in the early days of horror gaming, we had fixed perspectives, random creatures that were always in one specific room, crazy stories, and plenty of intense situations. These are the aspects that PQube saw Dual Effect and Abstract Digital working on bringing back with their game, Tormented Souls. After taking the chance to play the free demo on Steam, I have to say that I am pretty impressed and looking forward to seeing this game release.
Gameplay
Welcome back to the world of classic horror! Only this time, you get a modernized version of tank controls which end up feeling kind of like regular controls for movement. Turns can be done a lot faster, so the clunky “turn before you run” aspect of tank controls has been replaced. However, you will still need to remember where different rooms are and how to get to them because the map is more of a reminder than a directory. Besides, you don’t even get to carry the map around with you in the demo.
We also see the return of finding items within the map to bring them to a correlating object that you can end up using the found item on in order to make progress within the storyline. It didn’t really seem like there were puzzles to these interactions though unless you count the fact that you can examine and combine items in your inventory. So, it seems we will mostly be looking at managing the items we are holding and using key items in their correct locations for progress.
Item management is another aspect you will find returning as well. Your inventory is limited and key items take up space just as your supplies do. While I didn’t find any storage crates or anything of that nature in the demo, we will have to consider what items we take with us as we make our way through the map. I honestly miss the meticulous way I had to decide what to bring only to come into a new area and find that the key item needed to move forward through the room is sitting in my storage box.
You can defend yourself in this game though, so don’t worry about there being a lack of combat. We only got to experience the ranged attacks with the provided nail gun in the demo. It doesn’t seem particularly powerful, but it gives a glimpse of how it uses the classic gameplay style. Basically, aim in the direction of the enemy and start shooting. If the enemy is lower to the ground, wait for your character to point more downwards and then start shooting. I do hope to get a bit more movement freedom here and see some melee options too.
Expectations
When it comes to combat, it is pretty much what I mentioned above. I would like to see some more movement freedom when using ranged weapons, but I also want to see some melee options. Of course, they should also include a nice melee finisher. There was something really enjoyable about stomping on an enemy you weren’t quite sure was dead in the Silent Hill series.
These classic games always had players running around the map to find items that can be used to interact with objects in ways that made sense, but there was always the occasional interaction that was weird and unique. They did have at least one of these in the demo, which I appreciated, and I really hope to see a lot more of them. If they could throw in a few puzzles and riddles in the experience as well, it would truly feel like the classic horror genre is returning.
And I can’t finish this list without mentioning how ridiculous it was that I couldn’t take that map with me. I found it on the wall and you wouldn’t let me just take it for future use? Please don’t let that be how maps are going to be in this game. If you are going to expect players to run around a map to find items and explore, you have to let them take the map with them so they can open it as needed.
Conclusion
If you are a fan of classic horror games from the early PlayStation 1 era, then you need to try the Tormented Souls demo! This game shows off that it is a true return of classic horror gaming with its demo. While I thought that Simulacrum was the only game that had a team looking to bring this genre back to its roots, it is nice to have another title to turn to. I am looking forward to seeing this game reach its finished version!
