Should Soma be more like Penumbra or The Walking Dead?

[SHODANFreeman]

Frankly I disagree with that assessment, I think it would do them good to crawl out of their comfort zone that they have been cuddling in since 2007(?). I hope this game won't be too much like Penumbra/Amnesia. It's also an opportunity for them to show that they can do more than just one style of gameplay (and story-telling).

Who do they have to "show" that they can do more? Do what you're good at, no one's expecting id Software to make the next Skyrim.

[jons]

Penumbra definitely!

[eliasfrost]

Frankly I disagree with that assessment, I think it would do them good to crawl out of their comfort zone that they have been cuddling in since 2007(?). I hope this game won't be too much like Penumbra/Amnesia. It's also an opportunity for them to show that they can do more than just one style of gameplay (and story-telling).

Who do they have to "show" that they can do more? Do what you're good at, no one's expecting id Software to make the next Skyrim.

Gamers, they are making products for people to buy, and showing that you can do more than one thing is good and shows that the developers are more competent than they already are. I certainly don't want to play another Amnesia, so if this game is like that I guess I'll skip it and play Penumbra or Amnesia instead.

The point is that they have already done 4 games, all with the same gameplay, story-telling technique, theme etc. It gets unispiring after the fourth time, now I haven't actually played SOMA so I can't really tell but something tells me that they went with the safe option again like they did with Amnesia.

[Alardem]

I'd actually be inclined to agree. Besides the idea of giving the player an actual body (which Outlast has done, and far older games have also implemented), it would also be good if the flashbacks in this game were featured in a more visual manner. So far, we seem to be picking up pieces of the story through clicking on corpses and hearing their scattered thoughts - strangely reminiscent of how the Shock series used ghosts to foreshadow revelations.

[Elfing]

I hope it will have the atmosphere of Penumbra...

[SHODANFreeman]

Gamers, they are making products for people to buy, and showing that you can do more than one thing is good and shows that the developers are more competent than they already are. I certainly don't want to play another Amnesia, so if this game is like that I guess I'll skip it and play Penumbra or Amnesia instead.

The point is that they have already done 4 games, all with the same gameplay, story-telling technique, theme etc. It gets unispiring after the fourth time, now I haven't actually played SOMA so I can't really tell but something tells me that they went with the safe option again like they did with Amnesia.

I'd much prefer each developer just continue making amazing games in the genre they're comfortable with and good at. It's like saying that a metal band is wasting their potential because they won't play pop. Growing and evolving their style is expected, throwing it out the window and starting from scratch in unfamiliar territory is not.

[eliasfrost]

Maybe we have different levels of standards and expectations from developers then. I for one trust developers to be able to do different things, to not expect them to do things differently is a bit condesending I think. That's how I view things at least.

[SHODANFreeman]

Maybe we have different levels of standards and expectations from developers then. I for one trust developers to be able to do different things, to not expect them to do things differently is a bit condesending I think. That's how I view things at least.

I didn't say they couldn't do different things, just that they should stick to their genre. I wouldn't want Obsidian to make a point and click adventure game any more than I'd want id Software to make an RTS. I certainly don't want Frictional to shy away from horror adventure games, as they are the only company that has made any decent ones thus far.

[eliasfrost]

Well I guess we'll agree to disagree then. I know I won't be getting SOMA if it ends up like all their other games.

[i3670]

Well I guess we'll agree to disagree then. I know I won't be getting SOMA if it ends up like all their other games.

A horror masterpiece? I don't suspect that FG will turn 180 degress and make a rom-com game, Sims-SOMA, or SOMA Souls just to prove that they can do other stuff. Maybe for a minor game, but not for one of their flagships.