SOMA
LumiScore?Our 0–100 score for how developmentally beneficial and low-risk this game is for children. Higher is better.
Growth
46/100
Growth Value
- Ethical Reasoning
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
Before letting a mature teen or young adult play SOMA, play or watch the first hour yourself to gauge the horror intensity. The game has a 'Safe Mode' (added post-launch) that makes enemies non-lethal, which significantly reduces stress without removing the story — consider enabling it for sensitive players.
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— Passes the test
Catherine Chun (a named woman) communicates meaningfully with other characters and drives much of the plot independently of men, though most major conversations involve Simon.
Parent Pro-Tip
If your teenager is interested in philosophy, ethics, or science fiction, SOMA is one of the best games ever made for sparking those conversations. After each play session, ask them: 'Do you think the copy of Simon is the same person? What would you have done in that situation?' The game is genuinely one of the most discussion-worthy pieces of interactive media available.
What your child develops
SOMA is a remarkable achievement in philosophical storytelling that challenges players to wrestle with deep questions about consciousness, identity, and what it means to be human. Its puzzle-and-exploration design strongly rewards critical thinking, careful reading, and deductive reasoning as players piece together the mystery of the underwater facility. The game's moral choices — while not altering the plot — are genuinely thought-provoking and encourage ethical reflection in a way rarely seen in games. Catherine Chun is a well-written female scientist character who anchors much of the narrative with intelligence and depth. For the right player, SOMA can be a genuinely transformative experience that sparks interest in philosophy of mind, ethics, and science fiction literature.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
SOMA is a sci-fi survival horror that makes you rethink the description of death. You play as Simon Jarrett who was injured in a crash accident and agreed for an experimental operation on his brain.