Games similar to soma. Easter Egg in SOMA: an alternative version of horror

I've been waiting for this game since the first announcements, teaser videos, trailers and the first "alpha gameplay" trailer. Judge for yourself - a game from the creators of Penumbra, Amnesia. I waited for the game because it was that rare subspecies of horror - "Sky-Fi" aka "sci-fi" horror. Of course, we are sophisticated people and have gone through both "Isolation" and "dead space", but all this is not the same. because in these games the hero had a weapon, but here they offered a purebred "horror-runaway". In anticipation of the release of Amnesia and Penumbra were passed "to the holes." Several times before the release, I was overwhelmed by the fear that is known to every "fan" - "what if the developers got ugly and lowered the bar to attract casuals to a wider audience?". But the fears were in vain. So what is this "Soma" and what is it eaten with? The plot has changed dramatically since the first teasers. No brains falling out of boxes, no tentacles along the wall. The game begins on a normal daylight, we meet our protagonist - Simon Jarett, an ordinary kid from Toronto who received a head injury during an accident and is now fighting for his health and future. The first couple of levels are essentially "training" - for connoisseurs this is a repetition of the material covered, and for beginners, acquaintance with the system of interaction with the world. The developers have not changed a bit - there are still a lot of things and objects in the surrounding space that can be moved, pushed and taken into our virtual hands. Those who played PenumbraAmnesia will understand what I mean - "mouse-hand" and the ability to smoothly open the doors of lockers or wave a bottle or chair that has been seized in a daring manner. In the course of the "training level" we can learn a few plot features like non-linearity (To answer or not to answer the phone, whether to send an email to a friend?), but everything changes when Simon comes to the doctor. Sits down in a chair. Camera. Light. Rushed. (Sim spoilers finished, then play play and play)

What is the attraction of the game? Powerful atmosphere. The quintessence, if not horror, but despair, shaky hope .. I will not spoil it, you need to go through it and feel it yourself. I will say right away that in order to understand the game, you will need to meticulously go through every corner and read every note (And this despite the fact that monsters of various stripes will breathe into the back of our heads and Simon is not Rimbaud and not even Isaac Clarke). I went through the game five times and probably I had an SPGS on the basis of this game because it was just as "hooked". The game asks the world-old questions "What is a "personality?" "Where is the human soul?", "What will happen to us after death?", but dresses them not in a religious cassock but in a strict, almost scientific robe. scared me terribly. The age-old childish question "What if I'm not me at all, but another me?" I had all the way. I can’t spoil it and I won’t, I just advise you to go through it thoughtfully and painstakingly, do not rush to immediately poke buttons what is recommended to poke and try other options.Do not be shy to read someone else's mail Patos 2, and climb into all sorts of magazines and boxes.
Briefly about SOMA
Sound, Music, Atmosphere, gameplay - this is a horror movie ladies and gentlemen, everything here is a horror movie. Terrible thumping music when monsters appear, sounds of boiling old skin, static in the radio, gurgling of bubbles, voices and a whole galaxy of sounds fit into a beautiful picture that, although not an "graphonium" of the "S +" class, but looks decent.
The plot - I give it 5, although there are my separate SPGS opinions that would fit in a separate article.
Bloodiness - of course it's not "Outlast" but still everything is up to the mark

As a result, Soma was worth my expectations, the promises of the developers, and it’s not even a shame to pay for such a game.

The release of horror SOMA took place just a week ago, and gamers have already managed to find an easter egg that allows you to see an alternative version of horror.

If you flush a plastic toy down the toilet, a series of numbers appears on the screen. As Reddit users found out, if you find all such codes scattered in various locations, you can guess the password to a file called _supersecrets.rar, which is located in the SOMA installation folder.

Interestingly, gamers managed to discover all the numeric codes not by trial and error in the game itself, but through careful study of the SOMA sources.

So what is in the mysterious _supersecrets.rar folder? It turned out that the developers hid documents about the original version of the horror there, as well as screenshots of locations that never appeared in the final version of the game.

Document, with alternative game names:

However, the most interesting find is the SOMA alternate intro video, which offers a different perspective on the game. Judging by the video, in the first version of the game, all the events of SOMA were the product of the protagonist's invention: in the introduction, Simon wakes up in the hospital when his brain is scanned. In the final version of the game, Simon's consciousness was a computer simulation that was uploaded into the robot after a comet destroyed most of the Earth. In this case, all events unfold in the real world.

Gamer-Info

The “horror” tag appears in the game card only nominally: only the most impressionable will be able to scare SOMA, and even then, provided that they do not have enough skill to simply run away from the offenders. The game could be accused of inexpressive gameplay, but a great story easily levels this moment. Thanks to an unusually strong script, in reality we have not a game at all, but a virtual sci-fi work in the best traditions of F.K.

