Somerville focuses on a family of four during an alien invasion, where you are caught in the midst of a very destructive interstellar first strike and must make your way to safety. Most of the game is experienced from the perspective of the father who gains access to mysterious tech that appears to be connected to the invaders in some way.
Somerville was developed by Jumpship, the team behind Limbo and Inside. Somerville paces itself in a similar way to its predecessors, so you're able to focus on the details as they appear, but it's not always clear which is why it's helpful to keep some elements in mind.
Don't Worry About The Dog
Even though you'll be playing as the father for most of the game, you'll have a recurring companion in the family dog. After the father recovers, the dog is the first to see him on his way out. The dog is mainly there to provide emotional support since they don't appear to serve any gameplay purpose.
However, as you make your way along the path, you'll find some point where it'll seem like the dog can't follow. Although it's tempting to pick them up, you can't, and there's no need to, keep going without them, the dog will always find a way to you.
Always Target Energy Sources
There are many mechanics in the game, but the core of gameplay and puzzles revolve around light manipulation. The father is equipped with a strange device on his right arm that generates energy in different colors. On its own, it doesn't appear to do much, but when it comes into contact with a light source, it can manipulate the properties of alien residue.
The game starts by letting you think that you need to touch lights directly in order to change their properties, but for some of the more complex lights, you must be touching the power source itself which is usually highlighted with yellow.
Look For Shaking Containers
Aside from the achievements you can get at certain points in the game, there aren't really optional tasks. There are certain areas off the beaten path to find that help to build out this world, but it's nothing tangible. However, there is one aspect that does have a side-quest feels to it and that is the eye orb.
Aside from the dog and alien entities, the only other somewhat living beings you encounter are small, black, voxel-like orbs that look similar to eyeballs. In some parts of the game, they're necessary to progress, but other times they're just rolling around. Sadly, some of them have gotten trapped in containers or behind doors, so listen for frantic tones and look for shaking objects in order to free them.
Aim For Speed Over Precision
Despite the presence of an ongoing alien invasion, there are many areas that are quite peaceful. This means lots of puzzles can be done at your leisure as the invasion unfolds in the background. As a result, it's easy to think that slow and steady is the best route when solving puzzles, but you should never move too slowly.
A lot of puzzle tools require you to move them quickly in order for them to be effective, and this doesn't include times when you're being hunted. Most of the puzzles are generous with where you place the pieces, so don't worry about being 100 percent accurate.
Never Look Back
There are a lot of quiet moments throughout Somerville, but when the action picks up, it picks up fast. You'll be pursued by alien forces with numerous creepy types of technology and alien weaponry. Your only defense will be to run or hide with little opportunity to fight back.
As expected, these are also times when huge plot points can occur but don't get sucked in. Even just a one-second delay can determine the difference between life and death. When the father starts picking up the pace, just focus on running and staying on the path.