Favorite part? Scariest part? [SPOILERS]

[Shmeezee]

I just finished the game and I'm so pleased! There were definitely a number of moments where I was hella annoyed with the monsters (squidface scubasuit, I'm looking at you), or wanted to punch Simon in the face (most of the time). But on the whole, I was left feeling super satisfied with the journey.

I was struck when reading reviews of the game that many people either loved or hated various aspects, depending on what genre they enjoy: some thought the puzzles and exploration bits slowed the pace too much and were frustrating, while others thought they should do away with the monsters entirely because they get in the way of those parts; some hated the voice acting and characters, others found it relatable; some thought it wasn't at all scary, others crapped their pants; etc., etc.

So, without any judgment on what was good or bad (as its all relative): What was your personal favorite part? What was the scariest?

(full disclosure: I'm super into the atmosphere and immersion of games. If I had to describe my game genre, it'd be something like "indie atmospheric creepy/beautiful point-and-click puzzle adventure." Generally, I play games that don't stress me out. No FPS or jump-scare survival-horror, although I do love being creeped the hell out.)

Favorite part: I have several.
1) A minor point, but when I started the game, I thought I was in some sort of space station. When I happened into the clear observation tunnel and first saw the underwater scenes and the fishies and corals and whatnot, I was enchanted. I hung out for quite a while until venturing back into the dark claustrophobic interior.
2) In the area with the containment chamber (you're looking for materials for the pressure suit- Theta?), when I first started getting screen glitches and messages telling me to kill the WAU from an unknown source. Oooo! How mysterious and intriguing and rather freaky! My curiosity is piqued and the plot thickens! A new element and I love it.
3) The deep water abyss parts running to Tau were amazing and my absolute favorite. The sense of literal and metaphorical pressure, the darkness, the underwater currents threatening to hurl you into the void. The beautiful glowing jellyfish in the calm moments. I've never seen this setting in any other game or other media and it was horrifying and awe inspiring in a whole other way than "*eek* thats a monster run away."

Scariest part:
Pretty much everything was scary for me, in a good, atmospheric way. Some other commenter summed it up as something like "the setting IS the horror." Still: any time the anticipation ratcheted up before I ever saw a monster... For example, I didn't find the server room that scary once I was there, but I nearly nope'd out a zillion times after hearing the crazy noises from below and finding out I'd have to reset something in the sub-basement. *Of course* I have to go down to the basement where all the freaky noises are. Also, screw you, game! The anticipation does me in.

I am a dev's wet dream when it comes to jump scares. I shrieked every time there was a sudden noise, the lights went out, my screen glitched, or Ross appeared. I should really start my own youtube channel. But the worst was on the crawler ride down to the abyss: the slow descent, the growing darkness, the increasing pressure playing havoc on the systems, and then *bam* lights go off and something climbs into the cage with you... *shudders* That was some good tasty horror right there.


Tl;dr: Everyone's taste in gameplay and horror is different and subjective. What's your personal favorite bit (be it story, art, monsters, puzzles, etc.), and what part part scared you the most?

The things that made you groan/eye-roll can be saved for another thread :)

[♡ Katalina Aryze ♡]

Hello, Soma is one of my game of the years for 2015.

My favorite part was... well I gave 2 favorite parts lol One of my favorite parts is one that made you kill the robot, my second favorite apart was the ending which was both satisfying and humiliating at the same time. I thought the game had a good build up to the ending, and while the ending really surprised me, it made perfect sense.

Scariest thing to me was... I'd say the static effect when enemies get close to you added a great chill factor to the game. I loved the monsters because they weren't overpowered but there rather to momentarily destract you and tease you.

My favorite monster was the one that was on the ship but the creepiest one was the mutated blob thing that you had to sneak past on a couple occasions.

Another thing I liked is the fact that the game had NO filler. It's shorter than say Alien: Isolation but wasted none of your time.

The best thing about the game is the complex concept of the story as a whole and the vulnerable characters whome possess only realistic feelings. An educated guide helping along a naive being whom just woke 100 years later is a great start to an epic journey in which there is nothing like.

Are we friends yet? ;)

[HunterFX21]

I just finished writing a really short review on the game. My feelings?

