It’s Silent Hill all over and should we have been seeing that beloved franchise still going strong with modern releases, I probably wouldn’t be so excited by it, but that isn’t a reality right now and for once I’ve never been so excited to see a game essentially rip off a classic and get it so right. Most of the story ties together through scattered diary and journal entries, or via limited yet telling conversations and whilst this may not be the pinnacle of showstopping storytelling that we’ve seen light up gaming in recent years, the story here is one that has you wanting to know more throughout.Ī little way in, and the comparison to old school horror is almost unashamedly brought to the focus with players finding that mirrors bring a new dimension to things and that by lighting the candles that usually sit on either side of certain mirrors, players can not only traverse and time travel through them into the past ongoings of Wildberger Hospital but also manipulate the present by changing things in the past. To find out more, you’ll need to work your way through the building, unlocking locked doors that normally come with some sort of puzzle, find specific key items through exploration or story progression, combine items, and talk to the odd remaining sane person left in this dark and dreary place.
Your goal throughout the game is to explore the terrifying halls of the abandoned mansion-turned-hospital on the hunt for the missing twin girls whose picture arrived in the post. From interactions and the following text descriptions to puzzles and inventory management, there is nothing missing from the classic old school horror formula here. The gameplay begins as players wake in the bathroom taking control of Caroline, and from the very first moments, things instantly strike a resemblance to that of the aforementioned Resident Evil. It’s a message that explains very little, but it offers up just enough intrigue and mystery to kick things off, and with two weeks of horrible nightmares that follow and the inability to get that image of the young girls out of her head, Caroline decides she needs to investigate further with a trip over to Wildberger Hospital, but within minutes of arrival she is knocked unconscious before awakening naked and cold in a bathtub, attached to decrepit medical equipment, and missing an eye. On the back of this strange picture is no explanation, but merely a chilling question that asks, ‘Do you think you can simply abandon us here?’ Developers Dual Effect & Abstract Digital look to change that though with Tormented Souls, the latest game to give it a shot.Īfter receiving an unexpected letter from an individual over at Wildberger Hospital in Winterlake, Caroline Walker, our protagonist, opens it to find a chilling picture of two young girls, whilst the image appears to give her a strikingly sharp pain that sears into her head. Many have tried to do just that, but despite some semi-decent efforts along the way, we’ve not really had much that has really scratched that survival horror itch. Whilst the genre has certainly evolved in recent years, there is still a loyal following who wish to see horror gaming revert to that of its former glory days in the vein of the original Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Alone in the Dark. Finding one that can represent true quality is another thing entirely. Horror games can be found in abundance no matter which storefront you decide to spend your hard-earned cash on.