Developer Jumpship and publisher Thunderful have announced that Somerville will launch for PS5 and PS4 later this month, on August 31. A new trailer has also been released to go along with the announcement. Check it out below for a glimpse of what the game has in store.

Developed by a team comprised of former Playdead staff (including the indie studio’s co-founder) who previously worked on Limbo and Inside, Somerville delivers a similar adventure experience that revolves around wordless storytelling and gameplay focused on puzzles.

In our review of the game, we gave it a score of 7/10, saying, “Somerville is a flawed game and doesn’t execute all of its ideas perfectly, but from its captivating story to some of its striking imagery, there’s plenty still to like in this brief adventure.” Read the full review through here.

Somerville is currently available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.

A Trophy list for Somerville has gone live on Exophase, suggesting that the game could soon be headed to PS5 and PS4. An official announcement is, of course, yet to be made, but console-specific releases getting leaked through lists for Trophies and Achievements is quite a common occurrence, so we wouldn’tbe surprised to hear something official about Somerville coming to PlayStation consoles soon.

In our review of Somerville, we gave it a score of 7/10, saying, “Somerville is a flawed game and doesn’t execute all of its ideas perfectly, but from its captivating story to some of its striking imagery, there’s plenty still to like in this brief adventure.” Read the full review through here.

Somerville is currently available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.

One of those, it turns out, is Dino Patti, co-founder of Jumpship. The studio launched its sci-fi adventure game Somerville for Xbox and PC last year and was available via Game Pass right out the gate, and while Patti believes Jumpship “did a pretty good deal” with Microsoft, he says Somerville’s sales were affected by it nonetheless. According to Patti, the conventional model of making a full game and selling it for an up front price is still very much the way forward.

“We did a pretty good deal,” he said in an interview with Videogames.si. “I also think it hurts sales. Because a lot of people just go in and try it and they don’t invest. If they don’t like the first 10 minutes? That’s it. Also, if you don’t make the first 10 minutes amazing, maybe it’s also a problem. I think [Game Pass] is okay. It’s not my favorite. My favorite is the old premium model where I sell you on some video, on big images, and earn your $30. And then after that, I have to deliver. I don’t need to get money out of you later.”

Interestingly enough, Microsoft itself has recently stated that games’ sales end up getting significantly impacted if they are also available on Game Pass. In documents submitted by the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority earlier this year amidst its investigation of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard (which it has since blocked), the regulatory body said that Microsoft and Activision had both submitted that sales are “severely cannibalized” by Game Pass.

Earlier this year, Tunic publisher Finji expressed similar concerns, stating that for smaller developers, the Game Pass model can “go either way” and is “both awesome and terrifying”.

Somerville is available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. Read our review of the game through here.

The Callisto Protocol

Arguably one of the more anticipated games of the year, The Callisto Protocol was talked up a fair amount by Striking Distance Studios. With talent like Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield involved, it seemed like a slam-dunk…until we played the game. And endured its awkward combat, lacklustre enemy variety, and lame final boss, all in a span of a few hours instead of the promised 12 to 14. Worst of all, performance was atrocious on PC with severe stuttering issues and crashes. The Callisto Protocol isn’t the worst game ever, but it ranked above average, which felt even worse.

Martha is Dead

LKA’s psychological horror looked special, and the setting of a German-occupied Italy during World War 2 could have presented something unique. Sadly, things fall apart after the opening, with the middle act suffering in pacing due to lots of meandering and wandering. Some controls don’t feel great, and the camera system also feels too complex for the amount used. Also, despite the handful of gruesome scenes, the real horror is reserved for the beginning and the end. Again, great ideas and an interesting setting with disturbing material, but the mishmash of other ideas and story elements dull the experience.

Salt and Sacrifice

Look, I’m not saying I expected another Souls-like Metroidvania that built on the first game and also had a large, interconnected world. Salt and Sacrifice kind of does that, but also inserts Monster Hunter-like elements when it comes to hunting Mages. The art style is polished, and the premise is intriguing. Yet, it doesn’t come together as well as its predecessor, either due to the progression, annoying combat aspects (like getting juggled in the air) or the controls.

