Tormented Souls Review
7.4/10
Tormented Souls is the game I wanted but had no idea I needed. Fixed-camera survival horror games were always a favorite of mine because of the accessibility it provides for friends of mine who were sensitive to the more recent trend of first-person horror games. While this may not be the more polished or have the highest quality voice acting, when you are finding a void in a particular genre, you can easily be excited that something new and a little different shows up.
Tormented Souls is without a doubt a nod to the early survival horror games that blasted the category into the popularity that it has today. Elements of Resident Evil and Silent Hill are on full display here, leaning further into RE than SH with the layout and overall execution of this game. A large abandoned house with lots of complicated securities to keep you from progressing everywhere right away. That is your typical Resident Evil fare one can expect to feast on during a survival horror outing, but this game has an interesting mechanic that is beyond keys and weapons.
Right away the player is introduced to the darkness mechanic where you would be consumed due to overexposure. The game gives you enough warning and opportunity to escape the impending doom but its sets the tone for what I found to be a subtle and very effective obstacle to constantly deal with. I will keep spoilers minimal, but you will discover that dealing with the darkness and more tangible threats are two goals whose paths don't often converge.
Those "tangible threats" are where I find the Silent Hill inspiration is interwoven. The enemies you deal with are not zombie-esque at all but rather are humanoid-like creatures that seem to be the result of cruel experimentation. They are horrid, make chilling noises, and move a little too effectively for my liking. These foes help offset a backdrop that is comfortable and recognizable. The placement of these creatures is often done well and keeps you on your toes while exploring the mansion the main character wakes up in.
Caroline ends up in this building after receiving a cryptic letter from the address and the game quickly begins its story building a short cutscene. It delivers a "cover any kids' eyes" moment right before you take control of the character but it is the only scene like it in the entire game. Once you can get moving, you quickly realize what the game is about in terms of gameplay and theme. A puzzle presents itself right off the bat and the atmosphere is instantly apparent.
The puzzles are one of this game's greatest strengths. They have some of your tried and true "get the right key for the right door" segments but there are puzzles throughout the entire game that range from no brainer to downright complex. Those tougher puzzles gave me feelings of elation when I was able to suddenly realize what a segment wants from me and apply that so I can solve it and progress. it can be difficult at times to realize where the game wants you to go, or even what information was given to you to apply elsewhere, but I personally prefer games that allow you to connect the dots in your mind because it makes those epiphanies more enjoyable. Pairing those successes with new areas to explore as a reward was something that made me want to constantly move forward and see what else the game had lined up for me.
Storytelling is done mostly through all the notes you find throughout the locations and when you do read them all, it allows you to become a little more immersed in the world they want to create. It also sprinkles in a hint as to why these events have taken place. Generally speaking, the story is a little predictable but some spins happen throughout that catch you off guard enough to make you wanna keep reading.
There are major mechanics I will leave out for the sake of discovery. It allows for a solid reason for backtracking when you have to do so and it's done creatively. Tormented Souls just has a lot that I think works for it from the puzzle application, the exploration with varied locales, the necessary combat to deal with enemies, and the chronicling of what on earth is exactly going on. You could make an argument that it isn't graphically as strong as other games like it in the genre, or that its gameplay style has evolved past out of necessity, but games like this will have a place in a lot of people's hearts and they call back to a style of game that people really enjoy, myself included.
Tormented Souls gets a 7.4 from me (yes we will be doing more of these reviews so we will need a more precise score to help differentiate) and I would recommend this game to anyone missing some of the older-styled survival horror games or people who love the older games but desire modern advancements like improved controls or better sound quality (voice acting will feel far too familiar and that may have been on purpose).
