Tormented Souls pays homage to the original Resident Evil (RE) classics. Everything about the game is nostalgic towards these older titles, including the fixed camera angles, puzzles, limited saves, the convoluted mansion and more. The combat is clunky, the story is bizarre, and the game is frustrating, yet for fans of classic survival horrors, you will feel right at home.

Pros

• Heavily inspired by Resident Evil
  
• Lengthy story
  
• Masterfully designed & interconnected mansion
  
• Abundance of clever puzzles
  
• Different realities & dimensions

Cons

• Voice acting is emotionless & unbelievable
  
• Combat is awkward & inept
  
• Severe soundtrack issues

The plot of Tormented Souls is not unique by any means, the story unfolds very unnaturally and predictably, yet I did not find it neither good nor bad. In the beginning, it was almost laughable as one of the first things players see is a full-frontal view of a nude young woman, standing up from the bath. I thought this was setting the scene for what is to come but thankfully I was wrong.

Playing as Caroline Walker, she sets off to an abandoned mansion after receiving an eerie image of twin girls. Why she is compelled to investigate herself is unbeknownst to me, but this begins the adventure. She is then attacked, but never actually tries to leave, her goal remains fixated on the twins. After this very short opening scene, to better enjoy my experience, I threw my logical thoughts out the window and enjoyed the game for what it is, a gritty survival horror.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586111395


Tormented Souls has its fair share of issues, but it is clear that a lot of love has been poured into this project. Everything felt like a love note dedicated to Silent Hill and RE classics. For fans of these titles, looking for some nostalgia, it does everything right. But for those looking for a fresh, improved take on survival horror, I do NOT recommend this. In my opinion, this is not a progressive improvement and players entering the game expecting a modern experience will only be slapped in the face with sheer disappointment.

Those familiar with the unforgettable Spencer Mansion in Raccoon City, especially in the original 1996 RE will see an eerie similarity in this Winterlake mansion. The entirety of the game unfolds in this sprawling, interconnected villa and its design is masterful. Players must explore the mansion, complete puzzles and defeat (or run) from enemies along the way.

Camera angles
Camera angles are fixed and whilst I do not have an issue with that, labelling this as being modernised is simply false. I enjoy fixed camera perspectives, I had no issue with RE HD remasters camera angles, or the RE 2 remake which completely swapped fixed camera angles for over the shoulder view (although this was quite controversial among fans). Regardless, I like it, it is creepy and makes me feel anxious. The camera in Tormented Souls does not do this, it is annoying and cumbersome. Most of the time you will be shooting at enemies that you cannot see due to the camera but can only hear. This was never (at least for me) an issue in RE. Enemies were always in view when they would be coming at you. In Tormented Souls, I felt like I am just shooting into the dark and hoping for the best. In fairness, the camera perspective does change quite frequently, to even a top-down view, but it is extremely clunky and makes traversing areas unnecessarily difficult.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586112244

Combat & saves
Players will hear the enemies when you enter a room, prior to seeing them which made me very uneasy (in the best way). There are a few different types, and each has different attacks. Those that do projectile strikes are the worst designed as their attacks have an enormous range, hitting you before you can see it, on the other side of the room, or even around corners. Fair to say, when I died due to being spat on from around a corner, I was pretty livid.

Armed with only a weak nailer to defend yourself and scarce ammo, other weapons will eventually be discovered including a shotgun, crowbar and more. Dodging attacks is difficult due to awkward controls and usually the character just jumped into the attack instead of away, however, after time, it became easier.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586111869

The game can only be saved in designated safe rooms by using LIMITED tapes. These tapes are scattered around for players to find and thus you cannot save whenever you feel like it. Whilst this classic element did worry me, it was implemented well and my hoarding meant I had at least 3 tapes on me at all times, although in the beginning I was a bit reckless which resulted in some restarts, thanks to my own carelessness.

