Game:

Soma (2015)

Duration: 11:01

201,467 views

4,720

A Declaration:
Welcome to the Gameological Dig, a channel devoted to playing games with obtuse and interesting stories. The aim of this channel is to treat these game worlds like an archeological site, meant to be unearthed and studied, so that we may better understand their plots, characters and themes.

Episode Notes:
This episode is the second in a series devoted to the game SOMA. This time around, I decided to take a more speculative approach to the area, since there is so little information about it in-game. Unlike the last video - which was a personal exploration into some of SOMA's characters - this video consists of ideas that are archaeological and encyclopedic. Pretty much no character supposition in this episode. Basically, a LOT of head canon stuff. And YES, I know theorizing can sometimes be a case of making fiction smaller than it may be (and in this case, me looking for meaning where there may not be any). But who cares? Speculating on the obtuse story beats is half the fun. So take this with a grain of salt, and please enjoy.

Game Notes:
To those unaware, Soma is a science fiction survival horror video game developed by Frictional Games and released on 22 September 2015. The game takes place on PATHOS-II, an underwater remote research facility with machinery that begins to take human characteristics. The game primarily utilizes elements of psychological horror instead of conventional scares found in most video games within the genre. Throughout the game, the player will find a large array of clues, such as notes and audio tapes, which builds atmosphere and furthers the plot. Similar to most titles by Frictional Games, there is no combat, and instead the player progresses through puzzle-solving, exploration and the use of stealth.

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