SOMA |OT| I Have No Mouth but I Will Scream, on The Dark Descent into A Machine
- Thread starter More_Badass
- Start date
Does the story pick up later on? I'm at the
and it's honestly been rather boring so far. The encounter and level design as well feel too close to Frictional's previous games to really have any effect on me. Have not been scared or even stressed at all. I think I've become desensitized to this sort of horror gameplay.
Theta station
RΛVE
Member
documents/mygames/Soma/Main/Username_user_settings.cfg
open the cfg file in notepad
find godmode and debugmode and change both from "false" to "true"
monsters will still be there, maybe they will even follow you but they won't do anything
Monocle
Member
This game is so bleak.
(STORY SPOILERS)
(STORY SPOILERS)
Not only are humans wiped off the face of the Earth, with all land based civilization immolated, but the Ark is nothing more than a false afterlife, a morbid simulation of the physical world that humanity can no longer interact with. All this talk about "hope," and it never occurred to anyone that once you remove people's ability to interface with the outside world, they're doomed to die in their vessel.
It would have been much smarter to build robot bodies for people. Or use or surrender to the WAU. It had already found equilibrium within its ecosystem, so who's to say it wouldn't have evolved into something better given a few centuries? Based on the main character and that one scientist guy in the monster body, we know the WAU could sustain a human consciousness indefinitely, apparently with no adverse effects on the personality. The scientists had even begun to control the WAU's properties to some degree by applying charges to that gel in their experiments. Perhaps the planet could have been repopulated in time, first on the ocean floor, then on the surface once plant life returned. The WAU might have saved humans after all.
I like SOMA's subject matter, but the plot development put me off. Humanity essentially embraced extinction because nobody was smart enough to notice that their technology was more than advanced enough to help them survive. Yes, power was an issue, but the WAU had enough to keep going. And it doesn't seem implausible that some of those scientists could have figured out a way to generate power in the short term until they could come up with a better solution.
It would have been much smarter to build robot bodies for people. Or use or surrender to the WAU. It had already found equilibrium within its ecosystem, so who's to say it wouldn't have evolved into something better given a few centuries? Based on the main character and that one scientist guy in the monster body, we know the WAU could sustain a human consciousness indefinitely, apparently with no adverse effects on the personality. The scientists had even begun to control the WAU's properties to some degree by applying charges to that gel in their experiments. Perhaps the planet could have been repopulated in time, first on the ocean floor, then on the surface once plant life returned. The WAU might have saved humans after all.
I like SOMA's subject matter, but the plot development put me off. Humanity essentially embraced extinction because nobody was smart enough to notice that their technology was more than advanced enough to help them survive. Yes, power was an issue, but the WAU had enough to keep going. And it doesn't seem implausible that some of those scientists could have figured out a way to generate power in the short term until they could come up with a better solution.
Following-up on this, still hasn't managed to click with me. I liked Machine For Pigs better.
I feel this game suffers the Dead Space 2 syndrome. The gameplay is predicable and instead of familiarizing yourself with environments, you're just shuffled from one area to the next, having to do short-term chores that constantly backfire or end up not working. I also think the game is too talky, while at the same time I'm often unsure about what I should be doing. I end up practically running through rooms looking for green buttons to press. It was further a poor design choice to let enemies hit you twice. Feels like a crutch and an acknowledgement by the developers that they could not design proper encounters.
StaffyManasse
Member
You are not wrong. Ending spoilers:
The last image of ruined Earth haunts me more than any of the "monsters".
Monocle
Member
Yep, that image stuck with me.
The English Conquistador
Member
Dude, pretty much every horror game is that way. You reach objective, shit doesn't work or it does and makes you think it's all over...then something bad happens again and it happens over and over. Unlike Dead Space 2, everything being done was there to progress the story. It wasn't just fix this door, start up this engine like Dead Space etc.
I found this to be the first horror in a long long time that doesn't outstay it's welcome with that stuff.
