The story of this game is of introspection. It really makes you think about life and what matters most, while also being a bit creepy. The initial reveal of the monsters could have been handled better as it was easy to maneuver around. It didn’t lend to the true sense of terror that it should have. I do appreciate that they don’t utilize jumpscares however. It was refreshing to play a horror themed game without fear of being startled by cheap tactics. Some of the creature designs were truly horrifying to behold. I was constantly disgusted by what I saw as well as the atmosphere they created for this experience. The environment of Pathos 2 was designed very eerily but also functionally. I really appreciated how “lived in” the stations felt and the storytelling the environment did. Something clearly wrong happened within and the way it all unfolds is very well done.

You play as Simon, a simple guy who signs up for experimental treatment for a brain-related trauma. Upon scanning his brain, he is seemingly transported to an underwater research station. From there, he has to avoid disturbing creatures, and find his way out. There are many environmental puzzles, on top of the enemies themselves, that Simon has to solve to progress. Some of these are a bit obtuse as the game does not highlight interactable objects. It’s realistic from a design perspective, but makes some solutions a bit difficult to solve. It’s not too bad however as the context clues they give will generally point you in the right direction. There were a couple times I wasn’t sure what to do, but it didn’t delay me too long in progressing.

The game also doesn’t really punish you for dying. When you get attacked, you pass out and wake up after a short time with a second chance. If you get hit again before healing, you actually die. This just takes you back to the latest autosave point, which the game does constantly. I don’t think they punish you because they want you to explore the areas to learn what happened to the research facility. This is one of the only games where I actually paid attention to the audio files and text posts because I was genuinely interested in the world.

After a certain point, you are introduced to Catherine who will be your companion throughout the story. She is the one that urges you forward and has her own motivations. Your relationship with her is unclear at first, but you need her so you continue forward. As I learned more about what happened, I still wasn’t sure what her agenda was. It was nice to have someone to talk to though, despite her unclear intentions. She asks you to do some questionable things and her relationship with Simon has its ups and downs. Overall her presence was a comfort and helped to connect the player with the world.

SOMA is one of those games that you really think about after you finish. There are a couple morally gray choices you get to make throughout the story, that I’m unsure actually affect anything other than your own thought processes, and I find myself wondering if I made the right decisions. I don’t want to spoil any of those here, but maybe I’ll start a blog on the site to talk about spoilers like this… Anyway, I enjoyed SOMA quite a bit. The gameplay isn’t anything special, but the story had such a foundation in reality and provided a unique perspective on life, that I can’t help but love it. I’ll be thinking about this game for years to come and I hope this review inspires you to give it a shot. For fans of a well thought out plot and authenticity (with a little horror sprinkled in), this one’s for you.