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gmbox

Gradually revealing the essence of what is happening, SOMA only raises the degree of intrigue. Sitting in front of the screen, you exclaim every hour: “ah, so that's it! Well, wow "- and as a result, the conceived" couple of hours a day "turns into a swim for four or five, as a result of which it's even a shame to break away from the console and return to reality (which, as you know, does not disappear when we stop thinking about it ).

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It is easy to close your eyes to a light "soapiness". The developers managed to create an exciting game with a stunningly strong storyline and atmosphere. Well, the fact that SOMA came out not as scary as previous Frictional projects may even benefit it, allowing it to reach a wider audience. She certainly deserves it.

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Playpress

Despite the mass of horror from independent studios that covers the shelves of digital stores every year, SOMA stands out from all these pale projects. Once upon a time, Frictional Games became the founders of the concept of indie horror, which took root among young studios. That is why Frictional Games decided to bypass all the canons established by their own hands and bring the plot and atmosphere to the fore, relegating the “horror” itself to the background ...

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strategy

SOMA is a very atmospheric sci-fi adventure game with horror elements that touches on the global issues of human existence. Despite the frankly weak technical implementation, SOMA leaves a pleasant aftertaste, thanks to the amazing and sometimes frightening atmosphere, exciting underwater setting, addictive gameplay, moderately diluted with stealth elements and not annoying puzzles, and, most importantly, the plot.

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Riot Pixels

Compared to Alien: Isolation, which did a great job showing how interesting and varied "stealth" in horror can be, stealth does not look good here. SOMA can only boast of the ability not to drive the player into the corridor. In many locations, they really allow you to roam freely back and forth, avoiding unpleasant encounters; in addition, monsters are distracted by the sound of falling objects. Alas, this is the maximum of the possibilities given to us ...

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gambling addiction

With proper planning of the game, it would be possible to achieve more impressive success. But instead of overwhelming emotions, you will experience boredom from time to time: it is unreasonably long to walk along the ocean floor, looking at fish, watch useless flashbacks and look for the right path for a long time, because there is no map here. Local monsters will not be able to scare you, because even if you die in SOMA, you will not lose anything. And here's the paradox: in a game that cultivates your fear of death, death itself is not at all scary.

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3DNews

From SOMA, many expected the usual horror in the scenery of an underwater research facility, but in reality the project turned out to be much more interesting. It's a fun sci-fi adventure that asks a lot of questions and answers some of them that make you think even more. As a result, it leads to such a logical, but impressive finale that literally everyone wants to advise the project.

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GameMAG

With all the shortcomings, SOMA is one of the main releases of this fall. The emotional plot, which goes to the level of a good sci-fi story, makes you think about replaying right after the end credits end and no doubt claims the title of the best gaming story of 2015.

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playground

Few remember, but initially Frictional Games announced itself to the world as the creator of a very advanced tech demo. She came out in 2006 and showed fantastic graphics and physics at that time. They were not inferior, but in some ways even surpassed the characteristics of the then current Source engine. Years later, these same people suddenly give SOMA the ugly picture that is more common in the games of novice developers.

The sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent is being developed by thechineseroom in collaboration with the original creators, Frictional Games.

The game is the result of trying to do something under severe restrictions. Therefore, to create the game, it was decided to specifically use the great and terrible Raycasting Game Maker.

By a certain coincidence, the hero of the game ends up in the Grove. This strange and inhospitable place can give him many surprises. And they are unlikely to be pleasant.

As a member of the rescue team, we explore a mysterious spaceship and learn the history of its crew. Intel Level Up 2017 Winner for Best 3D Graphics

Tacoma is a story-driven adventure game set in 2088 on a high-tech space station. You have to explore the lunar base, find out how the crew members lived and worked on it and what exactly happened there. You will discover an amazing story about faith, fear and steadfastness in the face of danger.

A digital video surveillance system was installed at Tacoma Station, which captured important moments from the life of the crew members. Everything is recorded in 3D holograms, so you are practically in the middle of the action. The ability to rewind records will allow you to view the story from different angles and reveal all the layers of the story.

Estranged tells the story of a lone fisherman whose ship is stranded on a mysterious island due to a violent storm. In search of a way back to the mainland, you will explore detailed locations and encounter the curious inhabitants of this island.

"The Mask Reveals a Disgusting Face" is a 3D mystical adventure game with pixel "retro" graphics, in which great attention is paid to the atmosphere and work with sound.

The plot tells about Gary, a lonely and depressed man. After much torment, he decides to spend some time in a house outside the city, in the hope that it will help him. Bad idea. Soon, some strange force locked him here, erecting a high lattice around the house. After that, mystical things began to happen in the house, driving a lonely person crazy. Can he survive this nightmare?

