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In Sound Mind

Overall, In Sound Mind is a gem. If you are looking for a psychological horror game with creepy Twin Peaks and X-Files vibes then I would definitely consider giving In Sound Mind a chance!
In Sound Mind Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
story, music
optimization, grinding
95% User Score Based on 3,854 reviews
Critic Score 83%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5XboxWindowsPlayStation
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In Sound Mind Game Cover

About

In Sound Mind is a single player survival shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by We Create Stuff and was released on September 28, 2021. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"In Sound Mind" is a first-person psychological horror game where players uncover a series of tape recordings left behind by a mysterious researcher. As they delve deeper into the tapes' contents, they must navigate surreal landscapes and confront distorted memories to unravel a nefarious plot. The game features immersive puzzles, a haunting soundtrack, and a unique blend of psychological and supernatural horror elements.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
In Sound Mind screenshot
+7
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,854 reviews
story1.2k positive mentions
optimization54 negative mentions
  • Engaging and emotional story that explores mental health themes with depth and sensitivity.
  • Unique gameplay mechanics, including clever puzzles and the use of a mirror shard to reveal hidden elements.
  • Atmospheric design and a fantastic soundtrack by The Living Tombstone that enhances the overall experience.
  • Combat mechanics can feel clunky and unbalanced, with limited enemy variety.
  • Some puzzles may be confusing or frustrating, leading to potential backtracking.
  • The game lacks a manual save option, relying solely on auto-saves which can lead to lost progress.
  • story
    2,247 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "In Sound Mind" is widely praised for its depth and emotional resonance, exploring themes of mental health through the unique narratives of various patients. Players appreciate the intricate storytelling that unfolds through environmental details, collectibles, and character interactions, creating a compelling and immersive experience. While some found the pacing uneven and certain plot elements predictable, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to engage players with its rich narrative and relatable characters, making it a standout in the psychological horror genre.

    • “A rich story, and great attention to detail that makes you think all game long!”
    • “The story is beautiful, music is great and gameplay is decent enough that you go through it with pleasure for the other two things.”
    • “The story, sound, and attention to detail were all top-notch!”
    • “Some of the dialogue or parts of the story felt a little too much, so it didn't carry the tension or feel correct for what was happening.”
    • “The story had potential but I sadly feel like the weighty topics were handled in the most sanitized way possible, with some mental health problems shown handled decently, and others presented in such a cartoonish manner it just can't be taken seriously.”
    • “It tried to encompass the whole story and the whole cast from the game in that ending, but I would have hoped they would have implemented them a bit better.”
  • music
    1,109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "In Sound Mind," primarily composed by The Living Tombstone, has received widespread acclaim for its emotional depth and thematic relevance to the game's narrative. Players appreciate the unique character-specific songs that enhance the storytelling, alongside a captivating soundtrack that complements the game's psychological horror elements. Overall, the music is described as a standout feature, significantly contributing to the game's atmosphere and player experience.

    • “The soundtrack by the living tombstone is simply extraordinary.”
    • “The music is phenomenal and I decided then and there to show my support by buying the soundtrack.”
    • “The music, especially the collectible vinyls, are themed around their namesake character and give further detail into their minds.”
    • “The music vinyl was clearly AI-generated, or someone was using way too much autotune.”
    • “The songs are a little cringey, but they are fun and fit the story.”
    • “Also for as much as people talk about the soundtrack, it really isn't that good, unless you're really into poppy indie rock.”
  • gameplay
    984 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "In Sound Mind" is characterized by its innovative mechanics and engaging puzzle-solving elements, which are intricately tied to the narrative and atmosphere. Players experience a blend of exploration, resource management, and combat, with each chapter introducing unique gameplay mechanics that keep the experience fresh and varied. While some reviews note that combat can feel clunky and certain mechanics may become repetitive, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to balance storytelling with interactive gameplay, making it a compelling choice for fans of psychological horror and adventure games.

    • “In 'In Sound Mind', the mechanics are precise, atmospheric, and cleverly tied to its psychological horror atmosphere, making every encounter feel like a deliberate challenge rather than random jump scares.”
    • “The gameplay is always keeping your heart pumping and the story just keeps you guessing.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics are fresh and the developers are clearly not afraid to experiment.”
    • “The gameplay is basic but serviceable, and each section feels very unique.”
    • “The only thing I don't like is the save mechanism: sometimes it might take only five minutes for an auto save, but sometimes it might be half an hour and if you want to exit the game you might lose parts of gameplay already done.”
    • “The gameplay can get a little frustrating with a lot of enemies in small spaces, but the rest of the game makes up for it.”
  • atmosphere
    432 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively blending psychological horror with engaging storytelling. Players appreciate the meticulous level design, haunting soundtrack, and ambient sound effects that create a sense of unease and tension throughout the experience. While the game may not rely heavily on jump scares, it successfully evokes a captivating atmosphere that keeps players on edge, making it a standout in the psychological horror genre.

