"Among the stars, like a poetry" - SOMA
A Game Talks About Humanity
Playing the game SOMA gives me the experience similar to reading a sci-fi novel or movie that talks about the humanity, which is the topic I am always fascinated always, and probably "something more" because a game makes you immersed via interactive operation.
SPOILER ALERT!!
PLEASE NOTE THIS POST MAY HAVE SPOILER. If you have not played this game, think twice before reading forward.
Is a Copied Consciousness Still You?
This is may be the core concept of the whole game. The game keep offering (and probably forcing) you to make a binary choices. There is no "right" answer, and thus stimulating our thoughts.
The play who has the "new" body needs to decide to unplug "the old me" after copying the "old" consciousness to a new body.
Furthur more, is it ethical to kill or torture sentient A.I. or "imprinted scan of humanity"?
Ash to Ash, Dust to Dust
This classic phase often heared from funerals is one of my favorite quotes. It may be one of the best blessing (that the universe give us). I strongly agree this, while playing this game especially: if the copied consciousness is lucky and revived in somewhere cozy, that will be ok. What if the copied consciousness is not lucky enough, like the copied consicousness of "Simon", who is the protagonist we played as, wakes up in a horrible base beneath the ocean?
Subjective Opions
- Catherine's dress in the end of the story, the ARC: there is no asian woman will dress like that. Maybe a bit stereotype?
- Nice (horrible) atomsphere as a horrible sci-fi game. Even my first beat uses safe mode, I still feel thrilled fear and so stressful to continue playing (so I would take a 15 minutes and then continue).
Abundant Dicussion and Materials
SOMA has a lot of fans, and also the corresponding dicussion, materials and community. For example:
- SOMA Wiki
- SOMA Steam Community
- SOMA Subreddit
- Story timeline to make you clear about the details. I enjoyed the narrative very much.
Similar Books, Movies, and Dramas
- Ghost in the Shell
- Blader Runner
- Matrix
- Westworld
- White Christmas (Black Mirror)