Reviews of the best indie games and horror games

In Somnio – Surreal Horror Game About Five Types of Nightmares

In Somnio is a short PS1 style horror game where you experience five different themed nightmares. Each nightmare has it’s own chapter, and some are much more horrifying than others. I would recommend possibly skipping the last one. It’s downright awful and you’ll remember it for a long time to come.

Each of the chapters has a unique name and terror to it. The dreams in order are the Train, Artistic Freedom, Hotel, Trapped, and Teeth. I thought one of the dreams was actually hilarious instead of scary. In Hotel, there’s the voice that speaks out again once you get to the door at the end of the hall. In the same eerie voice as before they say someone was murdered there and “It’s f*ckin haunted, alright?” which I loved.

The itchio game page reads

We all experience it.
Some frequently, some rarely.
Some for the better – Some for the worse.
I have extracted 5 specimens – compiled them in meaningful order.
Make of them what you will.
QUID SIGNIFICAT?

Is each specimen it’s own story, or is there some other meaning to the order they’re in? Quid Significat – He asks you, what do they mean. The point is to interpret it your own way.

In Somnio Dream Theories

It’s hard to come up with a good explanation of what each dream means, but they do have a lot of familiarity with some popular dreams. Like the first one, where you’re on a train alone with the creepy man. He eerily says “I can control where this train is headed, you know?” Just like something I would expect out of a dream.

In Somnio - 'Trapped' Machine
‘Trapped’

You’re not awake and can’t fully understand the logic, but he’s believable. How does he control the train? In a dream you would question that, but still believe it to be true. In reality you obviously would know he couldn’t because he’s just sitting there.

Taking around 5 minutes to play, you should definitely try it out. In Somnio is an excellent compilation of surreal and terrifying nightmares. The games atmosphere really makes it feel like we’re experiencing a dream. Most of the time we’re alone, and we don’t know where we are or how we go there. The last few chapters are especially unsettling and disturbing. Even the most experienced horror game veterans can be shaken up by the ending with the teeth.

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