Puzzles & exploration
The level design is impeccable and brilliantly mimicked Spencer Mansion of RE. Filled with convoluted hallways and puzzles, the mansion feels enormous. Each area will need to be explored multiple times, usually needing to go back to complete a puzzle. Shortcuts will open up after players explore new areas and open previously locked doors. I found the puzzles to be challenging but logical and more relied on me obtaining an item and thinking, where does this go? How do I get there again? I cannot use it in this state, what do I need to do to make it usable? I was also impressed by the puzzles and can easily spot the old-school inspiration behind them. Whilst some involved some serious backtracking and were a bit tedious, this was just like the frustrating days of the early classics and so I have no complaints here. I also probably was not aware of a shortcut route and went the long way as admittedly, navigation is not my strong suit.


The game environment is dark, gritty and everything a survival horror should be. The enemies are well designed and alongside the camera angles, it did feel like an old school horror, which I loved.

The sound design was fantastic. Each enemy type had its own noise associated with it, from the scraping of metal, groaning or loud bangs, the sounds were simple, yet effective. Entering a room and listening intently to see if you are alone in the darkness, or if something is lurking just out of sight made exploring new areas an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, the praise ends there, and the voice acting was absolutely atrocious. I wish they were completely removed with just subtitles instead. Characters delivered utterly unbelievable and laughable performances it actually saddens me. Other examples of auditory issues include when the character reminiscent of RE’s Mr X has spawned but the sound fails to change and alert the player, or the danger music continues to play long after the threat has been eliminated. Furthermore, sometimes the safe rooms music would abruptly cut off or start playing only when I reached the middle of the room. There were a lot of minor sound issues that I hope to see amended to ensure immersion is maintained.


Tormented Souls is a tribute to early RE games, without feeling like a cheap copycat. There are too many similarities to mention and the developers’ appreciation for classic survival horror is abundantly clear. For fans of these classics, it is a must play, filled with nostalgia at every turn, but it is far from perfection. For those looking for a modern survival horror, perhaps this is not the best place to start, but as a huge fan of the classics myself, I had an absolute blast and highly recommend it to all horror enthusiasts.

This review copy was provided to the Devils in the Detail curator.

