After the revolutionary Amnesia: The Dark Descent in 2010, expectations were high for the next title from Frictional Games. Instead of developing a direct sequel to Amnesia, Frictional moved forward with an original IP called Soma. While Soma is not a direct sequel to Amnesia, it's still something that will greatly appeal to fans of that game and Frictional Games' other work, as well as anyone that's a fan of horror games in general.
Whereas Amnesia: The Dark Descent has players exploring the creepy Brennenburg Castle, Soma changes the setting dramatically to an underwater research facility. Players have to explore the facility, coming into contact with bizarre machines and other kinds of horrors. Gameplay-wise, Soma is very similar to Frictional's previous work, with players having to do their best to avoid enemy confrontations while solving puzzles to advance the plot.
Critics reacted positively to Soma when it launched, with the game earning high marks from a variety of publications and finding itself nominated for a slew of awards. Many Soma reviews praised its gripping, haunting atmosphere, as well as its ability to genuinely scare the player. Soma's narrative was also a source of praise for the game, with Soma having one of the most well-received horror game narratives out of any game that released for PS4 or Xbox One.
But while Soma earned strong marks from critics, it has somewhat struggled to become as much of a financial success as Frictional Games' previous titles. It took awhile for Soma to sell enough copies to break even, which is unfortunate as it is definitely one of the best horror gaming experiences available on modern platforms. Soma has been criminally underplayed, but what this means, though, is that many PS4 and Xbox One gamers have a high-quality horror gaming experience just waiting for them.
If nothing else, fans of the horror genre can try Soma while they wait for Amnesia: Rebirth, a direct sequel to the original Amnesia that's set to launch on October 20.
Soma is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.