Somerville

When you hear the story behind developer Jumpship, founded by former Playdead co-founder Dino Patti, you want to root for Somerville. Patti’s experience includes Inside and Limbo, and despite this not being a full side-scrolling platformer, the premise and aesthetics look great. However, the plot leaves much to be desired (especially with the “ending”), and the controls are not good. Having to deal with numerous issues and bugs doesn’t help either.

Trek to Yomi

Like Ghost of Tsushima, Trek to Yomi takes heavy inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s work, both in presentation and aesthetics. The monochrome art looks incredible, and the camera work is impeccable. The problem is the rest of the game, specifically the combat, which feels annoying and clunky. Add boring enemy variety and level design, and you have a beautiful-looking side-scroller without any heart or soul.

Rainbow Six Extraction

One didn’t expect much from Rainbow Six Extraction. After all, it had been delayed multiple times, and the prospect of taking a limited-time event and turning it into a paid game still felt scummy. However, as it turns out, Ubisoft went even lower than my lowest expectations. Terrible AI, damage-sponge bosses, awful objectives, a complete lack of tactical gameplay, bugs – the list goes on. Extraction’s biggest achievement is how it manages to be so disappointing and yet so forgettable, with many still expressing surprise that it even launched this year.

Roller Champions

When Roller Champions was first announced, it seemed stylish, even if the concept of a 3v3 Roller Derby-style multiplayer game didn’t sound so intriguing. Then it got delayed again and again. When it finally landed this year, Roller Champions was a complete dud. It wasn’t downright awful, but nothing was captivating about it. The lack of polish, mode variety, and features like stats or quick chat at launch ensured a plummet into irrelevance.

Resident Evil Village – The Winters’ Expansion

We all had hopes for The Winters’ Expansion, particularly Shadows of Rose, which took place several years after the base game. Alas, not only did it recycle environments and fail to advance the overarching story, but it was only a handful of hours long. That would be fine if the expansion were cheaper. But the Third-Person Mode for the base game felt too clunky and awkward, and the additional Mercenaries content was simply good without being worthwhile alone.

Scorn

Announced in 2014, Scorn has been in development for a long time, but the disgusting art style, inspired by H. R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, made it stand out in the sea of graphically beautiful titles. Unfortunately, its annoying combat and checkpoints, not to mention the frustrating puzzles, hamper it tremendously. It feels like a conflict between the art design and gameplay, resulting in an underwhelming – and short – experience.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns

Weird as it sounds, I always felt there was something off about Marvel’s Midnight Suns. This is even after all the gameplay streams showcased the myriad of tactics available. On release, it revealed some pretty terrible writing, not to mention an excessive amount of padding and grinding for something as simple as card rerolls. The combat was still decent, but performance issues and shabby visual quality held it back.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

The first-ever seamless open-world title for Pokemon. Three paths to follow with the freedom to choose. The start of the ninth generation. All these promises and more were made for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and the results were…iffy. While the stories and gameplay felt good, the sheer range of technical and performance issues, shoddy presentation, and illusion of free choice made it feel like a severe downgrade from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and even Sword and Shield.

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

When rumors of a Final Fantasy Souls-like action RPG from Team Ninja, including the minds behind Nioh, first circulated, I was stoked. There’s no way Square Enix could mess this up, right? Unfortunately, they did, with a weird combat system, horribly optimized visuals, and some of the worst writing either company has put out (which is saying something). Subsequent updates and DLC improved it, but this is still a major disappointment considering what could have been.

FIFA 23

Since it’s the last title as part of EA Sports’ collaboration with FIFA, you would think FIFA 23 would be a worthwhile end to a long-running, mostly-controversial series. It’s not. New mechanics like the PowerShot, Active Touch and World Cup modes were nice additions. But it’s still microtransaction-heavy, as evidenced by the changes to chemistry in Squad-Building Challenges. The PC version still has several issues, and the Nintendo Switch version continues to be a joke. For those who enjoyed FIFA, it’s more FIFA and still sells millions, but it’s still lacklustre.

