SOMA , the space-borne horror show being built by Frictional Games, isn't due for release until sometime in 2015, but that doesn't stop a steady stream of trailers and teasers from showing off brief moments of hopefully frightening gameplay. The latest trailer features in-game environments specifically designed to deliver a case of the heebie jeebies.
The trailer itself is almost comically dark, but I imagine that a good story and some sound effects will make the overall atmosphere much less amusing. An oppressive, super-bleak atmosphere is exactly what the developers are going for, as written in their latest dev blog :”[T]he game's thematics will emerge through play. SOMA is meant to explore deep subjects such as consciousness and the nature of existence. We could have done this with cutscenes and long conversations, but we chose not to. We want players to become immersed in these thematics, and the discussions to emerge from within themselves.”
Existentialism is heady stuff, and if Frictional pulls it off, SOMA has the potential to be a thoroughly frightening and mind-boggling affair.