I'm not sure the game bring too talky is a valid criticism either. It's a horror game where you interact extensively
with an AI.
wanderjahr
Banned
Hardware / Drivers / OS
CPU: i7-930 4.0 GHz
GPU: GTX 770 4GB Core 1280 MHz, Memory 4001 MHz, 1.212 mV
RAM: 12GB
HDD or SSD: SSD
OS: Windows 10
Nvidia Driver: 358.91
Soma v: 1.02
Game
Video Distortion Effects: On
Color Separation: On
Simple Interaction Icons: Off
Display
Resolution: 1920x1200
Display Mode: Borderless
V-Sync: Off
Refresh Rate: 60
Anti-Aliasing: FXAA
Horizontal FOV: 96
Post Effect
Depth of Field: High
SSAO: On
Bloom: On
Rendering
Texture Quality: High
Texture Filter: AFx16
Shadow Quality: High
Reflection: On
Refraction: On
NCP
PhysX Processor: CPU
Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance
Shader Cache: Off
Threaded optimization: Off
Triple buffering: On
Vertical sync: Adaptive
CPU: i7-930 4.0 GHz
GPU: GTX 770 4GB Core 1280 MHz, Memory 4001 MHz, 1.212 mV
RAM: 12GB
HDD or SSD: SSD
OS: Windows 10
Nvidia Driver: 358.91
Soma v: 1.02
Game
Video Distortion Effects: On
Color Separation: On
Simple Interaction Icons: Off
Display
Resolution: 1920x1200
Display Mode: Borderless
V-Sync: Off
Refresh Rate: 60
Anti-Aliasing: FXAA
Horizontal FOV: 96
Post Effect
Depth of Field: High
SSAO: On
Bloom: On
Rendering
Texture Quality: High
Texture Filter: AFx16
Shadow Quality: High
Reflection: On
Refraction: On
NCP
PhysX Processor: CPU
Power management mode: Prefer maximum performance
Shader Cache: Off
Threaded optimization: Off
Triple buffering: On
Vertical sync: Adaptive
What an excellent game that was.
One of the best stories of the recent years,with food for thought after the game is finished.
There aren't many jump scares,more like a creepy atmosphere and constant anxiety in case of a monster being around which was a smart design choice,because jump scares should be fuckin cliche in 2015.
Some monster encounters and puzzles were more of a chore,because they seemed more like obstacles to the story's pacing rather than fun challenges,but i can live with it.
Overall a must play game for a gamer tha respects itself.
Great sci fi horror stories are hard to come by,well done Frictional Games
One of the best stories of the recent years,with food for thought after the game is finished.
There aren't many jump scares,more like a creepy atmosphere and constant anxiety in case of a monster being around which was a smart design choice,because jump scares should be fuckin cliche in 2015.
Some monster encounters and puzzles were more of a chore,because they seemed more like obstacles to the story's pacing rather than fun challenges,but i can live with it.
Overall a must play game for a gamer tha respects itself.
Great sci fi horror stories are hard to come by,well done Frictional Games
sammyCYBORG
Member
I finished it tonight, great game.
Although the hide and seek mechanic still "works", insofar as it's creepy and adds tension, I was also slightly bored during those sections at the same time. It's definitely time for a new mechanic.
Overall, this game wasn't as scary of an experience as Amnesia, but I think it is a better game.
Although the hide and seek mechanic still "works", insofar as it's creepy and adds tension, I was also slightly bored during those sections at the same time. It's definitely time for a new mechanic.
Overall, this game wasn't as scary of an experience as Amnesia, but I think it is a better game.
Just finished it. I really liked the experience, despite some technical problems.
Wonderfully bleak and it really did the underwater feel better than any other game I've played, Including Bioshock.
It never came close to the scariness of Amnesia for me but it made up for it in story.
Wonderfully bleak and it really did the underwater feel better than any other game I've played, Including Bioshock.
