Tormented Souls

Tormented Souls is an action adventure game set in the atmosphere of classic survival horror, where the action takes place from the third person perspective (TPP). The style of the title strongly refers to such classics as Resident Evil, Silent Hill or Alone in the Dark, keeping the elements that contributed to the popularity of these productions. However, there are some improvements - the camera is more dynamic and the control scheme has been modernized. Independent studio Dual Effect is responsible for the production of Tormented Souls, while PQube took care of the release.

The action of the game was set in a fictional Winterlake. Main heroine Caroline Walker has to solve the case of two sisters' disappearance and in order to do that she goes to Wildberger Mansion - abandoned mansion turned into hospital where she hopes to get some valuable information. However, while searching the building she is attacked and rendered unconscious by an unknown person. Seven days later, she awakens abruptly - hooked up to a strange, decaying apparatus, completely naked and submerged in a musty bathtub filled with water. Shortly after being freed, she realizes she has lost all her memories. She begins to wander the corridors, trying to remember who she is and understand the reason for being trapped in this mysterious, spooky mansion.

The main goal of the player is to explore the vast mansion, solve logic puzzles and fight different types of monsters. The main character traverses the locations in order to find any information that would help her figure out who she really is and why she was imprisoned. She has the ability to explore individual objects and collect items necessary to solve some puzzles or gain access to subsequent rooms. The inventory system used in the game is reminiscent of classic Resident Evil.

Just like in Silent Hill, Tormented Souls has two dimensions - real and alternative. Here, however, Caroline moves between them using mirrors located in different parts of the mansion. To activate the passage the heroine has to light candles, located on both sides of the object. After activating the portal, the player not only goes to an alternative world, but also to a different moment in time. Mirrors allow him to manipulate the events unfolding in reality, turning individual situations to his advantage.

Various types of monstrous creatures also appear in the game, sometimes blocking access to subsequent parts of the mansion or guarding some of the valuable items. These entities appear in both the real and alternative worlds and will not hesitate to attack an intruder, but the heroine can kill them with weapons she finds beforehand, such as a nailer.

To save the progress, the player has to use a recording tape. After getting it and using it on the old tape recorder, a save option will be displayed. During the save, the protagonist also speaks out the most important information she has gathered so far.

Tormented Souls has neat, three-dimensional graphics, in which a lot of emphasis was placed on the detailed elaboration of the locations. The style in which the mansion was maintained may bring to mind the building from the first Resident Evil (or its remastered version).