Frictional Games has done it again. This studio has created an utterly creepy, first-person thriller. SOMA‘s atmosphere is perfect for a horror game as the constant reminder of being underwater makes the player feel helpless and alone. With minor frame rate drops, a few bugs, and a bittersweet story, SOMA for the Xbox One is an eerie narrative you won’t want to miss.
Bittersweet Story
SOMA takes place in an underwater research facility known as Pathos II. The protagonist, Simon Jarrett, wakes up in one of the facility’s stations. He doesn’t know how or why he got there. These questions are answered as he explores more of the facility. Most of what happens to the people unfolds within the terminals and data buffers scattered about. Each piece of information fits in some way as the story of killer robots unfolds. This type of storytelling is immersive, but it isn’t easy to piece them all together if you miss something.
What really brings out the atmosphere in SOMA is the sound design. I was constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure the sound that I heard behind me was not coming from a creature of some kind. Each door, terminal function, pressurized chamber, monster roar and flickering light have their own particular sound, drawing out the eerie vibe.
Malfunctions
One big problem the environment features is the cause of frame rate drops. Many points within the game, for example, when I entered new parts of the station and water needed to be expelled from the room, my screen would freeze for a second or two. It would then have low frame rates for a few seconds before returning to normal. Out of the entire game, I only encountered one bug where I crouched into a corner which caused me to fall through the map. I was then required to restart from the last checkpoint. Other than this single bug, I had no other problems.
Verdict
SOMA is one of the best atmospheric horror games I have played. The sounds and environment really make it a creepy experience that all horror fans should experience. Simon and Catherine’s story is interesting to say the least, but with fractured points of interest, it leaves me asking questions on a few details.
Experience SOMA‘s chilling atmosphere with the original soundtrack!
- Review Summary
SOMA really shines when it comes to its sounds and environment design. These aspects of the game give the player an eerie look into Pathos II. Sadly, a fragmented and tedious objective driven story weights down the game all while leaving me with bittersweet thoughts.