Rune Factory 5

Ever since the delay to its Western release, I had some decent hopes for Rune Factory 5. It’s fully 3D with a more impressive presentation and combat. Unfortunately, it also feels overtly grindy, while the premise and overall gameplay aren’t a big enough step up over its predecessor. The performance of Nintendo Switch left much to be desired (with the PC version faring better). Long story short, it’s not a terrible game but could have done much more. Those looking to discover what makes the series great are better off sticking to Rune Factory 4 Special.

Gotham Knights

Believe it or not, there were some expectations on Gotham Knights. Even for those who knew it was more of an action RPG than a brand-new Batman: Arkham, there was that promise of exploring Gotham City and beating up bad guys. Gotham Knights bungled this with bad dialogue, annoying combat mechanics (counters? What are those?), clunky stealth, and grinding for things that should be available by default. Worst of all? It completely wastes the Court of Owls as antagonists.

Like the games that have inspired it, Somerville tells its story completely wordlessly. You play as the father in a family of four, which includes a dog and a toddler, living an idyllic life on a farmhouse in a relatively remote location. In the opening minutes of the game, however, an abrupt catastrophe turns their lives upside down, as an ominous fleet of aliens attacks the planet and begins ravaging it with its terrifying powers. Amidst all the chaos, which includes the father having mysteriously acquired some alien abilities of his own, it falls to you to not only survive, but ensure that your family does as well.

"Somerville is a game that successfully captures some of the biggest strengths of its sparsely populated genre, and while it doesn’t ever reach the heights of something like Inside, it does make a strong impression nonetheless."

It’s an incredible setup for the story, because it strikes two chords very effectively. On a macro, zoomed out scale, the widespread conflict and the mystery surrounding the invasion and the aliens’ true nature and purpose is a fascinating part of the story, and Somerville ensures that it’s kept interesting as you progress further by peppering in some unexpected developments, and in the later hours of the game, some undeniably bombastic moments. Meanwhile, on a much more intimate level, the story of the family and how its struggling to survive serves as the heart and soul of Somerville, and not just because you have a dog with you (though that is a big factor).

To go further into why or how any of those two core pillars of the game’s story resonate as strongly as you do would veer a little too far into spoiler territory, which is definitely not the way to enjoy this game- but suffice it to say that the game blends those two elements very well. It also deserves props for being able to tell a completely wordless story as well as it does- which, in turn, means it leaves plenty of things open to interpretation. That, after all, is one of the biggest joys of games such as this one, and Somerville, thankfully, is very aware of that fact.

Of course, the big question that the vast majority of people will be asking – perhaps a bit unfairly for Somerville – is if the story the game tells is as impactful or memorable as the one in, say, Inside was. My recommendation would be to shoot those questions straight out of your head before you jump into Somerville. There’s a very, very good chance that no game will be able to match the genius of Inside’s story and storytelling for a long, long time, if ever, and not once did I wonder whether Somerville would be able to do so. And as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t.

"Somerville deserves props for being able to tell a completely wordless story as well as it does- which, in turn, means it leaves plenty of things open to interpretation."

Somerville’s story is juggling a lot of balls at once, and some of its core story elements feel much more pulpy than games that it will be compared to, which means that even though it adopts a similar storytelling style, with the actual content of its story, it’s trying to do completely different things. Depending on your personal tastes, you might find those things to be more engaging than similar games that have come before. I, personally, did not, even though there’s absolutely no denying that there’s a lot to love here, regardless of personal tastes and preferences.

The situation is rather similar on the gameplay front, where, once again, Somerville takes a familiar framework and adds its own ideas to expand upon it. There are no tutorials, there’s no UI, and the focus is entirely on a cinematic experience where simple inputs and mechanics make up the bulk of the gameplay. You’ll be solving simple puzzles, engaging in some light platforming, and rushing your way through the occasional intense set piece sequence. The latter in particular can be quite intense in quite a high-octane way, lending a nice balance to the narrative side of things, which often brings the tension and intensity with more intimate storytelling tools.

