The 1990s were the “golden age” of survival horror, with films and TV shows adhering to a canon of established rules and tropes. Dual Effect’s Tormented Souls is an attempt to update the classic Survival Horror formula. There are in-depth settings, challenging riddles, few resources, and the option to go back and try a different approach. Let’s dig deep into Tormented Souls Review.
Tormented Souls, like many other games of its kind, uses a stationary camera. This creates the atmosphere of a tense, claustrophobic adventure in a forbidding, abandoned hospital. The intrigue of this strange journey grips you from the very first page.
Tormented Souls saw its first release date pushed back from August 2021 to that 2022. This game adhered to the tried-and-true horror format popularised by series like Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Alone in the Dark. Tormented Souls continues to use static camera angles to scare the player despite its best efforts to integrate itself into the contemporary gaming scene.
The scenario is reminiscent of the Playstation 1 era in that the atmosphere is dense, the level of terror is high, and the game itself uses such methods to force you to act. In Tormented Souls, you’ll experience the whole range of emotions that Survival Horror is known for, from the downright icky to the bone-chilling. However, it manages to be persuasive in its own special manner.
What Is The Plot Of Tormented Souls?
Caroline Walker, our heroine, is introduced at the beginning of the novel. An old hospital sends her a picture of a pair of identical sisters one day. Caroline is invited to stop by in person, per a note scribbled on the back. She is knocked unconscious as soon as she arrives.
You come to with one eye gone, a tube down your mouth, and while bathing in the sack. It’s obvious that this person underwent a terrible operation. As soon as Caroline is dressed, you’re free to do whatever you choose with her. Along the way, you come across a creepy priest and some scattered journals. Reading these journals is a lot like playing a survival horror game; you’ll find clues and learn more about the hospital’s shady past as you go.
Source: IGN
The setting, more than just the words and dialogue, emphasizes that Winterlake Hospital is not a place where patients are cared for. Instead, it’s a killing field where innocents are sacrificed for the sake of a horrible cause. If you want to make it out of the hospital/mansion alive, you’ll need to get to know its passageways inside and out.
The antagonists are biomechanical creations that combine elements of the human body with artificial ones. Agonized monsters merged with medical equipment including IV poles and wheelchairs. They are as many victims as they are aggressors.
What struck me most was how well the classic tropes of Survival Horror still work to generate suspense and anxiety. An up-to-date-sounding title, I’d call it Tormented Souls. Occasionally, it’s stunning to take in. It’s easy to navigate and responsive to input, generally speaking.
Nonetheless, the accomplishments of Tormented Souls go beyond that. It’s been a while since I’ve played a game that gave me the same level of anxiety about moving forward as those classics. Creating a convincing terrifying experience is challenging. Despite this, it’s obvious that a skilled team created Tormented Souls. Let’s dig deep into Tormented Souls Review.
Stay Far Away From Those Tortured Souls Playing Switch Like The Plague
With the tank control-like system, it’s hard enough to escape opponent slashes and stabs in the game’s cramped tunnels. The Switch port’s incredibly gloomy picture quality makes it nearly hard to see what’s ahead, even with the brightness turned up in-game and on TV. In one stage of the game, I ran blindly and nearly missed a monster’s strike in a terrified fury. Although certain areas are frustrating, the map isn’t like this.
Nintendo Switch loading times are also poor, averaging 8 seconds between doors. Thus, players will see many blank screens during the game, especially if they become lost. It’s fast, but you’ll get tired of waiting. Graphics are another issue. One sequence looks like a PS1 classic, but the gameplay visuals are good. QA’s role? Uncertainty.
I became more terrified of the game freezing than the monsters.
The almost-hourly crashes and soft-locks will frustrate you the most. I became more terrified of the game freezing than the monsters. I knew I’d lose an hour on each reset if I couldn’t find a save tape. Instead of playing thoughtfully, I ran around like a toddler who had eaten too many chocolate bars. Love when the game fights itself? I don’t.
Tormented Souls Review
I recommend you play this game if you like old-school Silent Hill or Resident Evil. While Tormented Souls doesn’t have many memorable moments like the games it’s based on, the horror components work well to build suspense and keep you on edge. The adrenaline-pumping fear is balanced with the puzzle elements. Despite poor voice acting, the story is compelling. Tormented Souls is a fun reimagining of 90s and early 2000s survival horror games, but not on the Nintendo Switch.
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