Conceptually, the game can be described as a "depression simulator", in a way. Russian and English languages ​​are supported.

Survival-horror game with RPG and puzzle elements. We explore an abandoned manor, solve puzzles and run away from a mysterious demon. It has gained cult status in Japan, spawning hundreds of fan games and spin-offs. There is even a series of short stories, a movie and an anime based on it. Russian version.

A dark horror game from Ubisoft and EA that takes place in a lunatic asylum where illegal experiments are being carried out.

Horror game based on reality events. The location of the Ridge is the Medveditskaya ridge. Scorched trees, eyewitness statements, unexplained events... What more could you ask for in a game like this?

While Outlast, unlike Soma, has many sudden appearances and unexpected moments, the narrative part of the game prompts you to explore the frightening corridors of the asylum. Outlast has it all: fearsome enemies and an oppressive horror atmosphere. Like Soma, Outlast makes the player feel alone, while enemies have a "master" advantage in familiar territory. However, the game rather focuses on horrific bloody scenes, showing us truly terrifying images. In an attempt to uncover the mysterious events that took place in the world of Outlast, players will move from one terrible scene to another until they get to the truth and find out what really happened here.

When you make your way through narrow corridors, peering into the darkness with a video camera, the enemy may be hiding right behind you. Therefore, when passing the adrenaline will just roll over. The game also crushes the fact that monsters can hide anywhere: in a locker, under a bed or behind a door. Outlast has everything a Soma fan needs: a compelling storyline, interesting characters, and more surprises waiting for you around every corner.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

The year is 1839, you wake up in an empty castle room, all you remember is your name Daniel, that you are from Mayfair and someone is hunting you. A note is attached nearby, which says that you have erased your memory, a certain shadow is chasing you, and you need to get into the inner sanctuary of the castle in order to defeat the baron. As a result, Amnesia: The Dark Descent has become one of the best games in the survival horror genre. While exploring the castle, you will be able to enjoy the sinister atmosphere, so Amnesia is highly recommended to all Soma fans.

There are elements of stealth, puzzles based on physics, as well as a sanity scale that you constantly need to monitor. The longer you stare at the monster, watch other terrible events, the higher the chance that you will begin to have auditory and visual hallucinations. From what chaos will only become stronger. Any source of light, be it lamps, lanterns or fireplaces, will help you recover and restore your sanity. It is around them that the game is focused. In Amnesia, you do not have any weapons, so try not to get caught by the monsters, and if this does happen, then run.

Layers of Fear

In Layers of Fear, you can take on the role of an artist who is trying to finish his best painting. But as soon as he takes up the paint, he begins to have hallucinations, all this in a completely empty house. In this first-person psychological horror game, you will solve complex puzzles that will require you to carefully examine the hanging canvases and find the clues hidden in them. The closer you get to know the paintings, the more the house itself will begin to distort, revealing more and more secrets.

Layers of Fear is a horror game that deals with more mundane real-world issues: divorce, loneliness, and even alcoholism. The oppressive atmosphere is provided by the very story of a tortured artist who tries to finish his creation, but is forced to face the demons of his past. There are three different endings in the game, which differ depending on the decisions made in the process, so you can go through Layers of Fear several times.

Firewatch

In terms of the themes and atmosphere that come up in games, FireWatch and Soma are completely different games. However, the plot of Firewatch is based on the isolation of the protagonist from the outside world, due to which the narrative is deeper. The very idea of ​​alienation and living in the depths of the forest, as a caretaker, is not so scary. But the longer you play, the more the isolation starts to weigh on you.

Your only interlocutor is the boss, who from time to time contacts you by radio and issues new tasks. But even such routine duties begin to make you suspicious. What does a whole summer in complete isolation mean? Escape from reality, which many dream of, or another prison, different from the one where you were before?

Firewatch tries to convey a personal story to the player while capturing their attention with amazing ideas. You will get acquainted with previously unexplored corners of the park, you will be able to try on the life of the main characters in order to understand what they are trying to escape from.

bioshock

When it comes to atmospheric horror, Bioshock cannot be ignored. An underwater dystopia filled with menacing creatures and charismatic leaders, the player must fight their way out if they want to get out alive. Bioshock is not exactly a typical horror game, but its setting is so shrouded in secrets that revealing them as you explore Rapture (the underwater city where the main events of the game unfold) is a pleasure.

Around every corner lurks a new villain who has taken a piece of Rapture for himself. Whether it's tycoon Andrew Ryan or erratic photographer Sandy Cohen, Rapture is filled with incredible dangers and creatures that live here. Fortunately, you are not only armed, but also endowed with magical abilities with plasmids. So hide, fight and do whatever it takes to get out of Rapture and uncover all the secrets lurking in it.