Tormented Souls

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,444 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Tormented Souls Game Cover
Tormented Souls takes classic survival horror tropes and makes them its own with a unique spin that longtime fans of the genre will adore.
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"Tormented Souls" is a third-person perspective survival horror game. Players control Caroline Walker, a woman who investigates a series of disappearances in a mysterious abandoned convent. The game features puzzle-solving, resource management, and intense combat against grotesque creatures. With a nod to classic survival horror games, "Tormented Souls" aims to deliver a suspenseful and frightening experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,444 reviews
story467 positive mentions
replayability18 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and visuals that evoke nostalgia for classic survival horror games.
  • Challenging and satisfying puzzles that require critical thinking.
  • Engaging story with interesting twists and a unique setting.
  • Voice acting is subpar and can detract from immersion.
  • Limited save system can be frustrating, especially for casual players.
  • Some puzzles are overly cryptic and may require external guides to solve.
  • story1,375 mentions

    The story of "Tormented Souls" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet predictable, often drawing comparisons to classic survival horror titles like "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill." While the narrative features intriguing elements such as cults and supernatural themes, it suffers from plot holes and clichés, leading to a somewhat convoluted experience. Overall, the storytelling is enhanced by diary entries and environmental clues, but the execution can feel uneven, with some players noting that the voice acting detracts from the overall immersion.

    • “The story is quite interesting and has multiple endings depending on what you did in the game.”
    • “I loved uncovering the story behind everything bit by bit through the journal entries of the main characters.”
    • “The story they tell is very sad and disturbing and it adds context to much of what is going on.”
    • “The voice acting was stilted, the story was predictable to the point of being frustrating, and a number of animation, cutscene, and dialogue quirks significantly took one out of the experience.”
    • “The story ultimately falls flat though and while it has good bones, it almost feels rushed to completion at the end.”
    • “The story is pretty shlocky and I found it uninteresting, generic and very predictable; chances are you won’t care much for it.”
  • gameplay738 mentions

    The gameplay of "Tormented Souls" is a nostalgic homage to classic survival horror titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, featuring fixed camera angles, tank controls, and a focus on exploration, resource management, and puzzle-solving. While the game successfully captures the tense atmosphere and challenging mechanics of its predecessors, some players find the combat clunky and the saving mechanics frustrating, as they rely on limited resources. Overall, the gameplay is well-received for its engaging puzzles and immersive environment, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.

    • “Great game for anyone who enjoys old school Resident Evil gaming mechanics (limited saves, fixed camera angles, resource management, puzzle solving).”
    • “The gameplay for Tormented Souls basically feels like a more interactive version of a survival horror game.”
    • “It was a very solid throwback to the survival horror era, modernizing it in the way of graphical fidelity but still keeping the old feel of the game between the dialogue, the gameplay and the camera angles.”
    • “Unfortunately, I've already seen most of the gameplay on YouTube and the story is really not compelling enough to play through it again.”
    • “I would not recommend this game, even to a die-hard horror fan, as it's not the story or technical quality of the graphics that let it down but the game mechanics.”
    • “This game is nothing more than a nostalgia grab for people who long for the garbage clunky mechanics of the old era of gaming (for whatever reason).”
  • atmosphere706 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Tormented Souls" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the essence of classic survival horror games like "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill." Reviewers highlight the game's superb sound design, haunting music, and detailed environments that create a tense and foreboding experience, often described as genuinely creepy and unsettling. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay and contributing significantly to the game's nostalgic appeal.

    • “The trump card of Tormented Souls is the terrifying atmosphere that's present throughout the game.”
    • “The atmosphere and music are absolute top tier, some of the best the genre has to offer.”
    • “From the moment you step into the decrepit Winterlake mansion, the game's eerie atmosphere seeps into your bones.”
    • “The atmosphere has this oppressive feel as you feel trapped in this large mansion with no one to really help you.”
    • “The game does have a disturbing atmosphere paired with strong visuals and sounds and I enjoy the puzzles involved with progressing the game; however, the game is extremely challenging when it comes to the encounters with the enemies.”
    • “The atmosphere kept giving me this feeling of dread, definitely capturing anxiety in a way that no other game has.”
  • music644 mentions

    The music in "Tormented Souls" has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the game's eerie atmosphere, drawing strong comparisons to classic survival horror titles like "Resident Evil" and "Silent Hill." Reviewers praised the soundtrack for its haunting melodies and effective use of ambient sound, although some noted issues with audio mixing and repetitive cues during enemy encounters. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience, despite some calls for more originality in certain tracks.

