TL;DR
Somerville plunges you into a sci-fi drama where an ordinary family's life is shattered by alien arrivals. You play as the father, separated from his loved ones, navigating a world disrupted by extraterrestrial events and discovering new, powerful abilities. If you loved the wordless storytelling and puzzle-solving of Limbo and Inside, Somerville offers a similar, atmospheric experience with a captivating narrative and clever challenges. While the game excels in mood, sound, and story, its mechanics occasionally lack the polish found in its spiritual predecessors, leading to some clunky moments. Despite these minor flaws, the overall experience is compelling and tense. Curious to see if it lives up to the hype? Read the full review to find out!
In Somerville, players are introduced to an ordinary family and their dog. Their seemingly normal life is disrupted one evening by the arrival of mysterious, obelisk-like ships that begin landing around their home. In a state of panic, the family seeks refuge in their basement. Following a series of traumatic events, the father awakens to find himself alone with only the dog. His primary objective becomes locating his family, while simultaneously learning to control newfound abilities acquired from the alien invaders. Similar to Limbo and Inside, the narrative unfolds without dialogue, relying on simple game mechanics. Puzzles initially present a straightforward challenge, but progressively increase in complexity, with new abilities unlocking as the player advances.
For those familiar with my reviews, it’s no secret that Inside, developed by Playdead, holds a special place as one of my favorite games (earning it Game of the Year on Senses in 2016). I frequently revisit my appreciation for that title, having completed it over 30 times. Therefore, upon learning about Somerville, my curiosity was immediately piqued.
While Somerville is not a Playdead production, it shares significant DNA with their titles. Dino Patti, a co-founder of Playdead and a key figure in the development of both Limbo and Inside, ultimately felt compelled to explore new creative avenues, leading him to establish Jumpship with film animator Chris Olsen. Fans of Inside and Limbo eagerly anticipate Playdead’s third installment, but currently, only a teaser image and a recruitment link are available on their site. This has been the status since 2019, when I initially checked for updates on their next project…
Therefore, Somerville, while not officially the third game in that vein, could easily be perceived as such. The games exhibit notable similarities in structure, mechanics, and narrative delivery. As previously mentioned, the story in Inside and Limbo unfolds without dialogue, providing minimal guidance on player actions. In Somerville, the initial sequence demonstrates the necessary buttons for environmental interaction, after which players are left to independently discover solutions. While the game allows slightly more freedom of movement compared to Inside, the playable area remains constrained. Furthermore, players must manage an increasing number of controls as they gain the ability to manipulate their environment. This power requires skillful management and development throughout the game. The graphics, sound design, and music effectively establish a compelling, dystopian atmosphere, and Somerville offers genuinely tense moments. The narrative is well-crafted and captivating, complemented by clever and inventive puzzles.
Performance-wise, there are no significant issues. I briefly tested the game on Xbox Series S upon its initial release last year, and have since conducted a more thorough evaluation of the Playstation 5 version released at the end of the month. The console consistently renders the visuals effectively, and loading times are minimal. The versions exhibit no discernible differences in visual or auditory quality across both platforms tested.
A notable drawback of Somerville is the game mechanics, which lack the polish and precision that could have elevated the experience. Instances occur where the character becomes trapped within the environment, resulting in awkward movements to break free. Additionally, the animations associated with environmental interactions can, at times, be unrefined.
Despite these shortcomings, I still offer a strong recommendation for Somerville, given its overall strengths. While the game is somewhat diminished by the occasional lack of refinement in its mechanics, the core experience remains compelling.
Jumpship provided a review code for this assessment. Provision of materials does not influence our editorial process.
