SOMA

Having not quite reached the level of dread you feel in Dark Descent while you play it, Soma over compensates by having you feel twice the dread while thinking about it later.

Marvelous story. But so sad. Horror aspect was good, instead of the 'sanity' disorientation the game simply has proximity based. The further you are from WAU the better.

This game is so good, I plan to replay it every once in a while. Not only is it scary to me, but the existential nightmare felt very real. Glad I'm here in the real world.

I am speechless... This game, story, learning about what happened and what must be done. It's mindblowing, after so many years, this game is still a gem. I cannot recommend it enough, Frictional Games are just so good at what they are doing.

this game is genuinely the best horror experience ive ever played, i first watched markiplier play through the whole thing and just had to get it myself, the story, the atmosphere, everything about it is just amazing in terms of all aspects of horror, the ending is one of my favorites in any story game ive played. definitely worth the playthrough.

Absolutely fantastic story. The ending will stick with you for a while. The gameplay is great (surprised how much of it was physics based, which is something I miss from modern games which focus on fidelity instead of interactivity), and the graphics/audio design is stellar.

Definitely in the upper echelon of computer game stories, it's also extremely atmospheric with lots of scares. The voice acting and sound design overall are top tier. Unfortunately the stealth gameplay is quite tiresome and doesn't make the game better, but fortunately there are relatively few sequences of this in the game. Overall I'd definitely recommend it to horror gamers, although it's on the short side for the price point.

This game has got to be my favorite horror game by far, and actually my all time favorite game overall. It is beautiful, scary on many levels, soundtrack, effects and design are god tier quality... all of it. It's weakest point is the lack of gameplay (it is basically a walking simulator), but I didn't even need much of it because the story was sooooooo good.

I replay this every once in a while, since I LOVE it. Soma is in its own league, even compared to other Frictional's games. PLAY THIS GAME.

I must warn you, tho. If you like to smash enemies and complicated gameplay is your thing, be aware that this game doesn't even try to excel in those areas.

What a lovely game. Recommend it. It stroke a good balance between ambience and enemy threat sections.

genuinely one of the most tragic games ive ever played, and one of the best game ive ever played
this has one of the most heart wrenching, gut crushing, soul rinsing story and endings ive seen in a game, not to mention the gameplay is also pretty good. the story is absolutely the thing that shines the brightest though
pretty much existential crisis and overwhelming dread simulator
10/10

Didn't know I already had this game in epic games launcher and bought it on steam, but I'm glad I did.
It's worth money. Love the world in this game. Depressive, sad and helpless. What a beautiful game!

This game is a walking simulator but the story will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I highly recommend this game to anybody interested in playing a next-level story driven experience with some stealth mechanics. The game-play is mostly focused on stealth and is very forgiving when you break stealth, there are many spots to heal your character and hide. One complaint I have however, is that the AI of enemies is prone to camping areas that you need to gain access to and also seem to be immune to thrown items and their sounds this slightly broke my immersion and left me frustrated after being caught repeatedly trying to divert enemies attention. The game-play is slightly boring but the Omnitool will help you by providing hints on what to do if you get lost that don't break immersion.

The story of this game is great, especially if you pay attention to the computer logs & notes scattered around the different facilities that help better explain each of the different characters and their relations with each other. The main theme of this story involves what does it mean to be a human/alive. If you are prone to depressive thoughts when it comes to conceptualizing your own existence this game may not be for you. It really makes you question what it means to be alive, conscious, and what it means to be a human.

Overall I believe this game is a 9/10 experience only really being brought down by the campy enemy behavior and the inability to distract enemies with thrown items.

the plot doesnt make sense, why is a facility underneath the ocean launching satelites into space?

One of the best horror games you could experience where it transforms from a physiological horror to a philosophical horror that everyone should play if your into this genre. The sound design is stellar and the game really leans on it's story and ideas rather than cheap monsters.

Not usually too big on horror games, but I heard about this one and decided to give it a shot and it was simply amazing. It has a great narrative with morally ambiguous instances to go along with a stunning environment. I was kept intrigued through the entire game and cant recommend this one enough!

One of the most philosophically profound experiences of my life. A deep exploration of transhumanism that challenges the notion of identity, all wrapped in a heavy, isolated, and post-apocalyptic atmosphere.

Soma are two games in one. Both are good, but for me the one massively outshines the other.

On the one hand you have the Horror game with the scary monsters that are trying to kill you. It's good and the stealth is more than fine, and if you are into this kind of game, then great. The gameplay is very similar to Amnesia: The Dark Descent - another game by frictional games.

