Soma (2015)

Author: Frictional Games

This sci-fi survival horror title comes from Frictional Games, an expert on the genre thanks to its work on Amnesia. Like that revolutionary title, you start with very little information, inhabiting the body of Simon Jarret as he explores an abandoned science facility. Unsure why you there and where exactly it is, clues are found in purely through exploration. Unfortunately, that's also what provides the horror, discovering flashbacks from corpses and a slowly unfolding sense of dread. Throughout its length, the game brings reality itself into question, as well as exploring important ethical and philosophical themes with a dark humor. However, at times that slow build gives way to moments of terror. Monsters will chase you through the dark corridors of the facility, and with no weapons or tools to defend yourself, the only escape is to run deeper. It creates breath-taking tension that's only offset by the beauty and complexity of SOMA's environments.