Follow my curator page, Cookie Reviews,

Tormented Souls pays homage to the original Resident Evil (RE) classics. Everything about the game is nostalgic towards these older titles, including the fixed camera angles, puzzles, limited saves, the convoluted mansion and more. The combat is clunky, the story is bizarre, and the game is frustrating, yet for fans of classic survival horrors, you will feel right at home. [b][u]Pros[/u][/b] [list] [*] Heavily inspired by Resident Evil [*] Lengthy story [*] Masterfully designed & interconnected mansion [*] Abundance of clever puzzles [*] Different realities & dimensions [/list] [b][u]Cons[/u][/b] [list] [*] Voice acting is emotionless & unbelievable [*] Combat is awkward & inept [*] Severe soundtrack issues [/list] [h1]Story[/h1] The plot of Tormented Souls is not unique by any means, the story unfolds very unnaturally and predictably, yet I did not find it neither good nor bad. In the beginning, it was almost laughable as one of the first things players see is a full-frontal view of a nude young woman, standing up from the bath. I thought this was setting the scene for what is to come but thankfully I was wrong. Playing as Caroline Walker, she sets off to an abandoned mansion after receiving an eerie image of twin girls. Why she is compelled to investigate herself is unbeknownst to me, but this begins the adventure. She is then attacked, but never actually tries to leave, her goal remains fixated on the twins. After this very short opening scene, to better enjoy my experience, I threw my logical thoughts out the window and enjoyed the game for what it is, a gritty survival horror. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586111395 [h1]Gameplay[/h1] Tormented Souls has its fair share of issues, but it is clear that a lot of love has been poured into this project. Everything felt like a love note dedicated to Silent Hill and RE classics. For fans of these titles, looking for some nostalgia, it does everything right. But for those looking for a fresh, improved take on survival horror, I do NOT recommend this. In my opinion, this is not a progressive improvement and players entering the game expecting a modern experience will only be slapped in the face with sheer disappointment. Those familiar with the unforgettable Spencer Mansion in Raccoon City, especially in the original 1996 RE will see an eerie similarity in this Winterlake mansion. The entirety of the game unfolds in this sprawling, interconnected villa and its design is masterful. Players must explore the mansion, complete puzzles and defeat (or run) from enemies along the way. [b][u]Camera angles[/u][/b] Camera angles are fixed and whilst I do not have an issue with that, labelling this as being modernised is simply false. I enjoy fixed camera perspectives, I had no issue with RE HD remasters camera angles, or the RE 2 remake which completely swapped fixed camera angles for over the shoulder view (although this was quite controversial among fans). Regardless, I like it, it is creepy and makes me feel anxious. The camera in Tormented Souls does not do this, it is annoying and cumbersome. Most of the time you will be shooting at enemies that you cannot see due to the camera but can only hear. This was never (at least for me) an issue in RE. Enemies were always in view when they would be coming at you. In Tormented Souls, I felt like I am just shooting into the dark and hoping for the best. In fairness, the camera perspective does change quite frequently, to even a top-down view, but it is extremely clunky and makes traversing areas unnecessarily difficult. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586112244 [b][u]Combat & saves[/u] [/b] Players will hear the enemies when you enter a room, prior to seeing them which made me very uneasy (in the best way). There are a few different types, and each has different attacks. Those that do projectile strikes are the worst designed as their attacks have an enormous range, hitting you before you can see it, on the other side of the room, or even around corners. Fair to say, when I died due to being spat on from around a corner, I was pretty livid. Armed with only a weak nailer to defend yourself and scarce ammo, other weapons will eventually be discovered including a shotgun, crowbar and more. Dodging attacks is difficult due to awkward controls and usually the character just jumped into the attack instead of away, however, after time, it became easier. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586111869 The game can only be saved in designated safe rooms by using LIMITED tapes. These tapes are scattered around for players to find and thus you cannot save whenever you feel like it. Whilst this classic element did worry me, it was implemented well and my hoarding meant I had at least 3 tapes on me at all times, although in the beginning I was a bit reckless which resulted in some restarts, thanks to my own carelessness. [b][u]Puzzles & exploration[/u][/b] The level design is impeccable and brilliantly mimicked Spencer Mansion of RE. Filled with convoluted hallways and puzzles, the mansion feels enormous. Each area will need to be explored multiple times, usually needing to go back to complete a puzzle. Shortcuts will open up after players explore new areas and open previously locked doors. I found the puzzles to be challenging but logical and more relied on me obtaining an item and thinking, where does this go? How do I get there again? I cannot use it in this state, what do I need to do to make it usable? I was also impressed by the puzzles and can easily spot the old-school inspiration behind them. Whilst some involved some serious backtracking and were a bit tedious, this was just like the frustrating days of the early classics and so I have no complaints here. I also probably was not aware of a shortcut route and went the long way as admittedly, navigation is not my strong suit. [h1]Graphics & Sound [/h1] The game environment is dark, gritty and everything a survival horror should be. The enemies are well designed and alongside the camera angles, it did feel like an old school horror, which I loved. The sound design was fantastic. Each enemy type had its own noise associated with it, from the scraping of metal, groaning or loud bangs, the sounds were simple, yet effective. Entering a room and listening intently to see if you are alone in the darkness, or if something is lurking just out of sight made exploring new areas an adrenaline rush. Unfortunately, the praise ends there, and the voice acting was absolutely atrocious. I wish they were completely removed with just subtitles instead. Characters delivered utterly unbelievable and laughable performances it actually saddens me. Other examples of auditory issues include when the character reminiscent of RE’s Mr X has spawned but the sound fails to change and alert the player, or the danger music continues to play long after the threat has been eliminated. Furthermore, sometimes the safe rooms music would abruptly cut off or start playing only when I reached the middle of the room. There were a lot of minor sound issues that I hope to see amended to ensure immersion is maintained. [h1]Conclusion[/h1] Tormented Souls is a tribute to early RE games, without feeling like a cheap copycat. There are too many similarities to mention and the developers’ appreciation for classic survival horror is abundantly clear. For fans of these classics, it is a must play, filled with nostalgia at every turn, but it is far from perfection. For those looking for a modern survival horror, perhaps this is not the best place to start, but as a huge fan of the classics myself, I had an absolute blast and highly recommend it to all horror enthusiasts. This review copy was provided to the Devils in the Detail curator. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/34936724][quote]Follow my curator page, [b]Cookie Reviews[/b],