Brilliant sci fi horror game. True to Frictional's style, no jump scares and such. Just REAL horror.

This game vaults you straight into confusion. I rarely finish games. I didn't even finish Half Life 2. I did, however finish this game. In fact, I couldn't stop myself. SOMA has some great depth to it, and you'll realize it straight from the second you load it up. I doubt I'll ever be sucked into a game as quickly as SOMA, and while I am really not saying anything substantive about the game itself, I do have this to say this. If you find this game on sale, or you get it in the September Humble Monthly Bundle, TRY IT! Yeah, it takes a while to download, but it's definitely worth it. If you somehow aren't immersed by it, then whatever, it isn't for you. I thought this game wasn't for me, but I tried it, and that has made all the difference.

Soma's story is a masterpiece that is told beautifully. As the narrative unfolds the player is faced with contemplating the nature of existence in environments that create a beautiful but ominous atmosphere. Soma creates an immersive experience that is invigorating and at times extremely disturbing. What starts out as a horror game ends up delivering an experience that is so much more.

Intense. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful. Worth the journey.

Great scifi game. It really makes you question the idea of our consciousness and what is considered human. A great game worth the money. I thoroughly recommend it.

I'll start with my overall rating 8/10.
Soma made some great improvements on previous releases by Frictional Games but could still use some work.

10/10 Monsters/Atmosphere/Sounds/Music/Effects
The biggest improvement is to the quality of the monsters. SOMA, in my opinion, has the scariest monsters of any release by Frictional Games to date and a huge improvement from Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. The incredible 10/10 monster graphics, sounds, AI, atmosphere, and screen distortions will leave even the bravest players feeling threatened. I think this is an especially important improvement as many horror fans are getting more and more used to scary games and need extra scary encounters to feel the same effect that hooked them to begin with.

9/10 Story
The story was another excellent feature as it usually is in releases by Frictional Games. Although it takes a while to piece together, the story is a very clever, creative, and believable one in which you wake up in a foreign world that causes you to question who you are and what it means is human.

5/10 Puzzles/Maps
My biggest disappointment with SOMA was the large disorenting maps and confusing puzzles throughout the game. I all too often found myself running around trying to figure out where I needed to go or what puzzle I needed to solve, and for me this was very discomforting. One might argue that this provides a more realistic experience, however, it left me feeling without a sense of achievement. Instead of feeling like I conquered my way past the monsters and obstacles, I felt like I blindly managed to get through. And this was disappointing. I think Frictional Games could look back to one of thier best successes, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and remember what made it so great. The complexity of the puzzles combined with the invetory system and occasional supporting note left players feeling like they had both understood and overcame an obstacle. In SOMA, I experienced that a trial and error approach is often taken where players are guided to tinker with machines that are highlighted with the interaction icon but may not really know why. Additionally, in navigating the large maps I often felt highly pressured to follow pathways and lights instead of exploring, mostly because I had no clues as to where I was going and was discouraged to explore by the vastness of the area and poor lighting. I beleive the great feeling you get from playing Amnesia: The Dark Descent comes from familiarizing yourself with the environment and finding items by exploring every corner of the castle and logically solving most obstacles that block your path all the while avoiding horrific monsters. SOMA to me felt more like running around, sometimes guided, and trying random things while avoiding horrific monsters, although there were a few exceptions where you did have to explore and gather items or complete some task.

ez and predictable i know what i am the second i enter the doctors office

Repetitive and oring after the first 30min

I've been playing computer games across many platforms for well over 30 years, but seldom write any reviews. The fact that I'm typing this right now suggests this game has touched a nerve. Simply put, nothing else I've played has "messed with my mind" like SOMA has just done. I literally found myself sitting back and pondering some of the decisions the game was forcing me to make as if it would impact on my life. Absolutely ridiculous I know. If you have even momentarily contemplated buying this, just do it. If you haven't, why not!! Thought provoking, compelling, genuinely scary, great atmosphere, worryingly believable story and looks and sounds great. Yes, it's not the longest game ever, but it just doesn't matter. I'm actually thoroughly disappointed I've completed it. What do I play next?? It really is a case of "follow that?" All the worlds massive corporate developers and software houses, sit up and take note. Masterpiece.

So amazing. Well done.