Here is a spoiler-free review of SOMA for anybody who is thinking of purchasing this game while it is on sale. Many will tell you that you should go into the game blind. For the story half, this is probably true. For the gameplay half, you should know what you are in for. So here is a break down of my experience with SOMA's gameplay.

SOMA does not have gameplay.

I played SOMA for about 3 hours on standard difficulty and encountered no puzzles, no combat, extremely limited exploration, and only the scarcest semblance of stealth. Functionally the game is a walking simulator with the occasional spooky patrolling obstacle to avoid.

The game is also not very scary. Though since I am a jaded horror game veteran, your mileage may vary. The game is extremely atmospheric, but it's more a sense of "huh, that's weird/interesting" than fear for your life.

Now, even if you're looking for a top tier walking simulator like SOMA, there is one more thing you should know. The thing that made me quit SOMA wasn't underwhelming gameplay, it was a headache. SOMA absolutely loves throwing visual distortions at you. Your screen will always be jerking, stuttering, wobbling and glitching as part of intentional game design. Eventually, these things gave me a motion-sickness related headache. I should also mention that as a frequent VR user and veteran of back seat gameboy road trips, I am not usually one who has trouble with these things. But SOMA's glitchy screen got me.

So... be warned. I provide this review not to complain but to help inform anybody who might be on the fence for this one and finding hard to locate spoiler-free criticism.

Great game, really makes you question your morals and ethics. Plus it has a beautiful story and an awesome ending!

Divided life into before and after