I'll never look at artifical intelligence the same way again.
The questions and themes that the game poses have changed my outlook on life.

Throughout the game I was thinking things like, "okay, I'm a robot, so what?"

All those tense moments drew my attention away from the fact that the game was feeding its subtle message to me. At the end, everything came together and I was hit with a wave of emotion, gratification, and profound understanding of a subject matter that's hard to understand.

Favorite Part:
The character development throughout the game, especially the ending was a big one for me.

Scariest Part:
Realizing that this could be an actual scenario in the future. Oh, that and the monsters freaked me out at first. I enjoy running and hiding (like Alien: Isolation). It's just so nerve-wracking knowing that they probably saw you and there's nothing you can do but hide under desk and stare at the wall. The atmosphere kept me on edge (and partially under my desk) the entire game.

[illgib]

It's a tough choice!

There are a lot of favorite and scary parts, i had a chill down my spine when i looked into the mirror for the first time, i somehow expected something like, but seeing it were totally a different matter!
Or the moment in Omicron i had to take a decision over Simon #2, when i'm faced with the option to kill or spare him i almost started to cry, i stared a long time watching myself sit on that chair while taking a decision, then i've unplugged the power, and waited until he stopped to breath.
It left my heart broken in some way, killing the one early in the game were an easy choice for me, i had the feeling to release or saving him from that non-life, but taking such a decision over yourself were mind ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.
Same with Sarah, as i've seen her i know were the things were to go, and when she asked me to shut her off i had no second tought, i crouched and virtually took her hand while she was goin'. (damn' ninja onion cuttin')

The scariest parts are the one were there's some monster roaming around and you have to figure out his pattern.
"Ok he's gone i can...nope he's coming!"
"Let's wait...where he could be? Maybe he's gone? Let's try... NOPE!" I've never seen them very well, and i can care less!
and so and so, it took a lot ot time on the ship to reach the engine room, and in the lab were you have to take the elevator with that other omniscent ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥! I locked myself in the general room closing and opening doors on the computer trying to lock him somewere. Then, after an eternity, i decided to go for the elevator, and he's PICKABOO I'M HERE!
"OH JESUS FKN CHRIST GO GO GO GO GO!" D:

And the cryings two where you have to take the battery pack and go back in the dive area, i tried several times to distract him/her trowing objcets, but he didn't move, when i approach him he start to make that damn' noise that freaked me out!

Many times i find myself locking in some room, crouching and crying "it'll be ok, it'll be ok, it'll be ok"

Frictional learnt a lot in those years after Penumbra and Amnesia, and i think A Machine for Pigs had a big impact in this new game.

The ending was so bitter, in both ways, maybe it's me but i can't see the beautiful thing in the ark, if i had the choice i wouldn't had lunched it, i've destroyed it if i could. I've found the last image of the satellite floating in the space so sad.

Man, i love this game! 10/10

[Pacowaka]

Big fan of Frictional Games, played all of their games! Soma was by far my favorite out of all of them though.

Favorite parts?

Hmmmmm...if being scared the whole way through could be counted as my favorite part of the game. haha

Scariest parts?

Well, since I have Thalassophobia (Intense fear of the darkness/openess of underwater. Also the fear of machinery underwater), it made it incredibly hard to play this game. I was following this game for a long time and once they released a trailer showing it was underwater, I was like "Crap...this is not gonna be easy." It got so bad that I wasn't able to play it through myself. I think I logged less than an hour in Soma because it was so terrifying for me. So I watched the rest of it on youtube haha. :D

There was two scariest parts for me. The first was when you were on the ship and one of the wau creatures chased you down to the escape vessel. And the second would have to be the one in the scuba suit near the end. The way he walked was absolutely terrifying! Oh also that part when you press the button and there is a delay in the door closing, and the monster comes rushing towards you.

[solotany]

The whole deep water abyss part. Incredible, just incredible.

[Spartan L16]

The abyss part... I literally was frightened to move on.

Once you saw that WAU fish creature thing for the first time, I started dreading the abyss.

^^ but with that being said.. for a game to make me paralyized to move remotely... Bravo!

[Neutronux]

Favourite part: Starting as the third Simon.
Scariest part: Maybe leaving the protected security room that gave me short time the ability to lock all those damned doors.