This cinematic style platformer leaves it up to the player to unravel the full story and has plenty of details, puzzles, and several alternate endings to keep gamers entertained. But with a narrative as enthralling as the one in Somerville, it is easy for some of the more obscure secrets to slip by.
1 Puppy Love
During the opening credits of the game, players are given control of the protagonist’s toddling child. This introduces Somerville players to the game’s unique style of puzzle solving and the outlines the kind of environmental interaction needed to progress. But one small detail that some might miss is a sweet interaction with the family’s dog.
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Though it is not an achievement of any kind, players can approach the dog while controlling the toddler and give it a hug. Being able to interact with animals in games is always popular, so much so that there is an entire Twitter feed dedicated to cataloguing games that let players do so. Animal lovers will be happy to know that they CAN pet the dog in Somerville.
2 World’s Best Dad
There are plenty of easy-to-miss achievements hidden throughout Somerville. One of the first is the World’s Best Dad achievement, which can be unlocked easily in the second chapter.
Playing as the protagonist and father, players must enter the kitchen of the family home and close the drawers and window that they previously opened while playing as the toddler. This simple action of cleaning up after the child is a small element of the unfolding parent-child relationship that players will learn more about as the game progresses.
3 Weary Traveler
In the fourth chapter, after the sixth checkpoint, there is another achievement that even dedicated players might miss. After crawling up out of the cave that is covered in drawings and stuffed toys, players will be able to move through a gate and up a small hill.
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At the top of the hill, there is a bench that players can interact with. Sitting on the bench for around 15 seconds will unlock the Weary Traveler achievement and reward players for taking a short rest. Playing with a great deal of patience is key to a successful run of Somervilleand, as a result, many of the achievements require a little waiting.
4 Here Boy
Somerville is defined by its measured pacing, its conservative use of sound, and its requirement for players to keep pushing left for most of the gameplay. Because of this pattern of movement, some players might miss another achievement that can be found in the beginning of the fifth chapter.
After crossing a road, players will be able to climb down into a body of water while their dog watches from a high ledge. When they reach the lamppost on the other side of the water, the dog will bark. If players wade back through the water, the dog will have disappeared, but checking on their furry friend will reward them with a rare achievement.
5 Stuck On The John
One big feature in the gameplay of Somerville is the alien searchlight that players will need to avoid in order to progress. The scenes can be tense, and swift movement is often the key to making it safely to the next chapter of the story.
As such, another achievement that can be missed lies after the third checkpoint in the fifth chapter. When players enter a portable toilet in order to avoid the eerie purple searchlight, it can be tempting to move on as soon as the coast is clear. But waiting an additional few seconds in the toilet will unlock the Stuck On The John achievement.
6 Kind Of Blue
The fifth chapter of the game has several achievements that might be hard for some players to find, and another can be found in the fifth checkpoint of this chapter. When players climb up a tower as the protagonist, they will need to turn on a set of stage lights for the central narrative’s next puzzle.
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Once players have interacted with the switch and turned the lights on, they can hold down the left trigger to turn these lights blue. If they hold this for a few seconds then release, this will unlock the Kind Of Blue achievement and jazz up the stage lighting.
7 First Contact
This particular hidden achievement requires players to interact with the alien orbs scattered throughout all the chapters in the game. Though some may be easy to find for those sticking to the game’s main narrative, others require a little digging to find.
There are plenty of online guides available for those looking to unlock this achievement quickly, but some players might prefer to figure things out on their own. Interacting with all the small details and visually unique environments in the game is a sure-fire way to find the orbs necessary for this achievement.
8 Secret Scenes
Games with multiple endings are a popular genre for those who like a bit of mystery and ambiguity in their entertainment. Multiple or unclear endings are also quite common from indie developers too. Somerville delivers on both points, with five possible endings that are up to interpretation.
But what some players might miss is that in addition to these unique endings, there are also unique post-credit scenes that go along with them. All these scenes depict the family’s farmhouse in varying states of decay, and whether anyone returns is up to the ending that players have achieved.
Somerville is available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
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