Welcome to SOMA, Frictional Games' 2015 dive into existential horror. You'll be navigating the terrifying depths of a submerged research facility, piecing together the fate of humanity and grappling with the nature of consciousness itself. This isn't a shooter; moment-to-moment gameplay involves exploration, puzzle-solving, and tense encounters with the facility's corrupted inhabitants.
This guide is your companion through the unsettling journey of PATHOS-II. We'll help you track your progress through each distinct level, from Site Upsilon to Theta Entrance and beyond. Whether you're aiming to uncover every secret, understand the critical narrative choices, or simply survive the horrors, this walkthrough covers it all.
Intro
Learn about the intro sequence in SOMA, including the conversation with Ashley, the call from Dr. Munshi, and the car crash.
- 1You start the game in a car, engaged in conversation with a character named Ashley.
- 2Ashley will point out that you are bleeding.
- 3You will respond by saying it is something that happens after the accident.
- 4You will attempt to tell Ashley something.
- 5Before you can finish, you receive a phone call from Dr. Munshi.
- 6Shortly after the call begins, you will hear the sound of a car crash.
- 7You then wake up.
Simon's Apartment
Navigate Simon's Apartment in SOMA. Discover clues, emails, and items that reveal Simon's past and the events leading up to his brain scan.
- 1Interact with the phone on the nightstand to receive a call from David Munshi, reminding you to drink the tracer fluid for your brain scan.
- 2Check the bottom drawer of the nightstand for the book Hooked.
- 3Listen to the answering machine for a message from Jesse.
- 4Examine the bookcase near the nightstand. You'll find three photographs: an intersection, a beetle on a stick, and a teacup.
- 5Interact with the laptop. Read an email from David Munshi about the neurograph session and another from your doctor detailing a head cavity needing drainage and prescribing Prazosin for nightmares. You can also find an unsent email to Jesse at The Grimoire and choose to send it.
- 6On the desk, find a Get Well card from your mom and a notepad.
- 7In the top drawer of the desk, find a newspaper article from April 10, 2015, detailing a car accident that killed Ashley and caused your brain damage. The middle drawer contains the magazine Cinema Variety.
- 8Inspect the items pinned to the bulletin board above the desk. These include a beach photograph, a picture of two people in front of The Grimoire, a prescription for tracer fluid, and an advertisement for Robyn McConnell's book signing at The Grimoire. Another photo shows feet at the beach.
- 9On the couch, find the book Mapping Minds by Albert Isaacson.
- 10By the TV, find a DVD case for the movie Massive Recoil. Avoid watching TV as it causes a headache.
- 11Open the curtains by the desk.
- 12The door by the window leads to the bathroom. You can check the medicine cabinet, but there's no need to shower.
- 13Check the kitchen cabinets for the tracer fluid. The refrigerator is stocked with fast food.
- 14Find some mail by the door postmarked June 6, 2049.
- 15Pick up your keys from the dish.
- 16Exit the apartment.
- Pay attention to the emails and notes to understand Simon's medical condition and personal connections.
- The various items in the apartment provide background lore and context for the game's narrative.
Subway
Simon drinks tracer fluid before his brain scan. Take a call from Jesse before the subway ride ends at St. Patrick station in SOMA.
- 1Before your upcoming brain scan, you can drink some tracer fluid.
- 2You can take a call from Jesse, your co-worker from The Grimoire. If you previously sent an email, Jesse will mention receiving it.
- 3While Simon heads to his brain scan appointment, Matt and Chris are assisting at the store. Matt is taking over the comics section, a role previously held by Ashley.
- 4The subway ride concludes at St. Patrick station.
- Pay attention to the conversation with Jesse for details about your colleagues.
- Note the changes in responsibilities at the store, such as Matt taking over the comics section.
Munshi's Lab
Complete Munshi's Lab in SOMA. Find the door code 2501, learn about David Munshi and Paul Berg's research, and prepare for your brain scan.
- 1Take the subway to PACE Laboratories in downtown Toronto for your brain scan appointment.
- 2Interact with the light switch by the entry door and open the curtains.
- 3Check the emails on the laptop. The first email confirms the current date is May 2, 2015. The other two emails are about gaining access to the scanning rig.
- 4Locate the notebook containing the door code (2501) in the top drawer of the desk.
- 5Examine the middle drawer for an article detailing David Munshi and Paul Berg's work on a new treatment to reverse brain damage using a computer model. Berg is a graduate student in neuroscience, and Munshi is a computer science student.
- 6Use the code 2501 to unlock the door to Biometrics.
- 7Explore the hallway and find a bulletin board in the server room.
- 8Proceed to room 364 at the end of the hallway to meet Munshi. You can speak with Munshi multiple times for more details about the session.
- 9Sit in the chair for the brain scan. Your birthdate is 1988, July 16.
- Open the curtains to let in more light.
- Talk to Munshi multiple times to gather all available information.
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