    • “In 'Sound Mind', the atmosphere is one of its strongest points, creating a deeply immersive experience that keeps players engaged throughout.”
    • “The atmospheric audio cues and haunting soundtrack perfectly complement the game's visuals, intensifying the sense of dread and building tension in all the right places.”
    • “The game has an impressive and stunning ominous atmosphere to it that added and even accelerated the feeling of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere seemed neat at first, but that was about it; also, I hate the puzzles.”
    • “The horror is not the entire focus of the game, but more so a way to tell its story and enhance the atmosphere.”
    • “While this game may not deliver many (if any) scares, it does carry the atmosphere very well.”
  • graphics
    370 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the unique art style and atmospheric visuals that effectively complement the story. While some noted that the graphics are not on par with AAA titles and can suffer from performance issues, others found them to be beautiful and well-designed, enhancing the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are generally considered solid for an indie game, with a few players experiencing frame rate drops and needing to adjust settings for optimal performance.

    • “The art style strikes a delicate balance between realism and surrealism, featuring environments that shift from dimly lit, claustrophobic spaces to vivid, dreamlike sequences.”
    • “The graphics are consistent throughout and, while they’re not highly detailed in the way something like the Dead Space remake is, the art style they’ve chosen works incredibly well.”
    • “The immersive storyline, the beautiful soundtrack, the high-quality voice acting, the gorgeous graphics, and the immense amount of attention to the most minute details that many players may miss just adds all together to form the very greatest representation of a story game I have ever experienced.”
    • “I had to lower my graphics settings, and even then, the fps was pretty mediocre throughout the whole game.”
    • “The graphical fidelity of the game just doesn't excuse the hitching and dip in fps which happens whenever you do anything other than look around.”
    • “Last but not least, I meet the minimum hardware requirements but this game's framerate goes from 60 fps one moment to 20 the next, while on low graphical settings and looking like a PS3 game.”
  • humor
    219 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever integration with horror elements, providing unexpected laughs that enhance the overall experience without undermining the tension. Players appreciate the balance between comedic moments and serious themes, with many noting that the humor often comes from well-timed dialogue, quirky character interactions, and absurd scenarios that lighten the mood amidst the scares. Overall, the game successfully combines humor and horror, creating a unique atmosphere that keeps players engaged and entertained.

    • “It does this, yet also defies the norm, balancing the scale of seriousness and levity without sacrificing characterization or atmosphere to do so, and playing with your expectations in ways both hilarious and surprising.”
    • “The horror relies on suspense rather than gore and the tension is frequently cut with humor.”
    • “The game mixes elements of horror, humor, psychology, philosophy, and music - as expected from a game about psychology and mental wellness.”
  • emotional
    201 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely praised for its profound emotional depth, tackling sensitive topics with sincerity and empathy, often leading players to tears through its compelling storytelling and relatable characters. Reviewers highlight the effective blend of psychological horror and heartfelt moments, enhanced by a haunting soundtrack that resonates with the narrative's themes. While some critiques mention pacing and gameplay issues, the overall emotional journey is described as unforgettable, making it a standout experience in the genre.

    • “This game beautifully describes and discusses topics so many other media fear touching, and portrays it realistically, without villainizing it or using it for comedic effect.”
    • “The story is so touching it had me in tears multiple times.”
    • “A literal masterpiece, I was not prepared for how much I would love this game and how emotional of a rollercoaster it would be.”
    • “Loved the visual style, monster designs, amazing puzzles, the OST is good, amazing sound design, but this game has no reason to be this long. The story is simple yet boring, with bugged collectibles, auto-save issues, and random stutters every 2 minutes or right before we interact with anything.”
  • optimization
    156 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and inconsistent gameplay across various hardware setups. While some users experienced manageable performance, the overall consensus indicates that the game is poorly optimized, detracting from the overall experience and enjoyment. Despite its strengths in storytelling and voice acting, the technical shortcomings in optimization remain a major concern for players.

    • “The game is well optimized and I did not experience any glitches or freezes, and there were no graphical errors even with settings set to ultra.”
    • “Despite some occasional performance issues, the game is ultimately a work of art.”
    • “Overall, it's missing a bit of polish and optimization, but it's a Unity game; they can only do so much, so you can expect performance issues.”
    • “Overall, my only complaint is that the game could be a little more polished and optimized (RTX 5080, lots of stuttering), and there could be more cutscenes that enforce the whole cinematic feel of the game.”
    • “The main issue with the game that really ruined it for me is the awful optimization and performance.”
    • “The performance is crap though; it frequently chugs or slows down without real cause.”
  • grinding
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with many describing certain sections as tedious and repetitive, particularly in puzzles and combat. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and engaging story, others feel that the game overstays its welcome and becomes frustrating due to excessive backtracking and resource management. Despite these criticisms, a few players noted that the grinding elements can be enjoyable, especially for those who appreciate completionism and achievement hunting.

