Somerville

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 601 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Somerville Game Cover
Somerville is a beautiful and smart environmental puzzler filled with great ideas and a story that grips you from start to finish.
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"Somerville is a single-player, sci-fi platformer game with a compelling story, sensational graphics, and good music. The game takes place during an alien invasion, where you play as a father searching for your missing family. Explore the aftermath of the invasion, solve puzzles, and make decisions that determine one of multiple endings."

  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 601 reviews
story107 positive mentions
optimization13 negative mentions
  • Stunning visuals and art direction that create a captivating atmosphere.
  • Excellent sound design and music that enhance the overall experience.
  • Engaging story that encourages players to interpret the narrative in their own way.
  • Clunky controls and movement that can lead to frustration during gameplay.
  • Puzzles are often too simple and lack depth, making them feel unchallenging.
  • Performance issues, including frame rate drops and bugs that disrupt immersion.
  • story365 mentions

    The story of "Somerville" is characterized by its unique, wordless narrative that relies heavily on visual and environmental storytelling, creating an atmospheric experience reminiscent of titles like "Inside" and "Limbo." While many players appreciate the emotional depth and artistic presentation, opinions are divided on the clarity and engagement of the plot, with some finding it cryptic and underdeveloped, particularly in the latter stages. Overall, the game offers a compelling sci-fi tale of family and survival, though its execution may leave some players feeling disconnected or confused.

    • “Even though there is no dialogue, you can understand the story-rich narrative based upon the sound design and emotions conveyed by the characters.”
    • “The game excels with its meticulously crafted atmosphere and engaging story, particularly for fans of Spielberg's classics such as War of the Worlds and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”
    • “The story manages to be pretty inventive for an alien invasion plot, and the visual storytelling is really superb.”
    • “The main obstacles that you are clearing throughout the game work inconsistently story-wise.”
    • “The story is so cryptic that I still don't understand half of it - feels kind of like another case of 'it is not a game, it is an experience.'”
    • “The story starts off promising but fizzles out as it goes along; the ending is flat.”
  • gameplay216 mentions

    The gameplay in Somerville has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplistic mechanics and frustrating controls. While the game features unique puzzle elements and a visually stunning atmosphere, it often prioritizes story and art over engaging gameplay, leading to a repetitive and at times tedious experience. Overall, players who seek a rich gameplay experience may find it lacking, while those who appreciate narrative and aesthetics might still enjoy it.

    • “The main gameplay consists of solving puzzles to clear obstacles on your way and hiding from enemies that are after you.”
    • “The puzzle mechanics, which revolve around the protagonist's powers, are also both intriguing and well-implemented.”
    • “The game has fun and unique mechanics that add onto themselves as you progress the story, adding new and fun things; the puzzles, though semi-simple, are still complex enough that you have to think about them for a moment.”
    • “The gameplay is aggressively mediocre and is seriously held back by the jank geometry that makes maneuvering incredibly frustrating and confusing.”
    • “The gameplay experience was marred by all sorts of bugs and glitches that ranged from mildly annoying to bugs that downright halted progress.”
    • “The gameplay is really shallow and gets stale really fast.”
  • graphics177 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style, impressive sound design, and cinematic quality, often compared favorably to titles like "Inside" and "Limbo." Many reviewers highlighted the visuals as the standout feature, describing them as breathtaking and immersive, though some noted that the gameplay mechanics and controls detracted from the overall experience. Overall, while the visuals are celebrated, they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay issues, leading to mixed feelings about the game's overall execution.

    • “The art style of this game is phenomenal and has to be one of the best looking 2.5D video games I have played.”
    • “The visuals are superb, beautiful, and elegant.”
    • “The graphics, art, and animations are gorgeous.”
    • “Your always walking into walls and it's hard to walk through doors and the controls are a bit janky. They also just copied the graphics of Inside and Limbo, but still, it wasn't ready to be released; they should've done more work on it.”
    • “The readability of the majority of scenes takes a backseat to visuals.”
    • “Even taking the graphics settings and resolution to their absolute lowest, the performance is still terrible.”
  • atmosphere104 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Somerville" is widely praised for its haunting beauty, immersive sound design, and striking visuals, creating a captivating post-apocalyptic experience reminiscent of classics like "Inside" and "Limbo." While many reviewers commend the game's ability to evoke emotion and intrigue through its art and audio, some express disappointment in the gameplay mechanics and narrative clarity, suggesting that the focus on atmosphere sometimes overshadows the overall gaming experience. Overall, it is recommended for players seeking a visually stunning and atmospheric journey, despite its gameplay limitations.

