All Game Items
Complete Item Guide for SOMA
This guide covers every significant item you can interact with in SOMA. Unlike traditional games, SOMA has no weapons (except one non-lethal tool), no armor, no consumables, and no currency. Your progression relies entirely on key items, machinery/tools, and collectibles that reveal the story. Below is a comprehensive, spoiler-aware breakdown grouped by category.
---
1. Key Puzzle Items
These are mandatory items required to unlock doors, activate machinery, or solve environmental puzzles. They are usually found in specific locations and must be used to progress.
| Item | Location & How to Obtain | Purpose & Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Keycards | Scattered in desks, lockers, or on corpses in Upsilon, Lambda, Theta, Omicron, and Tau. Color-coded (e.g., green, yellow, red). | Used at card readers to unlock doors. Example: Green keycard in Upsilon opens the door to the transit station. |
| Fuses | Found in fuse boxes, storage rooms, or near broken panels. Often requires a screwdriver to access. | Inserted into fuse panels to restore power to elevators, doors, or machines. Example: Restore power to the elevator in Lambda. |
| Omnitool (with attachments) | Found in the Upsilon lab on a table. Early game essential. | Hacks computer terminals, opens security doors, and reads logs. Requires power cells to operate. |
| Power Cells | Found in charging stations, on desks, or in machinery. Recharge at charging stations. | Power the Omnitool. Without a charged cell, the Omnitool cannot be used. Also required for the diving suit in the Abyss. |
| Batteries | Similar to power cells but smaller. Found in flashlights, radios, or loose. | Power the flashlight (if you find one) or other portable devices. Only two or three exist in the game. |
| Screwdriver | Found in a toolbox in Upsilon (near the start). | Used to open fuse boxes, panels, and sometimes to interact with machinery. |
| Crowbar | Found in a storage room in Upsilon (after the Omnitool). | Pries open locked doors or containers. May break some windows. |
| Wrench | Found in Lambda, in the maintenance area. | Used to turn valves or tighten bolts on machinery (e.g., the diving suit airlock). |
| Diving Suit Key / Suit Access Card | Found at Omicron, in the diving suit preparation room. | Required to unlock the diving suit locker and equip the suit for the underwater journey. |
| Radiation Suit Keycard | Found in Theta, on a table near the decontamination chamber. | Grants access to the radiation suit room (needed to survive the radioactive corridors in Theta). |
| K8 Power Cell | On the robot K8 in Upsilon (after it malfunctions). | A special large power cell used to open the heavy blast door in Upsilon leading to the transit. |
| Vault Passcode | Found in Omicron, in a note or on a terminal. | A 4-digit code (e.g., 5732) used to open the vault containing the cortex chip. |
| Cortex Chip / ARK Chip | Final item; obtained in the submerged ARK site. | Used to complete the ARK upload and trigger the ending. Cannot be used elsewhere. |
2. Machinery & Tools (Interactive Environment)
These are stationary or semi-portable devices that must be operated. They are not carried in inventory but are essential for progression.
| Machine/Tool | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Terminals | Every major station (Upsilon, Lambda, etc.). | Read emails, logs, and sometimes control doors or lights. May require Omnitool hacking. |
| Elevators | Various levels. | Require power (fuses) to operate. Some need keycards. |
| Transit Train | Upsilon station. | Used to travel between Upsilon and Theta (one-way). Requires keycard. |
| Diving Suit Station | Omicron. | Requires the diving suit keycard. After entering, you put on the suit to explore the Abyss. |
| Radio Receiver | Omicron and Theta. | Used to communicate with other characters (e.g., Catherine Chun). Must be tuned to correct frequency. |
| Jukebox | In the bar at Theta. | Plays ambient music; no gameplay effect. |
| Taser (Stun Gun) | Found in Theta, in a security room. | Non-lethal weapon. Can stun hostile robots (e.g., the mockingbird in the Abyss) temporarily. Requires one battery to fire. Aim at the head for best effect. |
| Flashlight | Found in Upsilon, in a locker. | Illuminates dark areas. Runs on batteries. Optional but very helpful. |
---
3. Collectibles (Lore Items)
SOMA contains a wealth of narrative collectibles that expand the story and world. None are required for progression, but reading/listening to them enriches the experience.
| Type | Examples | How to Obtain | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio Logs | Voice recordings from deceased staff (e.g., Dr. Ross, Johan Ross, Catherine Chun). | Played from terminals or found as portable audio tapes. Some are automatic. | Reveal backstory, character motivations, and the fate of PATHOS-II. |
| Text Notes | Handwritten notes, printouts, emails. | Found on desks, bodies, or pinned to walls. Readable in inventory. | Provide lore about experiments, personnel, and the WAU's activities. |
| Terminal Emails | Internal communications between staff. | Read on computer terminals. | Same as text notes, but often longer. |
| Photographs | Polaroids or digital images. | Scattered in Upsilon, Lambda, etc. | Show environments or people; sometimes offer clues. |
| Omnitool Logs | Personal logs of Angela, Ross, etc. | Hacked via Omnitool. | Similar to audio logs. |
| ARK Simulation Notes | Research on the ARK project. | Found in Omicron and the ARK site. | Explain the technical and ethical aspects of the ARK. |
---
4. Other Notable Items
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Military Robot Parts | Scattered in Theta and Tau. Not usable, but indicate the failed military response. |
| Dead Bodies | Some bodies hold key items (e.g., keycards). Always search corpses. |
| Canvas & Art Supplies | Found in Lambda; used by Catherine for a brief puzzle (painting a passcode). |
| Biology Samples | In Lambda’s medical bay; used to complete an optional puzzle to unlock a safe. |
| Safe Code Notes | Small slips of paper with codes (e.g., for lockers). |
| Locker Keys | Found in offices; open corresponding lockers containing batteries or lore. |
5. Important Item Synergies & Upgrades
- Omnitool + Power Cell: Without a charged power cell, the Omnitool is useless. Always carry a spare cell if possible.
- Taser + Battery: The taser only has one shot per battery. Use it sparingly; you may need it against the tormented robot in the Abyss.
- Flashlight + Battery: Flashlight drains batteries quickly. Use sparingly and rely on static light sources when possible.
- Diving Suit + K8 Power Cell (indirect): The diving suit’s airlock requires power from the reactor; but the K8 cell is not used for the suit itself—only for the Upsilon blast door.
- Keycards: Never discard a keycard after use—some doors may require repeated scans. The Omnitool can duplicate keycards? No, it cannot. So keep them all.
- Weapons (lethal): None. Even the taser cannot kill.
- Armor: No damage reduction; you die in one hit from robots or crushing.
- Health Kits / Medkits: There is no health bar. Damage is instant death.
- Crafting Materials: No crafting system.
- Currency: No shop or trading.
- Skill Upgrades: No RPG elements.
- Save often. The game has manual saves only. Losing progress can mean losing items you need to revisit.
- Explore thoroughly. Many key items are hidden in side rooms or unmarked containers.
- Recheck terminals. Some emails contain codes or hints that you may need later.
- The taser is optional. Many players complete the game without ever firing it. It is not required for any puzzle.
- Inventory limit: You can carry an unlimited number of items; there is no weight system.
---
6. Items That Do NOT Exist in SOMA
---
Final Tips
---
*This guide covers all major items in SOMA. For a full list of every single interactive object, consult the in-game menu's "Collected Items" screen after each playthrough.