On the other hand you have this amazing thriller story, full of questions and mystery that literally outshines all the rest. You are Simon, a regular guy in Toronto, who wakes up in an underwater base facility two hundred years later. There is nobody around and you try to piece the narrative together of what happened to that base, why did you wake up there and how can you escape. Because the environmental storytelling is exceptional, SOMA becomes a philosophical descent to the depths (no pun intended) of what means to be human, what consists of humanity, consciousness, while taking invisible, bold moral decisions.

I loved the latter game way more. If SOMA was just a game of moving forward, solving puzzles and piecing together the story while contemplating on deep philosophical questions, then the absence of the horror story wouldn't matter at all to me - it would be a perfect game just as that.

One of the most thought provoking-games I have ever played. I went in only knowing it was a short, acclaimed psychological horror game, and I was pleasantly surprised by how heady it was. The gameplay is fairly simple and linear--essentially a walking sim with some light puzzles and periodic monster encounters, plus occasional optional diversions to learn more about the world & story. The game builds tension pretty well in the scary moments, the environments are dark & creepy, and the mystery & thought exercises are compelling. Only complaint: there are a few occasions when it felt very unclear where to go next in the environment, which became extremely frustrating and ultimately required looking up where to go next.

Overall, excellent experience, especially playing along with someone and discussing the topics at hand (and having moral support during the freaky bits).

I've nothing to add here that hasn't already been said about SOMA, but I will reinforce that I've never quite played a game that toys with philosophical notions of existentialism and nihilism quite as well as this one. It deserves a blind play-through, if that is at all possible in 2025.

interesting experience. the game is dated, but it was well ahead of its time. ironically this was recommended to me by ai.

i didnt enjoy every second of it, but i dont regret playing it. i wasnt shocked by it, but i could see how it could leave you floored.

id love to see a new take on this

Pros

Deep and Thought-Provoking Story:
Explores complex themes like consciousness, identity, AI, and the nature of humanity in a mature, philosophical way.

Immersive Atmosphere:
The underwater setting is detailed, oppressive, and beautifully haunting, with strong environmental storytelling.

Excellent Audio Design:
Sound effects, ambient noise, and voice acting are top-notch, enhancing immersion and tension throughout.

Unique Horror Approach:
Instead of jump scares and gore, the horror relies on psychological unease and existential dread.

Strong Narrative Pacing
Well-structured storytelling keeps you curious and emotionally engaged from beginning to end.

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Cons

Inconsistent Enemy Encounters:
Some monster segments can be more frustrating than frightening, with AI behavior that feels a bit undercooked.

Slow Pacing at Times:
Exploration and dialogue-driven storytelling dominate, which may feel slow to players expecting action.

Rating: 9/10

Unlike traditional horror games, SOMA avoids cheap jump scares and focuses on existential dread, atmosphere, and a story-driven experience. There’s light puzzle-solving, stealth-based segments with dangerous entities, and a hauntingly beautiful world that slowly reveals its secrets. It’s a game that prioritizes narrative over action, and it leaves a lasting impression if you're into thoughtful, philosophical storytelling.

A must play. Story is thought provoking and well paced. Horror elements could have been better in some places.

best game ever ... i played it cracked but i bought it after i finished it to support the devs lmao

I just finished Soma last night and found myself laying in bed, thinking about what it meant to be human and the choices we make. This is one that will stick with me for a long time and definitely on my top 10 list.

If you like games with heavy philosophical elements and bittersweet endings, give Soma a try. It’s definitely more story driven with some horror sprinkled in. But the puzzles are simple, the creatures are easy to deal with, the environments are hauntingly beautiful, and the sound design is on point.

I bought this game alongside MGSV a long time ago, id play MGSV in the day and only be able to muster a fairly short 1-2 hour stint in the evenings.
The existential dread was far enough to just keep pushing me away from my pc to take a breather and circle back the next day, no other game has been able to do that and thats why its special and sits in my top 3 alongside death stranding (another partially existential game)
I still remember the first time i played soma and genuinely had to turn my pc off and just cry out of fear and overwhelming anxiety when simon switched bodies and omicron. Its a game i love and one that i wont touch too often from genuine anxiety, that is a great psychological horror.

its a fun game with great plot and graphics

Delicious science fiction disguised as a survival horror game. Leave your Sick Gamer Skillz at the door, because this game is all about atmosphere and story. Half the experience is in walking around in paranoid silence, peeking around corners and praying you're in the clear from any unexpected terrors.

While the game is certainly scary though, the bulk of the experience lies in the story and burning questions the game forcibly confronts you with. Morality, perception, sense of self, and how you feel about living a life that's no longer "yours" play a huge part in what you take away from the experience. I often have mixed feelings about games relying too much on immersion, but this is a good example of a game that thrives on a fully immersed experience. It really is best played late at night, in the dark, by yourself, with headphones.