In addition to the simple and straightforward gameplay ideas it borrows from Limbo and Inside, however, Somerville also throws new ideas into the mix. A lot of navigation puzzles, for instance, rely on you using your aforementioned newfound alien powers to manipulate extraterrestrial obstacles. Initially, your powers are limited to an ethereal blue glow emanating from your hand that turns solid alien artifacts into a ghostly, liquid-like substance, while later on, a newly acquired ability emanates a red glow from your hand that does the opposite. Puzzles also involve finding and manipulating light sources, and using them to channel larger amounts of your own powers to remove obstacles and find new ways to proceed forward.

"There are a few times where Somerville feels unnecessarily obtuse and frustratingly dense, where it maybe goes a little too far with its hands-off and minimalistic approach. In my experience, these moments do hamper the pacing of the experience somewhat- though barring some blemishes, I was still largely impressed with Somerville’s puzzles."

For the most part, the navigation challenges and puzzles presented in Somerville are solid brain-teasers, and figuring out how to arrive at the inevitably straightforward solutions to the problems in front of you can be surprisingly satisfying. There are a few times where Somerville feels unnecessarily obtuse and frustratingly dense, where it maybe goes a little too far with its hands-off and minimalistic approach. In my experience, these moments do hamper the pacing of the experience somewhat- though barring some blemishes, I was still largely impressed with Somerville’s puzzles.

Another way Somervilla expands upon the foundations of its genre is by making movement much more free-flowing. Unlike Inside and Limbo, both of which were side-scrollers, Somerville is a game that allows full 3D movement. Yes, the camera is semi-fixed and moves on its own based on the direction you’re moving in, but your movement isn’t limited to going left or right. On paper, this sounds like an interesting expansion, but I’m not sure I’m the biggest fan. For starters, the movement feels a little wonky and inaccurate at times, and the fact that the camera often keeps getting in the way of it doesn’t do it any favours. Being able to more freely explore the small environments you find yourself in also tends to exacerbate those occasional moments of frustration I mentioned earlier- when you can’t figure out what to do or where to go, having more room for exploration but not too much to interact with while doing so isn’t exactly a good option to have.

Visually, Somerville is largely a success. The scripted camera movements I mentioned earlier have a big role to play in the experience, and the cinematography on display here is seriously impressive on a consistent basis, combining well with a strong and distinctive art style. Technically, the game does stumble a little bit, whether that’s through muddy visuals that are sometimes lacking in detail or a few minor technical issues here and there. On the whole, there are plenty of moments of striking beauty in Somerville, though it’s not a spotless experience in a visual sense either.

"There are plenty of moments of striking beauty in Somerville, though it’s not a spotless experience in a visual sense either."

Even with its issues though, Somerville is an accomplished sci-fi adventure title. Depending on how quickly you go through its story, it will last you anywhere between three and six hours, and throughout that brief runtime, it keeps throwing some fascinating things your way, whether it’s a smartly designed puzzle, heart-wrenching intimate moments, surprising story developments, or gorgeous visual vistas. Somerville might not be a genre giant, but if you’ve enjoyed similar games in the past, you’re probably going to enjoy this as well.

This game was reviewed on the Xbox Series X.

Jumpship will continue to create “top-class story-driven narrative games” and retain creative autonomy. Studio co-founder Dino Patti (previously at Playdead) remains and will also become a strategic advisor for Thunderful. In a press release, Patti said, “I feel really good about the partnership with Thunderful and what it will do for Jumpship. I have known Agostino for a very long time and we have built a strong relationship of trust.

“We’ve been talking about this possibility for around a year, and over that time, I have only become more convinced that this is a great opportunity for Jumpship and Thunderful alike.”

Thunderful Games chief gaming officer Agostino Simonetta added, “The level of intrigue that Jumpship has managed to generate for its debut title shows you that this is a team with a deep artistic vision. Adding to our already diverse and accomplished roster of talent under the Thunderful Studios’ umbrella is an important part of our strategy to build strong internal IPs.