    • “Combined with detailed graphics and a quality music score, this makes Tormented Souls a memorable gaming experience.”
    • “The atmosphere and music are absolute top tier, some of the best the genre has to offer.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautifully haunting, the sound design is very satisfying, animations are done mostly well, and the puzzles are fun and intricate.”
    • “The problem with this game is that every time an enemy sees you at all, even if they are off screen, the same exact combat song starts every single time.”
    • “In some areas, the music is really out of place to what is actually happening (intense music while you're just walking and no enemies are in the area, for example).”
    • “My only issue with the game is the background music, specifically the combat or areas that try to unsettle the player, as the sound is often too loud and unnecessary; it makes reading diaries or exploring annoying at times.”
  • graphics482 mentions

    The graphics of "Tormented Souls" have received widespread praise for their detailed environments and atmospheric design, effectively blending retro aesthetics with modern visual fidelity. While the character models and animations occasionally fall short compared to the richly crafted backgrounds, the overall visual presentation is considered impressive, especially for an indie title. The game's use of lighting and fixed camera angles enhances the horror experience, making it a nostalgic yet fresh homage to classic survival horror games.

    • “Combined with detailed graphics and a quality music score, this makes Tormented Souls a memorable gaming experience.”
    • “The graphics are insanely beautiful, supremely reminiscent of the pre-rendered backgrounds in classic survival horror.”
    • “The atmosphere is top notch, and the graphics are a good mix of both old school and modern horror.”
    • “The graphics are predominantly solid, but it does struggle a bit with the human characters and their animations like most indie games.”
    • “While there are certain aspects that might be somewhat disappointing, such as the graphics and cutscene direction, this game precisely understands what fans of classic survival horror desire.”
    • “Graphically, the sets, monsters, and lighting are all great, the only issue is that the main cast looks like they were rendered for a different game.”
  • replayability73 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily due to the absence of unlockables, difficulty settings, and randomization, which results in similar experiences across playthroughs. While there are multiple endings and some challenge achievements that may entice players to replay, many reviewers noted that strategic saving can easily allow players to access these endings without needing to complete the game multiple times. Consequently, aside from achievement hunting and speedrunning, the game lacks substantial replay value.

    • “There is a lot of room for replay value for optimizing your play routes.”
    • “Bonus replay value with multiple endings.”
    • “Multiple endings, a new puzzle, and a new weapon gives you a good amount of replay value.”
    • “There are 3 endings offering some level of replayability, but outside of the endings and achievements, there is little replay value; no extra modes, no extra difficulties, nothing is randomized so each playthrough will feel pretty much the same.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game has no difficulty settings or randomization options, which limits the replayability extremely.”
    • “There is very little replay value; the game's 3 endings are all decided at the tail end of the game, so if you save before that point, you can get all 3 endings back to back.”
  • optimization61 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report solid performance with no crashes and smooth gameplay on high settings, others experience significant issues on average PCs, leading to stuttering and frame drops. Despite its low-budget production, the game showcases beautiful graphics, but optimization flaws in certain areas can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it appears that while the game runs well on high-end systems, it struggles to accommodate lower-end hardware effectively.

    • “Optimization was fine, seems very solid in its current state.”
    • “Game is very optimized, running smoothly, doesn't require a powerful PC as it uses the Unity engine.”
    • “Performance was rock solid, no FPS dips, no crashes.”
    • “For anyone interested, don't buy this game. The developers have optimized it horribly; if you have an average gaming PC like a Dell G3, it will run like crap. It runs like a slide show from the 1910s limping through cement.”
    • “Funny thing is, the polygon count is pretty low, so I'm going to assume the developers are clueless when it comes to game optimization, and built it for those expensive $6,000 gaming rigs that only a select few could afford to run it smoothly.”
    • “- Stuttering and bad performance that made my GPU sound like a jet ready to take off, no matter what the settings and resolution were.”
  • humor54 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its intentionally poor voice acting and clumsy mechanics, which evoke nostalgia for classic horror titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. While some players find the bad acting and absurd character reactions amusing, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to mixed opinions on whether the humor is charming or simply lacking. Additionally, various bugs and awkward cinematic angles contribute to the game's comedic moments, making it a blend of unintentional and intentional humor throughout.