Highly recommended for people into stories about unreality, or fans of weirdo movies like Altered States or ExistenZ.

I went back for a second playthrough a decade later, and this game is still one of the most haunting and effective stories I've played. It's may be a little rough around the edges nowadays, but the atmosphere, environmental storytelling, and of course the sound design continues to be exceptional to this day. It also has native 32:9 support, which is mind blowing to say the least. If the idea of a horrifying existential-crisis filled journey through rotting underwater facilities sounds fun to you, then this is the game for you!

I wasn't loving this game until after 50% of completion, however, I can now say that this game is pretty captivating with the story / how interesting the concept is. I would love a sequel about the Ark.
SHIT GETS DARK REAL QUICK... LIKE LITERALLY... I THINK THE LAST 20% OF THE GAME IS LITERALLY IN THE DARK MOSTLY.

This is just simply a beautiful and horrifying game and one of the best stories that i have ever experienced. It works so well and it leaves you feeling dreadfully depressed and i love it so much. I don't know if it will click with you as much as it did for me but please give it a try. This is one of those game that i will continue to think about for a long time despite its pretty short runtime.

This'll turn like a decade old this year, so chances are you've already heard about it from someone. SOMA is good. Good voice acting, brilliant sound design, good atmosphere. There's lots of walking and reading, which could get dull if you're not into the general setting of this game. Hostiles are also surprisingly easy to deal with (except for the Catherine one hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha). I recommend it either way.

Left me speechless. I've recently replayed all of Frictional Games and for me this was peak
Story wise definitely..

The richest story by Frictional Games

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That's it, I've officially completed all Frictional Games games. Ironically, this is the first one I bought (shortly after it came out), but for some reason I didn't finish it at the time. I think back then I wasn't particularly engaged with the story or the philosophical dilemmas the game hinges on, and unfortunately, this is SOMA's main selling point.

Is this game for you?

I bet most people would answer this with a resounding "yes, buy it", but I'm not so sure this is good advice. Before accepting the "Overwhelmingly positive" reviews as a universal truth, I would consider the following:

1. Are you a fan of previous Frictional games, and what was it you liked about them?
   
2. Are you after a horror game?
   
3. Are you after a challenging game?
   

If constant dread and difficult puzzles are your answers to question 1, you may want to reconsider whether SOMA is for you or not. If a decent-enough story alone, like in A Machine for Pigs, was enough for you, then I think you will adore SOMA because the story is so much stronger. However, this needs to be stated: the puzzles are straightforward and the fear factor is just not there. Every now and then you'll get a scare or two, but don't let anyone fool you: The Dark Descent this is not.

Sci-fi done right

Anyone making games in the future should play this game before they engage in any kind of brainstorming or design activity. You know who I'm talking about; those guys making the latest zombie apocalypse live-service shit-show set in some city in the US. In SOMA, Frictional Games moved away from their prior Lovecraftian themes and decided to delve into proper science fiction. And no, it doesn't have to take place in space or have aliens in it. Planet Earth has a wide variety of unexplored areas that can make a fantastic location for a sci-fi or fantasy video game. Icy Greenland was excellent in Penumbra and the bottom of the Ocean in SOMA is simply unbeatable. More original stuff like this in the future, please.

A compelling story

SOMA's real strength is the story. Don't get me wrong, the compounds at the bottom of the ocean are brilliant and authentic, the marine life gorgeous to look at, and the ambience is spot on throughout the game. However, you can tell they put some significant effort into making the story the centrepiece of the experience. The gist is, Simon (you) is killed at the very beginning after being involved in a car accident. Luckily, his personality is digitalised before meeting his demise, and right away the player wakes up 100 years later to a meteorite having wiped the human race and the only survivors being in the underwater facilities Simon's in right now. The player soon finds that his body is really a robot with a copy of the meat Simon's personality. He is a bit of a whiny twat, but given the circumstances I think we can all forgive his Canadian flaws.

The reason why the story is so interesting is that it makes you think. I found myself pondering over some of the dilemmas posed in SOMA. What would I want in this or that situation? Would I prefer complete extinction over a sensibly inferior (and far less handsome) version of the real Bort? Would you value a digital life? Cyberpunk 2077 presented the player with similar predicaments, and because they were channelled through such a good story with incredible characters, that game had me fully invested in it. SOMA is no different. Now, we don't have Keanu Reeves or Idris Elba, but still, I must tip my hat to Nell Mooney and Jared Zeus for voicing Catherine and Simon; they did spectacular work and were it not for them, the story wouldn't shine through as it does. They bring true passion and make genuine, believable characters. The rest of the voice acting is really good as well, but I think those 2 deserve a special mention.

