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General discussionRelease: SOMA(41 posts)(41 posts)
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Posted September 22, 2015
Asimov would be proud…

<span class="bold">SOMA</span>, a new take on horor from the creators of Amnesia, is now available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, DRM-free on GOG.com

Frictional Games, the guys behind terrifying horror series including Amnesia and Penumbra, are back for another shot of fear. This time around, they're doing things differently. While at first glance SOMA is still a first person horror with a focus on exploration and discomforting atmosphere, the real innovation lies in the creative process - one which resulted in a much different kind of experience from the usual jump-scare fare. Drawing inspiration from the works of Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick and Robert A. Heinlein. SOMA is a sci-fi horror game that relies on finely crafted settings to ask the hard questions and tackle unique issues. As you cower for your dear life, you'll deal with the idea of free will, subjective experience, and machine-consciousness. In SOMA, you'll experience tension through thick atmosphere and tangible sound design, and discover the peculiar story through your very own actions.

Do not scream, it will get you nowhere in <span class="bold">SOMA</span>, DRM-free on GOG.com.






In the press:
"I came in expecting something similar to Amnesia, just in a terrifying new location, but what I found is an intelligent game that forced me to think and contemplate ideas as only the best sci-fi is capable of doing. It may not stir the hordes of wailing YouTubers looking for the next best haunted house, but SOMA succeeds at crafting something much more meaningful in a genre that’s deserving of more than just simple jump scares." -- 9/10 -- Gamespot




"I don't know if SOMA will scare people as much as Amnesia did, but it is without a doubt a stronger game, with better pacing, smarter writing and more powerful subject matter. This isn't a horror game about obfuscation; events aren't building to a huge, shocking twist. More than anything, it's about the process of dealing with the horror of reality." -- 9/10 -- Polygon






Stream watch:

Our spooky specialist, Vlad of The Weekend Slice, will be showing off SOMA at Twitch.tv/GOGcom this Saturday, September 26th, at 10pm CEST / 8pm GMT / 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT.
Posted September 22, 2015
Guys does the GoG version have achievements? I know more and more are getting them on gog and Soma on Steam has them. So i wanted to ask here.

Would be a shame if achievements were exclusive to Steam.
Post edited September 22, 2015 by Minmataro
Posted September 22, 2015
I don't get excited about games. SOMA, though ...

26€ is kind of a lot for me. Can anyone give me an estimate on how long it takes to get through the game, keeping in mind that the prison section in Amnesia TDD had me twitching for a few days because I could never play that for longer than a few minutes? (Though I think I was kind of desensitized after that.)

Also, jump-scares. I hate them. This being Frictional Games, I expect they don't overuse them?

On the technical side, I'd guess that with 8GB RAM, an AMD FX-6300 and an AMD Radeon HD 7770, I should be okay?
Posted September 22, 2015
avatar
Cypisss: Hope you guys don't take it as a GOG.com ad but I wanted to take some time and share some of my thoughts about SOMA. So here goes ;)

First of all, maybe because I don't have as much time for gaming now as I used to when I was 20, nowadays I'm either looking for something simple and fun, that allows for 40minute one-time sit-downs (like a game of football in FIFA, a run in Rogue Legacy, a quick match of Towerfall etc.) or something different, special, that captivates me for a longer while. Aside from playing games I watch waaaay too many movies, as my wife is a movie critic, and try to read as many books as possible. So my perspective when it comes to computer games is a bit peculiar... They are important for me, but I don't play day-in day-out.

With that in mind: enter SOMA.

The game took over my life for the entire weekend and not because it was huge, long, addictive etc. But because I couldn't shake the basic concepts it deals with. "What makes us human? Will we change form as a life-form in the future? Will it be for the better?" And you can't escape them - they attack your brain again and again. Then SOMA does another brilliant thing - it makes you emotional. Sure, it's scary, but the feelings that stick with you for much longer than the monsters and jump scares are isolation, regret... It forces itself upon you - even if you don't feel comfortable, even if it makes you lonely and terrified.

For that alone - an ability to take over my life as a story-telling experience - I have to give it the highest praise. It did to me what Phillip K. Dick's best mind-fucks do - you stop, and THINK. and then think a little more. Sure, there might be some irks and quirks along the way, maybe some core horror fans can be disappointed with few jump scares etc. but ultimately it is one of the best sci-fi stories I have ever experienced, and definitely the best one I have PLAYED.