    • “It's actually a pretty good game with some creative mechanics, great puzzles, fine atmosphere, funny bad acting, and a few weird frustrations.”
    • “Actually, it's downright hilarious how many healing items you get in this game; you should almost always be topped off with more to spare.”
    • “It's funny, they even built an infinite room which is labeled 'you should not have come here.' Clearly intended to be one of their hardest puzzles, and yet I spent more time figuring out how to open a cash register.”
    • “The game tries to capture that nostalgic horror fanbase with bad voice acting turned into memes, but it's just bad and not funny.”
    • “I went in with medium expectations and was shocked at how such a simple story can be so unexplored, spawning more plot holes than enemies.”
    • “The humor falls flat, as the attempt to turn bad voice acting into a joke misses the mark entirely.”
  • stability41 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting minor glitches and bugs, particularly with animations, environmental interactions, and sound effects. While some issues can disrupt immersion, they are generally not game-breaking, and many players noted that patches have improved the experience over time. Overall, while the game shows signs of being developed by a smaller studio, it remains enjoyable for fans of the survival horror genre, though potential buyers may want to wait for further updates.

    • “Every time I try to enter the door into the west wing hall, it freezes completely, although I can still hear the music.”
    • “Terrible lag at the start of the game which eventually cleared up, also glitches with climbing stairs became annoying if you can tolerate it.”
    • “The generator puzzle glitches out a lot of the time (keep in mind this is the first major puzzle of the game), and limited saves are forced upon the player, which is cripplingly outdated, especially for those who would like to play a little bit at a time.”
  • emotional39 mentions

    The game evokes a range of emotions, particularly through its well-crafted atmosphere, sound design, and the poignant storytelling found in diary entries that resonate with players. While some reviewers noted a lack of character development and emotional depth in certain scenes, many felt a strong connection to the characters and experienced genuine emotional moments, especially towards the end. Overall, the game successfully combines nostalgia with heartfelt storytelling, making players feel invested in the narrative despite some shortcomings.

    • “I definitely cared about Caroline and the Wilderberg family, and the tragedy the diary entries tell is quite heartbreaking.”
    • “Their feelings were represented strongly and wonderfully, making the struggles they faced all the more real and heartbreaking.”
    • “The story definitely has its weak parts, but the end left me emotional.”
  • character development27 mentions

    Character development in the game is viewed as inconsistent and lacking depth, with the protagonist Caroline Walker being described as almost forgettable despite her unique design. While some players appreciate the character aesthetics and the horror elements reminiscent of classic titles like Silent Hill, many criticize the voice acting and overall narrative quality, suggesting that the focus on character design may have overshadowed meaningful development. Overall, the game offers an interesting blend of horror influences but falls short in delivering compelling character arcs.

    • “The character development in this game is quite interesting.”
    • “All of the story elements are there that provide insight into biblical character development.”
    • “I like the character design because she does not meet the current industry standards.”
    • “It's my own conjecture that the developer was more focused on perving on their protagonist and that's why the character development suffered.”
    • “It's not an amazing game that's for sure...but...it is a game that Resident Evil players or Silent Hill players would enjoy...for me...I like every part of it except the overly difficult puzzles which is similar to the puzzles in Resident Evil HD Remaster and the terrible voice acting...the character development in the game is also kinda lame...but overall...I had fun...”
    • “Yes, the story isn't the greatest or most original (though there are some pretty great flourishes within it), the voice acting is god-awful (apparently this is a core part of classic survival horror), the character design feels notably inconsistent in quality and theme with the rest of the artistic direction, and the music is completely fine, but mostly forgettable.”
  • grinding22 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to an overabundance of puzzles and cumbersome inventory management. Many reviews highlight that while the game starts strong, it becomes increasingly monotonous in the second half, with repetitive tasks and backtracking detracting from the experience. Despite some interesting puzzle concepts, the execution often feels unnecessarily laborious, leading to frustration among players.

    • “Most of the time when I open the inventory, it's to top off a magazine/weapon, and it becomes very tedious opening the menu, clicking the consumable menu, and scrolling to whatever item you're trying to interact with.”
    • “This game has a lot of potential, but is ruined by tedious puzzles and awful voice direction.”
    • “As a huge fan of old-school Resident Evil, I wanted to love this game, but the puzzles were so tedious and nonsensical that I can’t recommend it.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its fair monetization model, standing out as a gem amidst a landscape filled with pay-to-win mechanics and excessive microtransactions.

    • “Simply a gem, lost in this sea of bad, pay-to-win, or microtransaction-filled games.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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Play time

13hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
5-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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