Those of us who like horror all remember playing the original Resident Evil, or maybe one of its early sequels. The fixed camera perspective was all we had, yet it added to the tension as you didn’t know what was out of frame right next to you, or tense chase scenes through tight corridors. The genre has evolved in many ways since those days, though occasionally we get odes to the past, and Tormented Souls 2, developed by Duel Effect and published by PQube, is the next trip down memory lane.

Caroline Walker returns in Tormented Souls 2, and what begins as a peaceful getaway at Villa Hess with her sister Anna quickly takes a dark turn. Once everything starts to spiral out of control, Caroline must fight to survive and save her sister.

I won’t spoil anything, but the narrative is fairly predictable throughout the short journey. It leans heavily on classic horror clichés; however, with its multiple endings, it does attempt something different, and I really respect that in this genre.

While the game doesn’t quite nail the story, it makes up for it with its engaging gameplay and atmospheric elements. Let’s start with the gameplay. Duel Effect truly puts the survival in survival horror. All you have is a lighter to navigate the darkness, and without it, you slowly take damage. Your arsenal includes a few weapons, such as a nail gun, crossbow, or even a chainsaw, but ammo and supplies like healing items are scarce, so you really have to use them efficiently.

Using items efficiently can mean the difference between life and death, especially since combat is intentionally quite clunky. This works fine when you’re facing a single enemy, but when the game throws multiple enemies at you all at once, it can start to feel a bit unfair. When multiple enemies are involved, the fixed camera system suffers somewhat.

You’re often forced to stay on the move, and with the camera frequently shifting angles between scenes, it can become disorienting, turning tense moments into a bit of a slog. This isn’t so much a criticism of the camera itself, but rather of the enemy placements and their numbers. Of course, you may run past enemies if you wish to preserve ammo or healing items.

Saving is also a core mechanic rather than something you can do at any time. While exploring, you’ll find tapes that allow you to save your progress. Inside safe rooms, there’s a tape recorder; use one of your tapes to record your game. If you die, a save can mean the difference between losing ten minutes of progress or an hour, something I learned the hard way. This is a mechanic I’m fine with, and it adds more stakes to prioritise safety.

The game also features excellent puzzles that feel like they’re straight out of classic Resident Evil. Early on, for example, you encounter a frozen nun in a freezer, clutching a cylinder. Using a saw from your inventory, you remove her hand, which is then added to your items. You take it to a stove, use your lighter to ignite it, thaw the hand, and retrieve the cylinder she was holding.

The puzzles demand not just careful thought, but a touch of ingenuity as well, leaving you with a real sense of accomplishment once you solve them. The team has done a fantastic job here, and the puzzles are truly one of the game’s highlights.

The other major highlight is the atmosphere. Dimly lit hallways, gothic architecture, brutal machinery, and basement torture chambers all contribute to the tension. Amusingly, I couldn’t help but giggle when I noticed that next to the dead bodies lying in the water were roadside bins, neatly stacked with rubbish. I suppose even in horror, appearances matter.

The lighting adds a fantastic touch as well, moonlight streams through windows, illuminating a godly statue tucked into a corner or casting shadows along the convent walls. Certain areas feel perfectly claustrophobic when needed, further heightening the tension. Graphically, the environments are gorgeous. While I did notice that character models and animations in cutscenes could be a little off at times, I’m willing to let that slide, especially for a smaller team, since everything else in the game looks beautiful.

The sound design is nice; audio cues, as you enter a room or area, let you know a scare may be close. There isn’t much of a soundtrack, though safe rooms have a nice ambience to them and fill you with a sense of comfort and safety—something I’ve enjoyed in survival horror games for years.

In conclusion, Tormented Souls 2 isn’t perfect, falling short in terms of a somewhat predictable story and occasionally tedious combat, but it succeeds elsewhere as a love letter to the horror games of old, with outstanding atmosphere and brilliant puzzles. If you’re a fan of Resident Evil or Silent Hill, this is definitely not a game to sleep on.

Written by: Dylan Kocins