“We look forward to supporting the team at Jumpship to harness their skill for building impactful narrative-driven experiences as they continue to create fantastic titles within the Thunderful family.”

Jumpship studio director Claire Boissiere also said, “Thunderful is pushing the boundaries by forming a family of game studios who will work under an umbrella of services that supports autonomy and creative vision. Our team sets its own course, and it’s great to find a partner that not only understands that but can truly support us. Thunderful’s established relationships with key platform holders and expertise in putting games into the hands of players give us an infrastructure where we can focus on what we do best: crafting games that challenge our audience, both emotionally and intellectually.”

Based on an original IP by game director Chris Olsen, Somerville begins after a massive catastrophe affects humanity. The player must make their family whole while seemingly dealing with an extraterrestrial presence. Despite being a 2.5D side-scrolling title, Somerville isn’t a puzzle platformer, though it contains “some of that DNA,” according to Olsen. Stay tuned for more details and updates on the title in the coming days.

On November 3rd, 2D side-scrolling adventure title Ghost Song will be available on consoles, PC, and the cloud. This is followed by Football Manager 2023 for PC and Football Manager 2023 Console for Xbox, cloud, and PC on November 8th. The critically acclaimed Return to Monkey Island will also be playable on the same day for consoles, cloud and PC.

Vampire Survivors launches on November 10th for consoles, followed by Obsidian Entertainment’s Pentiment on November 15th for consoles, PC, and cloud, and Somerville for consoles and PC.

Football Manager 2022 on PC and Football Manager 2022 Xbox Edition will leave the service on November 8th. Check out the remaining titles that will be gone on November 15th:

• Art of Rally (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Fae Tactics (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Next Space Rebel (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• One Step from Eden (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Supraland (Cloud, Console, and PC)

As the newest title from former Playdead CEO and co-founder Dino Patti, based on an original IP by Chris Olsen, the story begins after a large-scale catastrophe. It sees the player attempting to make their family whole again as they explore rural landscapes. Not much is known about how the catastrophe occurred, but aliens are seemingly involved.

Somerville offers a mix of 2.5 side-scrolling and 3D segments with a cinematic flair that calls games like Inside to mind. Olsen, also the game director, clarified that it “definitely” isn’t a puzzle platformer despite having “some of that DNA – sort of.” Development has progressed far enough that it’s essentially become “its own thing.”

“It definitely feels like something I’ve not played before, both mechanically and the way the story is told,” said Olsen. Stay tuned for more details and gameplay en route to its release.

Chris Olsen says that there is a lot of misconception surrounding Somerville, and part of it has to do with the trailer itself. The trailer showcased the character pushing and pulling objects, which led to fans believing it to be a 2D puzzle platformer. Chris has now clarified that the game has full 3D movement, and is a unique experience which is “definitely not a puzzle platformer.”

“I couldn’t quite describe it in a way that made it fit into a mold, essentially,” Olsen says. “At the time, [the journalist] was like, ‘Sounds like you need to get your pitch together’ or something like that, but in my own head, I was really happy I couldn’t say exactly what it was. It definitely feels like something I’ve not played before, both mechanically and the way the story is told.

“So that misconception of it being a puzzle platformer about manipulating items to get on top of them and all these things… I’d say it has some of that DNA — sort of — but we’ve gone so far away from that now it’s become its own thing. All I really feel comfortable calling it now is ‘a sci-fi adventure.'”

From the looks of it, Somerville tasks players to rebuild a family that has been affected by an unknown conflict within a post-apocalyptic universe. It releases in 2022 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC and will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

Sommerville is an upcoming sci-fi adventure from the indie studio Jumpship, a studio formed by the founders of Inside developer Playdead. Obvious comparisons can be drawn to the game, with a similar art style and camera. The game releases in 2022 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, and will launching day 1 on Xbox Game Pass.

The game tasks players with rebuilding a family once again in a rich post-apocalyptic setting where an unknown conflict has torn the world into shreds. If Jumpship’s previous track record is anything to go by, Somerville might just pluck the same strings, making it worth checking out.