinary gentleman, survives a car crash albeit with serious injuries to his head. A scan from Dr. Munshi seems like it could help, but after blacking out during the procedure, Simon awakens to a very different scanning room: an underwater facility that’s overrun with robots with sentience, dark forces that seem grotesque and very little human contact to be found. Able only to connect with Catherine Chun, Simon is left to explore this hellscape without much help. The slow-burn story is fantastic, benefiting from stellar voice acting and a smart script that balances narrative efficiency with the exploration of more complex themes, such as post-humanism. Surprising twists are genuinely hard to predict and the constant sense of dread heightens every action.
A well-devised script and top-notch voice acting means SOMA delivers a gripping narrative
At first glance, SOMA seems similar to Frictional’s previous work, though there are some key differences. A first-person horror game, you’re tasked with navigating dark environments while often working mechanical objects or finding key items to unlock a new path. One of the first changes is the reduction of inventory management, as rather than balancing key items in a limited space, you often find the key item you used is dropped after use. This slightly quickens the pacing, though some of the brainteasers can leave you stumped, especially with such minimal lighting. SOMA takes around 12 hours to finish and with plentiful hidden story details and storytelling items (be it diaries, pictures or written documents) to find, a second run may be worth it too, that is if you can bear its heavy atmosphere.
But like the best horror games, SOMA’s world pulls you in, despite how foreboding it is. The underwater facilities are appropriately claustrophobic, with narrow corridors connecting dimly lit offices, unnerving machinery rooms and sometimes just empty spaces which proves weirdly unnerving. Rare treks into the open still feel tense, as poor peripheral vision and Simon’s constant breathing, along with a cleverly used heartbeat which leads you tingling with a touch of dread, prove unsettling. That’s not accounting for the game’s main antagonistic force, a disturbing tentacled threat that seeps into the pores of the world, tangling up man and machine without much distinction, leading to some gruesome scenes. SOMA is at its best when these elements come together, helping create a darkly captivating world you’ll want to explore.
But like the best horror games, SOMA’s world pulls you in, despite how foreboding it is. The underwater facilities are appropriately claustrophobic, with narrow corridors connecting dimly lit offices, unnerving machinery rooms and sometimes just empty spaces which proves weirdly unnerving. Rare treks into the open still feel tense, as poor peripheral vision and Simon’s constant breathing, along with a cleverly used heartbeat which leads you tingling with a touch of dread, prove unsettling. That’s not accounting for the game’s main antagonistic force, a disturbing tentacled threat that seeps into the pores of the world, tangling up man and machine without much distinction, leading to some gruesome scenes. SOMA is at its best when these elements come together, helping create a darkly captivating world you’ll want to explore.
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There are only a few moments when this one stumbles, and it usually involves enemy encounters. Like previous Frictional Games, combat isn’t an option and stealth will be your best friend. Unfortunately, these moments feel like arbitrary changes of pace rather than necessary diversions, often breaking the pacing of the game when you have trouble avoiding them. Their high-pitched screams, screen distorting effects and unsettling designs are cool in a way, but they still feel forced in. When you take damage, Simon’s vision becomes blurry and starts to limp, which on the one hand is realistic and adds a tension game. But on the other, it slows his movement down considerably and the effects strain on the eyes. In 2017, a Safe Mode was added to the game which decreases the threat and interruptions of these creatures and let’s just say, it’s a welcome change.
SOMA looks the part, benefiting from a number of visual tricks that add to the immersion. The lighting feels spot-on, creeping around corners when stuck in dimmer locations. Environments boast plenty of interactive objects and a futuristic aesthetic that mixes retro style computers and modern machinery to great effect. The only noticeable dings are some serious stuttering – usually when transitioning to a new area – but otherwise, the visuals are on point. But more impressive is the sound design, a cacophony of unsettling murmurs, crashing jump scares and powerful music which heightens and precipitates with beautiful efficiency. The voice work is strong, with Jared Zeus capturing an anxious uncertainty with his delivery that matches the fish-out-of-water narrative perfectly, and the mature script explores sci-fi tropes with more grace than some games.
SOMA looks the part, benefiting from a number of visual tricks that add to the immersion. The lighting feels spot-on, creeping around corners when stuck in dimmer locations. Environments boast plenty of interactive objects and a futuristic aesthetic that mixes retro style computers and modern machinery to great effect. The only noticeable dings are some serious stuttering – usually when transitioning to a new area – but otherwise, the visuals are on point. But more impressive is the sound design, a cacophony of unsettling murmurs, crashing jump scares and powerful music which heightens and precipitates with beautiful efficiency. The voice work is strong, with Jared Zeus capturing an anxious uncertainty with his delivery that matches the fish-out-of-water narrative perfectly, and the mature script explores sci-fi tropes with more grace than some games.
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SOMA works really well as both a deep-dive exploration of sci-fi tropes and a scary survival horror that proves morbidly engrossing. Frictional Games’ penchant for excellent sound design, narrative strength and chilling moments shines through superbly. The submerged setting, combined with futuristic motifs, is splendid. Only really undone by some technical hiccups and unsatisfying stealth encounters, the pros of this one far outweigh the cons. Fans of both survival-horror and sci-fi would likely enjoy this one, and those wanting a bit more narrative heft to their experience will find a lot to like here too – provided they’re ready for some real scares.
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VERDICT
"SOMA’s exploration of sci-fi tropes and survival horror scares proves morbidly engrossing, provided you can overlook some technical hiccups and unsatisfying encounters.” OVERALL: 8/10 |