It never came close to the scariness of Amnesia for me but it made up for it in story.
Zeouterlimits
Member
Similarly to others on this page, I've just finished it.
Nuts. Scary. Terrifying and lonely. Thank heavens, thank heavens for
What an ending. Jeez, I wish I could talk to someone about it.
Nuts. Scary. Terrifying and lonely. Thank heavens, thank heavens for
Catherine. Talk about getting me, and Simon through the game.
What an ending. Jeez, I wish I could talk to someone about it.
StevieWhite
Member
I have been trying to get into this off and on for three weeks now... I find myself nothing other than irritated when enemies show up. The plot is all right so far (just found the dunbat), but I feel like the "game" does nothing other than obstruct the story. Haven't found it scary at all tho.
samueljustice00
Member
StaffyManasse
Member
You are right! This is interesting. Seems like a better way to make an "easy mode", or an explorer mode without totally removing the creatures altogether. Maybe I'd even do an early 2nd playthrough if mods were possible on PS4.
Shake Appeal
Member
I'll probably use that mod if I want to replay it for plot only in future.
Melchiah
Member
I wish this would be available on the PS4 as well.
I'm 2/3rds of the way through this game - my GF and I playing it by streaming, as we're long-distance temporarily.
Fucking phenomenal story. It's only had me scared once or twice, and even then not that scared. But it is incredibly satisfying to play because you know who you are, you know what you are, and you know what you have to do. The context is so perfectly set up and the ideas are so well developed and built.
Wow looks fantastic - watch out the spoiler in the last line of your quote, though. I didn't know those enemies were in the game and I didn't want to know.
Fucking phenomenal story. It's only had me scared once or twice, and even then not that scared. But it is incredibly satisfying to play because you know who you are, you know what you are, and you know what you have to do. The context is so perfectly set up and the ideas are so well developed and built.
Wow looks fantastic - watch out the spoiler in the last line of your quote, though. I didn't know those enemies were in the game and I didn't want to know.
comshoplesce
Member
what's the price on this one? 19,99$?
Zeouterlimits
Member
I've mixed feelings on it, but is it gone?
Interfectum
Member
This is seriously one of my favorite games this year. I really enjoyed the story and... dat ending. 
It doesn't seem very long and once the pace gets going (2-3 hours in) even a short play session is really satisfying.
Watch out though, it's:
A) not a hard game (a few standout, great, challenging puzzles, but mainly simple movement and creepy-ish enemy evasion)
B) not a scary game (the story is definitely horror, it's very disturbing - but it's not actively scary/frightening, and while some of the monsters are a bit unsettling, most of them aren't. It's mainly an exploration of the human experience, and messed up things that happen when technology impacts on that.)
It's primarily a fantastic story, and it gets increasingly satisfying to play the more you're immersed in the character and the world. It's got a good pace, too, it's not a slow game.
SOMA is amazing, I'm deeply absorbed in this world and it will be on my GOTY list, but holy shit, the main character is one of the most unlikeable characters that I've controlled in recent memory, in my opinion. He's such an asshole sometimes and it really catches me off guard. He also starts off logical and rational and then literally well after the game has already explained what's going on, he then asks the clichéd "why me", "what's the point" questions. I would've been okay with all these emotions when we were all figuring it out together, but come on man, not now. I don't care about relating or not relating to characters, but I just really don't get this guy. My logic and his logic are completely different.
But I haven't seen the ending yet, I'm very close, so maybe something insane will happen that will change my perspective about this guy, in any case, regardless of my thoughts about Simon, SOMA is still incredible.
