Frictional Games has been at the forefront of video game horror. While their Penumbra games were notable in showcasing their approach to horror games, it was Amnesia that perfected it. Inability to kill monsters, scary environments, very dark setting and one heck of a twist that more than makes up for the overdone 'Amnesia' trope. With their free "Justine" DLC and developer Chinese Room making a sequel to Amnesia, Frictional Games hasn't really made a solid game entry since the original Amnesia. Enter SOMA.
The year is 2015 and you play a character named Simon who was recently in a horrible car crash that killed his girlfriend and left him with a very bad brain condition. He goes to see a specialist who has developed the technology to scan a person's brain for the sake of research in developing proper treatments for conditions like Simon's. Upon being scanned, Simon finds himself in an empty dark room, full of underwater suits and something and a dark metal substance 'growing' out of the walls. It doesn't take long for you to realize that you are not where you're supposed to be and something very bad has happened.
Where Amnesia was aiming for a suspenseful/horror setting, SOMA was going for a science fiction/horror one. It's pretty clear that Frictional was going for something different because on my play through, I found that roughly 65% of this game deals in science fiction and about 35% was focused on horror. And when it delves into the realm of science fiction, it delves hard. One moment you're running away from a monster, next Simon is chatting with another character about the philosophical meanings behind his predicament. It's clear that 'what makes us human' is the primary message of the game, but the execution isn't that good.
SPOILERS!
When it comes to the scary elements, Frictional takes an extra step. Most of the creatures you encounter are unique. Where Amnesia had three creatures you had to avoid, SOMA has a different creature for almost every encounter. Each with their own strategy in how to avoid them. The only time I thought the creatures didn't work was when you were trying to escape Theta. Other than that, it all works well. And if you're a fan of the Penumbra series, the very last creature you have to deal with is a definite shout out.
Also if you've played ALIEN: Isolation, we got some cast members returning for this game. Andrea Deck who voiced Amanda Ripley plays your girlfriend and a very important someone else, and Anthony Howell who played the Android Samuels plays Ross, a character who plays a big role near the end. He voices the previe
If you liked Amnesia and are curious as to see how Frictional Games has progressed, SOMA is a nice entry. It's not easy on the emotions, but neither was anything else they did so you should feel right at home. Just don't mind Simon. Again,
The year is 2015 and you play a character named Simon who was recently in a horrible car crash that killed his girlfriend and left him with a very bad brain condition. He goes to see a specialist who has developed the technology to scan a person's brain for the sake of research in developing proper treatments for conditions like Simon's. Upon being scanned, Simon finds himself in an empty dark room, full of underwater suits and something and a dark metal substance 'growing' out of the walls. It doesn't take long for you to realize that you are not where you're supposed to be and something very bad has happened.
Where Amnesia was aiming for a suspenseful/horror setting, SOMA was going for a science fiction/horror one. It's pretty clear that Frictional was going for something different because on my play through, I found that roughly 65% of this game deals in science fiction and about 35% was focused on horror. And when it delves into the realm of science fiction, it delves hard. One moment you're running away from a monster, next Simon is chatting with another character about the philosophical meanings behind his predicament. It's clear that 'what makes us human' is the primary message of the game, but the execution isn't that good.
SPOILERS!
The biggest problem that SOMA has is it's player character Simon. For all his philosophical talk about what it means to be human, this guy is one stupid cookie. For example, we learn that the reason he was suddenly transported into the future was because at this point in the game we are not playing the human Simon. We are playing a copy of a brain scan that was made during the procedure. You find out later that the procedure worked perfectly even though the real Simon himself died of his brain injury a month later. You LEARN this in the game and through the other members of the crew who were also copied and uploaded into robots. He even had to go through some extremes by disconnecting people and, in some cases, outright killing them in order to move on. He is completely aware of what is going on. But, when it comes time for your companion, Catherine, to transfer you into a new suit, you realize that you weren't transferred, but merely copied. The Simon you were playing as is still in the other room where the scan took place. I was expecting a sorrowful but understanding response to the situation, we have this...
*Simon3 awakens in the new suit, until he hears a voice*
Simon 2: There must be something wrong. Can't you run a diagnosis or something? Catherine...
Simon 3: What was that?
Catherine: No. I... it's just...
Simon 3: Why was it still talking?
Catherine: It's the same. Like before.
Simon 3: Catherine, why was it still talking?
Catherine: That's how it works. You know that.
Simon 3: What do you mean?
Catherine: You know it's not magic. You were copied. The sleeping Simon (Simon 2) in the seat was copied... and now you are here just like Simon lived on in Toronto.
Simon 3: Gadd**** you Cath. Two Simons? There can't be two Simons!
Catherine: What did you think would happen?!
Simon 3: That you were going to take my mind and put it into the other body. Like a brain transplant.
Catherine: I'm sorry. It wouldn't work that way.
Simon 3: You realize how messed up this is? How did you expect me to react to this ******?!
Catherine: Please stop.
Catherine: You're fu***** disgusting!
And guess what? The same exact same thing happens AGAIN! Simon is by definition a stupid character who can't even contemplate the stuff he's openly contemplating about!
*Simon3 awakens in the new suit, until he hears a voice*
Simon 2: There must be something wrong. Can't you run a diagnosis or something? Catherine...
Simon 3: What was that?
Catherine: No. I... it's just...
Simon 3: Why was it still talking?
Catherine: It's the same. Like before.
Simon 3: Catherine, why was it still talking?
Catherine: That's how it works. You know that.
Simon 3: What do you mean?
Catherine: You know it's not magic. You were copied. The sleeping Simon (Simon 2) in the seat was copied... and now you are here just like Simon lived on in Toronto.
Simon 3: Gadd**** you Cath. Two Simons? There can't be two Simons!
Catherine: What did you think would happen?!
Simon 3: That you were going to take my mind and put it into the other body. Like a brain transplant.
Catherine: I'm sorry. It wouldn't work that way.
Simon 3: You realize how messed up this is? How did you expect me to react to this ******?!
Catherine: Please stop.
Catherine: You're fu***** disgusting!
And guess what? The same exact same thing happens AGAIN! Simon is by definition a stupid character who can't even contemplate the stuff he's openly contemplating about!
When it comes to the scary elements, Frictional takes an extra step. Most of the creatures you encounter are unique. Where Amnesia had three creatures you had to avoid, SOMA has a different creature for almost every encounter. Each with their own strategy in how to avoid them. The only time I thought the creatures didn't work was when you were trying to escape Theta. Other than that, it all works well. And if you're a fan of the Penumbra series, the very last creature you have to deal with is a definite shout out.
Also if you've played ALIEN: Isolation, we got some cast members returning for this game. Andrea Deck who voiced Amanda Ripley plays your girlfriend and a very important someone else, and Anthony Howell who played the Android Samuels plays Ross, a character who plays a big role near the end. He voices the previe
If you liked Amnesia and are curious as to see how Frictional Games has progressed, SOMA is a nice entry. It's not easy on the emotions, but neither was anything else they did so you should feel right at home. Just don't mind Simon. Again,
he's really, really stupid.
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