So again, it all depends on your approach to games but for me SOMA is a benchmark of what games CAN be - a medium on par with literature and film - taking advantage of its unique immersive and interactive qualities to eventually become better than those two. :)
if the game was exactly as you explain, I'd buy it and play... but I hate jump scares, running from an enemy without having means of defence and horror games in general, so I guess I'll read the story somewhere on the internet :((
Posted September 22, 2015
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Cypisss: I watch waaaay too many movies, as my wife is a movie critic
OT question: does she have too see many crap movies? :O
Posted September 22, 2015
I read that the combat is supposed to be pretty frustrating, any truth in this?
Posted September 22, 2015
I am so opinionated re: what makes us human that a game's claim to address the issue is automatically suspect. Looks awesome, though, and I love Dick (you're welcome). Too bad I don't have the specs to Officially Certify the game.
Posted September 22, 2015
I don't normally go for horror genre games (unless you count zombies I suppose as I have a ton of those), but reading the descriptions and comparisons to some of my favorite Sci-Fi authors I think I'll have to give this one a try.
Posted September 22, 2015
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Cypisss: ...
You totally sold the game to me... as soon as I have the money for it :-)
Post edited September 22, 2015 by toxicTom
Posted September 22, 2015
Cool been looking forward to this game a lot.
Posted September 22, 2015
Penumbra and Amnesia were great so I'll get this as well as soon as my credit card agrees with me.
Posted September 22, 2015
avatar
Cypisss: Hope you guys don't take it as a GOG.com ad but I wanted to take some time and share some of my thoughts about SOMA. So here goes ;)
this is what should be in the review on store page, not some bs complaining about technical issue (which will eventually solved)
Posted September 22, 2015
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Cypisss: I watch waaaay too many movies, as my wife is a movie critic
avatar
phaolo: OT question: does she have too see many crap movies? :O
Such is life. One movie per day roughly, so go figure ;)
Posted September 22, 2015
As good as this game be, it has the unfortunate position of being in direct competition with System Shock. I know which one gets my vote :D
Posted September 22, 2015
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phaolo: OT question: does she have too see many crap movies? :O
avatar
Cypisss: Such is life. One movie per day roughly, so go figure ;)
*sigh* I need to get through the workday. Played the first hour of this in my office, and now I have waaaay more questions than answers. And I love the slightly uncomfortable subject matter this game seems like it's delving into... really cool stuff.
Posted September 22, 2015
avatar
Cypisss: Hope you guys don't take it as a GOG.com ad but I wanted to take some time and share some of my thoughts about SOMA. So here goes ;)

First of all, maybe because I don't have as much time for gaming now as I used to when I was 20, nowadays I'm either looking for something simple and fun, that allows for 40minute one-time sit-downs (like a game of football in FIFA, a run in Rogue Legacy, a quick match of Towerfall etc.) or something different, special, that captivates me for a longer while. Aside from playing games I watch waaaay too many movies, as my wife is a movie critic, and try to read as many books as possible. So my perspective when it comes to computer games is a bit peculiar... They are important for me, but I don't play day-in day-out.

With that in mind: enter SOMA.

The game took over my life for the entire weekend and not because it was huge, long, addictive etc. But because I couldn't shake the basic concepts it deals with. "What makes us human? Will we change form as a life-form in the future? Will it be for the better?" And you can't escape them - they attack your brain again and again. Then SOMA does another brilliant thing - it makes you emotional. Sure, it's scary, but the feelings that stick with you for much longer than the monsters and jump scares are isolation, regret... It forces itself upon you - even if you don't feel comfortable, even if it makes you lonely and terrified.

For that alone - an ability to take over my life as a story-telling experience - I have to give it the highest praise. It did to me what Phillip K. Dick's best mind-fucks do - you stop, and THINK. and then think a little more. Sure, there might be some irks and quirks along the way, maybe some core horror fans can be disappointed with few jump scares etc. but ultimately it is one of the best sci-fi stories I have ever experienced, and definitely the best one I have PLAYED.

So again, it all depends on your approach to games but for me SOMA is a benchmark of what games CAN be - a medium on par with literature and film - taking advantage of its unique immersive and interactive qualities to eventually become better than those two. :)
This sounds exactly up my alley. So off to the wishlist until payday.
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionRelease: SOMA(41 posts)(41 posts)
(41 posts)