    • “Incredible job by the devs, and even collecting the achievements was fun and not tedious.”
    • “There's no tedious repeats you have to do to collect enough of anything, feels like everything's worth exploring and the hints of what to do makes a lot of sense.”
    • “It is a fantastic game with puzzles that, although they make you think, are not convoluted and not tedious unless you hate puzzles in your games in general.”
    • “The game starts to drag just a bit towards the end, and the final boss fight is a little tedious, but none of that really takes away from the game.”
    • “Couple that with how much the game seemed to overstay its welcome, it makes for a tedious and tiresome experience.”
    • “This game starts great and then devolves into the most boring FPS bingo with janky controls, tedious combat, horrible cliched environments like train depot, factory, and every shade of industrial brown and grey, and of course you press buttons and replace fuses and do every single thing you've done a million times before in better games.”
  • character development
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and emotional resonance, with players noting how the protagonist's journey through a surreal city and interactions with uniquely designed characters provide insight into mental health themes. The character designs are described as stunning and integral to the storytelling, enhancing the overall atmosphere and allowing for a more intimate understanding of the characters' struggles and motivations. Overall, the combination of engaging narratives, thoughtful character arcs, and impressive visual design contributes to a memorable gaming experience.

    • “This allows the story to slowly reveal itself through a primarily visual means; character design and how your player-character reacts to the stimuli gives insight into their own processing of the circumstances and allows for a more intimate understanding of their choices, wants, and goals.”
    • “Seriously one of the best horror games out for the money; the story in this game is beautiful and you really get drawn into the character development. One of the best stories I've played, especially for the price.”
    • “What truly sets 'In Sound Mind' apart is its ability to balance horror with moments of introspection and character development.”
    • “Banger soundtrack and score from The Living Tombstone, unequal environments of equal desolation, a thrilling twisting lore, and abyssal-deep character development to make a 20-minute YouTube video about.”
    • “I love the little bits of character development that get scattered around.”
  • stability
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant technical issues such as glitches, freezes, and crashes, particularly on higher-end systems. However, others report a smooth experience with minimal bugs, indicating that performance may vary based on individual setups. Overall, while some users find the game unplayable due to its instability, others appreciate its improvements and enjoy a relatively bug-free experience.

    • “Some players have encountered technical issues, such as occasional glitches and awkward platforming sequences, which can interrupt the otherwise smooth flow of the game.”
    • “Combined with the other minor technical glitches, it was equally frustrating as it was fun to play.”
    • “The game often freezes whenever something spawns or a special effect gets triggered, which can be really frustrating mid-jump in a platforming section, or trying to fight enemies.”
  • replayability
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game exhibits low replayability, with many players noting that a single playthrough is often sufficient to appreciate its narrative and themes. While some elements, such as randomized features and collectibles, offer minor incentives for revisiting, the consensus is that the experience is primarily memorable during the first run. Despite its limited replay value, the game is still considered a worthwhile purchase for its engaging content.

    • “The game's themes and story beats work fantastically in my opinion, and I'd imagine there's a lot of replay value not only in re-experiencing the story with new context but also in the fact that the game has randomized elements that make each playthrough unique.”
    • “Levels are replayable, with no need to start a new game.”
    • “Has replayability and encourages deep exploration.”
    • “One psychedelic playthrough will be enough for most people, since the game doesn’t really have any replay value.”
    • “My only issue is the lack of replay value, since there's no fourth harder difficulty, and a lot of walking and listening which would mean replaying the game to get all the pills isn't really worth it.”
    • “The experience is short and the narrative aspect of the game makes it not that replayable.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a "cash grab," with developers prioritizing quick releases over quality, leading to a lack of attention and recognition for the title. Additionally, despite heavy advertising partnerships, the promotional content, such as music, has not met player expectations.

    • “I mean AAA developers put out the same garbage with their 'release now, patch later' cash grab mentality.”
    • “It's sad how little attention this title gets; it deserves more recognition and better advertising.”
    • “An added note: despite the heavy advertisement of their partnership with The Living Tombstone, the music isn't really anything to write home about in my humble opinion.”
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83%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
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14h Median play time
13h Average play time
10-16h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

In Sound Mind is a survival shooter game with horror theme.

In Sound Mind is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing In Sound Mind.

In Sound Mind was released on September 28, 2021.

In Sound Mind was developed by We Create Stuff.

In Sound Mind has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

In Sound Mind is a single player game.

Similar games include Lost in Vivo, Yuppie Psycho, The Medium, My Friendly Neighborhood, The Evil Within 2 and others.