SOMA

Understanding of the structure of consciousness, coupled with humility, that belief in the uniqueness of one's “I” is just a fiction. Here is such an unusual and wise game offered to the public by the Swedish developers Frictional Games, called "SOMA". Their goal was to test how the methods of traditional "horror stories" will take root in the sci-fi setting. Yes, there are no usual zombies and heroes with automatic blasters. But there is something else, no less mysterious and exciting.

"SOMA" storyline

The prologue in the game is the simplest - the hero wakes up in a modern apartment, in a familiar environment. Canadian guy Simon Jarrett is the most ordinary, works in a bookstore. He is distinguished only by a traumatic brain injury sustained in an accident, and on this day the patient needs to go for a brain scan. As usual - by metro - he gets to the hospital and ... This is where the prologue ends, the game itself begins. A moment after the start of the scan, the hero realizes that he is in a deserted laboratory located at the bottom of the ocean. Is this a joke of the subconscious or did they just forget something important? This is the story behind the game.

Game Features

In fact, here, in SOMA, the player is completely immersed in an unusual atmosphere, which prompts him to think together with Simon: what will happen if people are on the verge of destruction? Maybe you should scan the brain and stuff it into a robot? Will it be possible then to preserve the personality? And if, after scanning, you lay hands on yourself, will the existence of a person be continuous?

Simply put, the whole game is an unusual experiment in the spirit of the philosophy of mind, which begins with the theme "Let's say that ..." He hopes that he did it right, because the result of such an unusual trip depends on it. But - alas or not? - there is only one ending in the game, and all decisions do not affect the development of the plot. In general, everything is going as it should, and our desires are on the sidelines. Almost. But - as in life.

The authors made another unusual move - they removed fear mongering. After all, all the games from the horror series are sharpened for this, and they keep on that. And here just no. Though! There are monsters in the game, where can we go without them? But the monsters here are also very unusual.

Tasks and riddles for Simon

Both the interface, and the lack of weapons along with maps, and the hero's defenselessness in front of enemies create the strongest horror atmosphere. There is nothing to attack with, and there is nothing to defend with. Yes, only the enemies here are non-standard, these are terrible alloys of iron and organic matter, you can't even see them in the semi-dark corridors. Firstly, their appearance provokes blurred vision in Simon, and secondly, only the contours are caught. So fighting with such is definitely pointless.

The hero's task is to wander around this very laboratory, switch the toggle switch, research and understand. And the monsters ... They are all different, some are afraid of loud sounds, others do not like to be looked at, others are afraid of the light. Simon actually has to grope for their pain points and avoid rather than fight. In order not to interfere with research and launch. By the way, there is no map here, so where to go, you also need to figure it out by typing.

The question arises: why are these creatures needed there at all? If the goal of actions is to understand the depths of the subconscious and the ocean at the same time. Or vice versa? And just then, to convey the idea to the player: monsters cannot scare if a person is not afraid of them. With a hint: even if we die, we will not lose anything. Something like that.

Characteristics of the SOMA game

The authors have put down meetings with monsters rare, but the player is constantly, which is called "on the watch." Mysterious rustles, screams, grinding - all this makes you keep your ears on top. Here's another non-standard feature of the game - to keep in suspense not with pictures, but with an audiophone.

But at the same time, Simon finds notes, clues, photographs that help him understand the mysterious events. Therefore, a big stake is placed on the design, the players note that both the corridors of the laboratory and the views of the ocean are simply amazing. Even the decor of the rooms is different, seemingly a trifle, but unusual. The purpose of these wanderings? Of course, find a way out. But not only from the laboratory. And from the dead ends of your life too.

Pros and Cons

Unconventional gameplay and original plot can be attributed to both pluses and minuses, since most players expected otherwise. And such people are at a loss: why, in fact, wandered there at all? But for people inclined to logic and philosophizing, "SOMA" is just that. By the way, the authors note that the game was not created for the hero's victories, and in general, they say, the result is not the main thing here. But if you managed to discover something new in yourself, to change your attitude to life and death, then the goal, as it were, is achieved.

On the positive side of the game - an interesting sci-fi story, super-awesome sound processing, recreating an eerie atmosphere, original monsters and a very, very daring theme. Of course, an experimental presentation in an attempt to create an intellectual horror is generally out of competition.

On the negative side, there is not enough dynamics of events. Simon is constantly running somewhere, looking for something, dodging monsters, but this is still a game, not a walking simulator. Critics also note that the ending is not bold enough, but this is already a controversial issue. So it's definitely not worth trying to play "SOMA" for those who like to "crumble" monsters. Here you have to think. Meditate. Weigh. And not only about where to look for a way out for the hero, but also about the frailty of things.