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Final thoughts and score

I'm very pleased I decided to go through the Frictional Games catalogue. It's been a lot of ups with a few downs, but this studio is one to keep an eye on. Single player games, no micro-transactions, no live-service crap, no installing additional rubbish software... what's not to love? Like I said in the beginning, if you're after a horror game that will present you with a challenge, this may not be the game for you. Make sure you like the plot and the setting, otherwise you will not enjoy this one. Probably 8.5 or 9 / 10. If I had to rank the Frictional Games catalogue this would be it:

1. Amnesia: the bunker
   
2. Amnesia: the dark descent
   
3. Penumbra overture + black plague (let's be honest here, it's one game)
   
4. SOMA (really close to Penumbra)
   
5. Amnesia: a machine for pigs
   
6. Penumbra requiem
   
7. [...] Placeholder for any future, awful games
   
[*]Amnesia rebirth

At first, I thought it was a horror game — and it sure is, because some sea monster was chasing my ass around. But in the end, the ending just made my depression even worse.

This is far and away the best horror game I've ever played. Doesn't rely on cheap jumpscares and the story will be stuck in your head for awhile afterwards.

10/10 would have an existential crisis again

It is the best story I have ever played in a game ever. And I doubt any game will ever top this story wise.

I don’t even know where to begin. One of the most insane and thought provoking stories I’ve ever experienced. Narratively the game is perfect. It really makes you question what it means to be human. Very philosophical. The game plays with the concept of consciousness very well.

The game really does an amazing job of keeping the real point of the story a mystery until half way through the game. You don’t even know how or why you got there for the first few hours of the game which adds extra value to the moment when you learn what truly happened with Simon in Toronto dying and his consciousness being used as AI template. And then to learn that Cath aims to save humanity by finding and launching the ARK into space the game becomes a lot deeper.

Specifically at the end when they show both Simons, the one that gets left behind and the one that makes it onto the ARK portrays perfectly how the transfer of consciousness works. Both Simons think they are the real one, ARK Simon will live a happy beautiful life and Earth Simon will spend the rest of his days in misery.

The game had many emotional moments like the end where PATHOS Simon realises he is stuck behind but also where you speak to the last living human. Her whole speech about how miserable her state is and that her life used to be beautiful before PATHOS. These moments really impacted me emotionally. Simon and Catherine’s relationship also develops very beautifully and is aided massively by the fact that they are the only two “people” trying to save the ARK.

The point of this game is not the gameplay but I will still speak about it. The creatures although are scary at first once you get desensitised to them they just become annoying as they slow you down from accomplishing your tasks. Also some of the puzzles can feel annoying and long at times they are always rewarding at the end.

Overall this game is one of my favourite experiences narratively that I’ve ever had. The story is very deep and thought provoking. Even though this is an indie game it feels like a AAA game and is better than a lot of AAA games for sure. Even visually this game is amazing for a 2015 indie game. I mean I can’t stop saying nice things about this game it’s absolutely perfect. It would make an amazing movie if made right.

Overall I’d rate it a 10/10.

To me, humanity is intrinsically tied to consciousness. If we ever manage to transfer consciousness into AI, I would consider it a continuation of humanity. That's why I felt such empathy towards the suffering throughout the game. It really hit hard. At first the game fills you with hope, but that hope is slowly and painfully stripped away from you. Such a beautiful lore for such existential horror game. Definitely worth it.

I really can't even imagine how scary it must have been waking up at PATHOS-II. T. Akers was absolutely terrifying. Nearly pissed myself there.

Absolutely the best story game I've ever played, it unlocked a new fear for me and made me rethink life itself 10/10

Here is a spoiler-free review of SOMA for anybody who is thinking of purchasing this game while it is on sale. Many will tell you that you should go into the game blind. For the story half, this is probably true. For the gameplay half, you should know what you are in for. So here is a break down of my experience with SOMA's gameplay.

SOMA does not have gameplay.

I played SOMA for about 3 hours on standard difficulty and encountered no puzzles, no combat, extremely limited exploration, and only the scarcest semblance of stealth. Functionally the game is a walking simulator with the occasional spooky patrolling obstacle to avoid.

The game is also not very scary. Though since I am a jaded horror game veteran, your mileage may vary. The game is extremely atmospheric, but it's more a sense of "huh, that's weird/interesting" than fear for your life.