But I haven't seen the ending yet, I'm very close, so maybe something insane will happen that will change my perspective about this guy, in any case, regardless of my thoughts about Simon, SOMA is still incredible.
man is this game getting criminally less exposure and praise than it deserves or what.
almost fell under the radar for me and ended up being the best gaming experience of 2015 by a wide margin.
would be easily worth a full-price let alone 20 bucks it is sold for.
get this folks.
its like bioshock plus better story minus unnecessary shooting.
btw. i haven't played amnesia dark descent yet. how does it stand against soma story and gameplay wise? hope it is another gem of a game i havent played yet.
almost fell under the radar for me and ended up being the best gaming experience of 2015 by a wide margin.
would be easily worth a full-price let alone 20 bucks it is sold for.
get this folks.
its like bioshock plus better story minus unnecessary shooting.
btw. i haven't played amnesia dark descent yet. how does it stand against soma story and gameplay wise? hope it is another gem of a game i havent played yet.
So sort of off-topic (I'm going somewhere with this) but I recently finished Alien Isolation. It was pretty much the only "AAA" game I'd been really looking forward to for a long time, because it felt like it was going to be Amnesia with an established universe, a legendary movie antagonist and... well, a budget. A big budget, at least.
I did enjoy the game, but there was one big problem for me; it ran out of steam way, way, way before the 20 hour mark at which I beat it. Even though the xenomorph is portrayed really well in the game there's only so much you can do with it, and even before the game came out the concept of being chased by an extremely deadly creature you cannot kill had been done to death. So it was full of ridiculous amounts of padding, and it suffered for it. Doesn't help that the actual story wasn't doing much to grab me.
With that in mind, it helped me think of SOMA in new light. Firstly, it's amazing how much more variety Frictional got out of a game less than half that length, thanks to more varied enemies and environments and an absolutely fascinating story. I don't think there was ever a point during SOMA that I was actually bored of things.
Second, it solidifies Frictional's decision to make SOMA less about the horror and more about the story. I admit, at first I was a little disappointed that the game wasn't as balls-out scary as Amnesia was. But then it became apparent that putting the horror on the backseat so they could tell their story was a wise move, and I really appreciate that. I just hope it gets more of a chance as time goes on and doesn't become a flop (it's sold less than Frictional expected it to at this point in its life)
Without a doubt I think you'll like Amnesia. I would say the puzzles aren't as good in Amnesia, and the story doesn't pose the same caliber of questions that SOMA does. It's still a well written story though. Basically SOMA is built around theories and questions, while Amnesia is built around misery. (The sanity effect in Amnesia is also fun!)
I did enjoy the game, but there was one big problem for me; it ran out of steam way, way, way before the 20 hour mark at which I beat it. Even though the xenomorph is portrayed really well in the game there's only so much you can do with it, and even before the game came out the concept of being chased by an extremely deadly creature you cannot kill had been done to death. So it was full of ridiculous amounts of padding, and it suffered for it. Doesn't help that the actual story wasn't doing much to grab me.
With that in mind, it helped me think of SOMA in new light. Firstly, it's amazing how much more variety Frictional got out of a game less than half that length, thanks to more varied enemies and environments and an absolutely fascinating story. I don't think there was ever a point during SOMA that I was actually bored of things.
Second, it solidifies Frictional's decision to make SOMA less about the horror and more about the story. I admit, at first I was a little disappointed that the game wasn't as balls-out scary as Amnesia was. But then it became apparent that putting the horror on the backseat so they could tell their story was a wise move, and I really appreciate that. I just hope it gets more of a chance as time goes on and doesn't become a flop (it's sold less than Frictional expected it to at this point in its life)
Without a doubt I think you'll like Amnesia. I would say the puzzles aren't as good in Amnesia, and the story doesn't pose the same caliber of questions that SOMA does. It's still a well written story though. Basically SOMA is built around theories and questions, while Amnesia is built around misery. (The sanity effect in Amnesia is also fun!)
It didn't.
Anyone know of a good way to remove the framerate cap on PC? I tried changing the command line in user_settings.cfg but it's not doing anything for me.
