Rate top gamesSomerville is a single-player action-adventure and sci-fi story game. It strikes a very similar tone and atmosphere to that of ‘Inside’ and ‘Limbo’, but is very much different in many ways, as it has a more vibrant color-pallet and a more highly developed set of gameplay mechanics. It’s still a simple-but-great type of game, and feels like a departure from Playdead without being something incredibly different from the style I’ve come to adore. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as thought-provoking, but it offers an epic yet heartfelt cinematic experience that will mostly satisfy fans of its predecessors.
The gameplay isn’t amazing nor terrible. There are plenty of minor visual bugs and the occasional lag-spike, but considering the circumstances of it being the first game coming out of an indie studio, that’s excusable. The movement feels clunky, and the puzzles were never particularly clever or intellectually challenging in comparison to Inside and Limbo. That being said, it’s definitely not a walking simulator. There is enough fun in the beautiful cinematic experience to keep you hooked, and the game constantly presents you with new locations and obstacles. From a functionality perspective, this game feels more like a traditional action-adventure single-player story game than the highly-restrictive world of its predecessors, but the bounds are small enough for it to feel similarly contained. Once again, it’s a nice balance of new and old.
The story features no dialogue. The narrative is emotionally conveyed entirely through visual storytelling, which is fantastic. It’s a very artsy game. That being said, it pales in comparison to Inside and Limbo in its impact. There is nothing quite as thought-provoking and sophisticated about the story, and there isn’t even really a clear character arc for the protagonist.
Overall, this is a good game and I would give it a 7 or 8 out of 10. I would recommend playing it at least once, considering it’s fairly inexpensive.
The gameplay isn’t amazing nor terrible. There are plenty of minor visual bugs and the occasional lag-spike, but considering the circumstances of it being the first game coming out of an indie studio, that’s excusable. The movement feels clunky, and the puzzles were never particularly clever or intellectually challenging in comparison to Inside and Limbo. That being said, it’s definitely not a walking simulator. There is enough fun in the beautiful cinematic experience to keep you hooked, and the game constantly presents you with new locations and obstacles. From a functionality perspective, this game feels more like a traditional action-adventure single-player story game than the highly-restrictive world of its predecessors, but the bounds are small enough for it to feel similarly contained. Once again, it’s a nice balance of new and old.
The story features no dialogue. The narrative is emotionally conveyed entirely through visual storytelling, which is fantastic. It’s a very artsy game. That being said, it pales in comparison to Inside and Limbo in its impact. There is nothing quite as thought-provoking and sophisticated about the story, and there isn’t even really a clear character arc for the protagonist.
Overall, this is a good game and I would give it a 7 or 8 out of 10. I would recommend playing it at least once, considering it’s fairly inexpensive.
«Liked before it became a hit»
«Underrated»
«Beaten more than once»
«OST on repeat»
Other reviews4
I appreciate the studio trying to do something similar to the Playdead games but they missed the mark. The story isn't terrible and told well with context and visual clues. Initially I thought it was two different alien factions fighting and end up on Earth but the revelation that it's just humans using alien tech really killed a lot of the draw for me honestly. There are good mechanics here but there is so much jank, especially in the movement. I found myself getting clipped on walls or random spots all the time during segments. There is also no platinum for some reason which also sucked.
«Disappointment of the year»
This game has an amazing beginning. Truly.
It is intimate. You're invited to the family's house after a short travel—a portrait that we probably had not long ago with our parents. In the middle of the night, you take control of a baby and start to see strange things. Since we honestly felt vulnerable during that specific section, when we start to control the father, everything calms down, and all of a sudden, you kinda forget what you saw. Because of that, when an explosion happens, calling you to reality, we feel scared for our family.
Look, that first 10 minutes are the best in the game. It's beautifully directed, with amazing photography, and overall art direction. Unfortunately, the really good stuff ends here.
My interest in this game was inversely exponential. The gameplay felt empty for several reasons. As a matter of comparison, "Inside" made you think about something you saw or heard in every chapter. The story was obscure—literally. But you have some pieces to put together, which was enough to interpret the plot. Here, after 30 minutes, you only feel lost. The puzzles are too simple to capture your attention, and since the story doesn't move, it's like you're losing your time.
The team behind this game has a lot of potential though.
It is intimate. You're invited to the family's house after a short travel—a portrait that we probably had not long ago with our parents. In the middle of the night, you take control of a baby and start to see strange things. Since we honestly felt vulnerable during that specific section, when we start to control the father, everything calms down, and all of a sudden, you kinda forget what you saw. Because of that, when an explosion happens, calling you to reality, we feel scared for our family.
Look, that first 10 minutes are the best in the game. It's beautifully directed, with amazing photography, and overall art direction. Unfortunately, the really good stuff ends here.
My interest in this game was inversely exponential. The gameplay felt empty for several reasons. As a matter of comparison, "Inside" made you think about something you saw or heard in every chapter. The story was obscure—literally. But you have some pieces to put together, which was enough to interpret the plot. Here, after 30 minutes, you only feel lost. The puzzles are too simple to capture your attention, and since the story doesn't move, it's like you're losing your time.
The team behind this game has a lot of potential though.
Horrid controls with no UI prompts on screen or any hint of interactable objects.
«Disappointment of the year»