“The threat of death isn't the scariest thing in SOMA”

Playing it safe in SOMA and ALIEN: ISOLATION.

- Andy Kelly

When I reviewed sci-fi horror game somA in 2015, my biggest complaint was that having to play-hide-and-seek with its monsters often got in the way of the story it was trying to tell. So, wanting to immerse myself in that world again without the hassle, I thought I’d give Safe Mode a go. This lets you explore the underwater nightmare of Pathos-II without being constantly murdered. The monsters are still there, but they can’t harm you. And I was amazed by how, despite this, it’s still a really powerful horror game.

The threat of death isn’t the scariest thing in SOMA. It’s the existential dread and the claustrophobic, suffocating atmosphere. And I felt like maybe this is what the experience should have been all along. The story was brought to the forefront and it had room to breathe.