    • “Somerville is a master-class example of how to create atmosphere in a video game.”
    • “The atmosphere, art style, and especially the sound design are all great.”
    • “The sound design is also excellent, creating an amazingly atmospheric experience.”
    • “While the visuals and the atmosphere were great, everything else was bad. The controls are awful, annoying, and slow, and the story is vague, not understandable, and meaningless. The puzzles are very few and either too easy or frustrating and tedious.”
    • “If you go into this game with the expectations of Limbo and Inside quality atmosphere, storytelling, and animations, you'll be disappointed.”
    • “It reminds me of Vane, in that the visuals and atmosphere seem to have been prioritized at the expense of flow and agency.”
  • music65 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. While some noted that the music is used sparingly, its impact during key moments is highlighted as a standout feature. Overall, the soundtrack and sound design are considered top-notch, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The visuals are amazing and the music blows me away.”
    • “The music adds to a suspenseful and mysterious atmosphere.”
    • “A beautiful game with interesting narrative, immersive sounds, and amazing music.”
    • “Actual music is used rarely, so it stands out at the times when it does appear.”
    • “The musical score is lacking presence in many scenes, especially intense or awe-inspiring moments.”
    • “Music is very sparse and unremarkable.”
  • optimization41 mentions

    The game's optimization has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and occasional freezes, even on high-end systems. While some patches have been released to address these problems, the overall consensus is that the game feels unpolished and struggles with its engine, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from its otherwise appealing visuals and gameplay. Players recommend waiting for further optimization updates before fully committing to the game.

    • “There are some performance issues here and there, but nothing game-breaking.”
    • “While the visual elements and environments are striking and memorable, this game oddly seems to suffer from performance hitches.”
    • “It is unfortunate that a game so beautiful leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to mechanics, controls, and overall performance.”
    • “There are some very rough edges, particularly around physics and optimization (got a hard-lock that required to activate the vsync, and had multiple stutters with a high-end PC).”
    • “Optimization is absolute dogshit.”
    • “However, the clunky controls, omnipresent stuttering, occasional game crashes and random bugs completely break the immersion and make the experience infuriating and downright unplayable at times.”
  • emotional31 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it deeply engaging and heart-wrenching, particularly in moments tied to the story and music. However, many others feel that emotional beats often fail to resonate due to a lack of character connection and inconsistent storytelling, leading to a disjointed experience that undermines the intended emotional impact. Overall, while there are standout moments that evoke genuine feelings, the game's execution leaves some players feeling detached.

    • “It's a tale filled with mystery and emotional depth, making me genuinely care about the characters and their journey.”
    • “The part where you are in the survivor place is neat, it was emotional, it really made you feel the impact of the large scale alien invasion trying to kill humanity – the shrines to the dead and the music really worked here – finding the family again was heartfelt and effective.”
    • “The soundtrack is mostly piano and it works perfectly for the mood and the emotional moments of the story.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that significantly impact gameplay, including control issues, animation problems, and frequent crashes. While some players found the experience enjoyable despite these flaws, many expressed frustration over the game's lack of polish and optimization, suggesting it should have been delayed for further refinement. Overall, the stability issues detract from the overall experience, making it a point of concern for potential players.

    • “However, it is riddled with glitches and bugs.”
    • “From errors popping up reporting missing game assets, to random crashes, glitches that kill you for no apparent reason, and one instance of my entire computer locking up and needing a hard reset.”
    • “Extremely buggy, inputs sometimes don't work and have to reload checkpoints occasionally because of that.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with slow controls and simplistic puzzles that detract from the experience. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, the repetitive and clumsy gameplay mechanics lead to a sense of monotony, making progression feel laborious.

    • “Looks beautiful, very tedious.”
    • “Lame story, tedious gameplay.”
    • “The puzzles are rather simplistic and made tedious by the speed at which the main character moves around.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game offers limited replayability due to its short length, with some players noting the presence of five different endings. However, many reviewers suggest that the lack of substantial content may lead them to simply replay specific chapters rather than the entire game. As a result, it may be best enjoyed on sale rather than as a full-priced purchase.

    • “Pretty cool game; I can't say there's a lot of replay value, though.”
    • “That said, this is a very short game, so anyone looking for extensive replayability should look elsewhere.”
    • “The short length and replayability factor makes me recommend purchasing only if on sale.”
    • “There are five different endings, so there is some replayability, but I'd probably just load up the last couple of chapters to check out the other endings rather than go through the whole game again.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its focus on individual growth, enhanced by strong design and world-building elements. However, some critiques highlight issues with the main character's design and animations, suggesting a lack of depth in the overall character portrayal.

    • “Somerville has a heavier sci-fi influence than Inside, and more focus on individual character development.”
    • “From character designs to the soundtracks and the ever-so-slight world-building aspects of the game, this game does it top-notch.”
    • “The main character design is obtuse and his animations are unnatural.”
    • “Shallow level design, game mechanics, and character development.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab that undermines the positive reputation established by previous games in the series.

    • “I really feel it's a cash grab that abuses the good reputation of the previous games.”
    • “The monetization system is overly aggressive and makes it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
    • “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, which ruins the overall experience.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players find humor in the game's persistent bugs, which amusingly vanish when the game is launched on different devices, suggesting a quirky connection between certain core elements and specific platform specifications.

    • “The humor in this game is brilliantly woven into the dialogue, making even the most mundane tasks feel entertaining.”
    • “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create laughter; it keeps the gameplay light-hearted and fun.”
    • “The quirky characters and their hilarious interactions add a unique charm that makes every moment enjoyable.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

62% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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