Now, even if you're looking for a top tier walking simulator like SOMA, there is one more thing you should know. The thing that made me quit SOMA wasn't underwhelming gameplay, it was a headache. SOMA absolutely loves throwing visual distortions at you. Your screen will always be jerking, stuttering, wobbling and glitching as part of intentional game design. Eventually, these things gave me a motion-sickness related headache. I should also mention that as a frequent VR user and veteran of back seat gameboy road trips, I am not usually one who has trouble with these things. But SOMA's glitchy screen got me.

So... be warned. I provide this review not to complain but to help inform anybody who might be on the fence for this one and finding hard to locate spoiler-free criticism.

Fantastic plot-driven existential horror game with an interesting story and visuals. This is more of an interactive horror story than a skill-based game. There is no combat system to speak of and it isn't challenging at all, but that's not really the point of it.

It has several very interesting moral choices you have to make throughout the game that really make you think. Unfortunately, your choices make zero difference in the plot and there are not alternate endings based on your choices. Also, the game is pretty much on rails 90% of the time. As such there really isn't much to make you want to replay it after you complete the main quest.

My only minor quibble with this game is that you do this wobble motion when you walk, I guess to make it seem more realistic, but it just gave me motion sickness and seemed unnecessary. Also there is a mechanic where you can lean right and left, but never in the game did it seem necessary to do so. In retrospect, MAYBE you could use it to look around corners and see monsters before they see you. After the tutorial in the beginning where they showed you how to do it, I never remembered to bother with it again.

If you like plot driven games and walking simulators like Edith Finch and Stanley Parable, I'd recommend it. However, due to the limited replay value I'd suggest waiting for a sale.

Summary

Steam needs a "Meh" rating. I have thought this many times, but here I am again. This game has an overwhelmingly positive rating, and I assume that's because it's just above the line to be not recommended. I did manage to finish the game.

The Good

The story in SOMA is good, and the puzzles are appropriate and integrated logically into the environment. The game has a great atmosphere and derives a lot of creepiness from it.

The Bad

The story is good, but it's not great. It's predictable. It would have made a better movie than a game.

The game only has one mechanic. Run. It doesn't matter what enemy you face; your only defense is to run away from it. In the early part of the game, I thought I had figured out how to lure an enemy into a room, sneak around it, and lock it in. No joy. Somehow, a creature with no arms can press buttons to open doors. I guess it just head-butts them. Tons of metal pipes and other heavy objects are lying around, but there is no way to use them to defend yourself. You even get a gun at one point that lasts just long enough to disable one robot, after which you inexplicably drop it and can't pick it up again.

So, run. Just run. It's not even run and hide. Hiding doesn't work. You can try to distract enemies by throwing objects to create noise in another direction. That works about half of the time. Otherwise, enemies will find you even if you crouch in a dark corner and stay still. I can understand why just under 31% of players finished the game. (That's not unusual for any given game, but I that should be higher for a game with an overwhelmingly positive rating.)

I honestly have never been more astonished by a game before, this game is definitely one of my favourite games ive ever played before, the story is insane and the ending is one of the best i've seen, overall this game, even in 2025 is a 10/10 in my books.

Do you know the emptiness you feel after a really good movie with a rather sad but happy ending?
Thats what SOMA was for me. The story was just amazing. I ended this game with a heavy heart and thats how I know it was an excellent game <3

If you are a fan of the classic walking simulator type horror games (somewhat like the dark picture anthologies), then this is a game you will enjoy. Suspense builds well, story is interesting, and if you love undersea stuff, this is a gamer for you.

While this game doesn't have that many monster encounters, It makes it up with great atmosphere and storytelling, even when you are safe the game feels like it may suddenly throw something at you, It succeeded in keeping me paranoid throughout the entire game. The ending is bittersweet but that bitter part definitely outweighs the sweet part and is what makes it a thought-provoking and memorable experience.

Great game, really makes you question your morals and ethics. Plus it has a beautiful story and an awesome ending!

This is one of those games that after completing it, it makes you wonder about what it means to be human.
This game is incredible in the storytelling, the atmosphere, the different ways that the enemies work and so much more.

This game was cooked to perfection

Lovely horror game. Not as scary as I expected, but the horror comes more from the existential questions and mysteries it makes you confront. Nice medium length experience too, took me 6 hours.

Super late to the party with this game, but it has aged well and lives up to the praise. It's like Bioshock, except you can't fight back and more philosophical and existential instead of political.

Fantastic story and voice acting in this game! A few spots I got lost in but overall the game was enjoyable. Plenty of scares and creepiness for horror lovers. Not a fan of FPS view but given the good story and other things, I enjoyed this one.