In the wake of catastrophe you must find the means to make your family whole again. Somerville is a sci-fi adventure grounded in the intimate repercussions of large scale conflict. Immerse yourself in a hand-crafted narrative experience set across a vivid rural landscape. Navigate your way through the perilous terrain ahead of you to unravel the mysteries of Earth's visitors...

Somerville was originally designed as an interactive animation

On the surface Somerville is an interesting, original idea that deserves to garner praise. The problem is, once you scratch beneath the surface, the mechanic's cracks begin to shine through and this is its major downfall. Now, it was designed originally as an interactive animation. And this it does wonderfully. However, the problem is that those looking for a game with free roam are going to be in for a rude awakening. If you come to the game knowing what you're letting yourself in for then you can just go with the flow and enjoy the mystery at the centre of the narrative.

The game starts off with a family sat in front of a TV, whose broadcast for the evening has gone off air. You can control the toddler, momentarily, as you explore the house. Your parents awake, rescue you from causing an injury to yourself, and take you back into the living room. You then switch character and can now play as the dad. Again, you have to explore the house until you walk to a certain area and then the game kicks in the next segment. Actually, this is pretty much how the game progresses, with you not being able to more on until you've completed something the game wants you to do in order to move to the next part. If you're stuck, it's always worth looking at the family dog for hints on where you're supposed to go.

There's a constant mystery and mild horror of who the invaders are

I did enjoy the story and the constant mystery and mild, chilling horror of who the invaders were and what their motive was, but those who like to roam around may find the limitations too much. If you're not in tune with the developers you might find yourself getting stuck and unsure of what to do... And after a while that can become more frustrating than entertaining.

Personally I enjoyed my time with Somerville, but it certainly won't appeal to everyone.

7

Darren Rea