I ended up locking it to 59 with rivatuner (gsync yay!) because the in game cap is, as par for the course, really shitty and results in dropped frames all over the place. Currently downsampling pretty high due to the overhead I have, though.
Game is good thus far with a few caveats. Dislike that it doesn't seem to be as mechanically driven as Amnesia or the Penumbra games were. The game almost feels as if it's about one step away from walking simulator territory, and not a far one at that due to pretty much all encounters thus far not ending in anything for me other than a nap for a few seconds. This is pretty disappointing imo as I always felt that the environmental interaction and puzzle solving with light stealth always gave it a solid edge over games like Dear Esther, which are kind of about as enjoyable to play as driving a car on the way to work without the productivity involved.
I ended up locking it to 59 with rivatuner (gsync yay!) because the in game cap is, as par for the course, really shitty and results in dropped frames all over the place. Currently downsampling pretty high due to the overhead I have, though.
Game is good thus far with a few caveats. Dislike that it doesn't seem to be as mechanically driven as Amnesia or the Penumbra games were. The game almost feels as if it's about one step away from walking simulator territory, and not a far one at that due to pretty much all encounters thus far not ending in anything for me other than a nap for a few seconds. This is pretty disappointing imo as I always felt that the environmental interaction and puzzle solving with light stealth always gave it a solid edge over games like Dear Esther, which are kind of about as enjoyable to play as driving a car on the way to work without the productivity involved.
AuthenticM
Member
Tell me how far I am:
I just got inside a wrecked ship outside of Lambda (the big ship, not the small escape vessel), after taking Cat with me.
StaffyManasse
Member
It's been a while, but 1/4, or at max 1/3 done.
help, i literally can't finish this game due to fear
is there any point in me even trying to go on?
i'm in the sunken ship trying to remove the emergency locks off the escape pod, but the monster that you can't look at literally scares me to the point where i have to alt-tab out immediately
is there any point in me even trying to go on?
More_Badass
Member
If you can't handle that, later parts of the game might be impossible. That section wasn't even that dark.
I mainly just ran like hell. There are lights on the ground that subtly guide you
The only way through is to conquer your fear
Maybe try playing without sound for a bit? But yeah there are many more parts of the game that are just as scary.
Solid advice on the sound part. I just took my headphones out for 2 minutes and powered through. I know it's kinda atmosphere killing but I literally would have had to just give up. Rad game so far though!
LilWayneSuckz
Member
That part is pretty terrifying. I just hated how it seems there is no way around the monster
For me it's not being able to look at it. Most horror games completely fall apart for me because enemies are usually just AI routines that are easy to figure out. Not being able to look at this guy just throws that out of the water, I have no idea what his idle behaviour was or anything.
More_Badass
Member
If you enjoyed SOMA, you might like this horror novel. Picked it up on my Nook yesterday
The Deep - Nick Cutter
It doesnt have the sci-fi angle or PKD inspiration, but it does have a claustrophobic research station on the oppressively dark ocean floor where horrible horrible things are happening and an apocalyptic fate that the scientists are trying to avert. The author does a really good job at capturing that isolation and tension and the dangerous pressure.
The Deep - Nick Cutter
It doesnt have the sci-fi angle or PKD inspiration, but it does have a claustrophobic research station on the oppressively dark ocean floor where horrible horrible things are happening and an apocalyptic fate that the scientists are trying to avert. The author does a really good job at capturing that isolation and tension and the dangerous pressure.
brianmcdoogle
Member
Forgive this maybe pointless bump, but I waited and was rewarded by a physical release of Life Is Strange; does Soma have a chance at a physical release? I hate digital purchases on console.
SuperSonic1305
Member
I was enjoying this game until
. That section goes on WAY too long. Don't know whose bright idea it was to have
I better not have another one of those for a long time because it has really soured the game for me.
Theta Laboratory/Maintenance
3-4 tedious monster sequences in a row
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Keep going, the best stretch of the game happens soon after.