Discussion: Monster Behavior in SOMA (Mild Spoilers)

[ThePaSch]

Spoiler: Mid-Theta

Spoiler below!

The whole sequence after the dummy ARK simulation - including the dark and 'sticky' area after the elevator breakdown - was absolutely superb. It makes none of the mistakes the earlier sections make - the monsters are let loose in a huge, disorienting and gloomy environment, which means you never exactly know where they are; they seem to actually roam around instead of merely walking back-and-forth, which means they are unpredictable in their movements; the game forces you to navigate those twisted hallways in order to fulfill your objectives, which causes constant tension and uneasiness; and all those feelings are then topped off with a very disturbing subject matter and scenery, like the heavily breathing woman sitting in front of the computer, Wan's corpse and last heroic stand, and the peculiar research projects and specimen in the area. It's also the first area in which the flashlight was absolutely necessary, which caused me to stay on guard, lest I attract the monster with it. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, and my hands actually trembled at some points - which is something that only Amnesia and Penumbra had managed to do to me prior.

Having the power break down after updating the elevator chip was a great touch; having the monster then start roaming back-and-forth right in front of the security office first made me think "here we go again" - but this time, there was actually a solution! I loved that you could actually trap the monster and lock it inside the Medical Lab, if you wait and listen for its door to open and then disable its locks through the security console! That moment made me feel like I had actually "conquered" the monster, which made for a great sense of accomplishment.

If the rest of the game stays this way, then I know I am in for an absolutely stellar experience. Please, no more "gatekeeper" monsters in tight spaces with no way around them!