The second part of Tormented Souls returns to the classics with unquestionable quality.
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Gradually, perhaps without realizing it, the classic survival horror has been regaining prominence among horror fans. I’m referring to that type of game with certain characteristic elements of the past, like those that already featured productions such as Alone in the Dark, the early Resident Evil, and even Silent Hill with their fixed camera angles and an atmosphere of constant suspense that kept players on high alert.
Back in 2021, the Chilean studio Dual Effect brought to the market Tormented Souls, a game that managed to pay homage to the DNA of many of the aforementioned games without copying them. From the other side of the Andes Mountains comes now the second part of this franchise with much more refined features, evidence that the developers, despite the sadness of their country being left out of the World Cup once again, have worked very hard and crowned their efforts with a great project.
Tormented Souls 2 continues directly from the first installment with Caroline Walker, the protagonist, recently recovered from the horrors she experienced at Wilderberg Clinic. But there’s not much rest for this woman, as her sister Anna has begun to have a kind of trance in which she draws all sorts of sinister things. The bad luck that pursues this family is truly remarkable.
To find a cure, or perhaps a solution to the problem, the sisters arrive at Villa Hess, a small town in southern Chile where a strange and terrifying convent lies. Without wanting to give away any spoilers, I’ll limit myself to commenting on something that happens in the first 5 minutes of the game: Anna is kidnapped by the nuns of the place for unknown reasons, which can’t be good, and Caroline must search for her throughout the location, which is no easy task.
The narrative is supported not only by the cinematics, whose quality I’ll discuss later, but also by the elements found throughout the adventure, which complement the action on screen with more information. This includes local legends, the convent’s past, and some information about the clinic’s patients, which also operated within the institution. Turn on the light and have a good weapon at hand; the nuns and monsters join forces here to make things very difficult. Let’s get started.
Technical Section
Graphically, it could be said that the game can be classified into two divisions: the title’s designs and the cinematics. Within the first division, I think Dual Effect’s work has been really interesting, the fixed camera works wonders for what the game wants to achieve, and the movements in some areas, combined with the perspective, create a very good effect. On the other hand, the lighting, which is even important as a mechanic, is truly excellent and creates an immersive atmosphere in every part of the game that deserves all kinds of praise.
The cinematics, however, are a different story. Except for the good work done with the backgrounds, the characters look a bit strange and seem to be from a previous console generation. Does this affect the gaming experience? Not at all, but it’s striking to see the contrast between what’s seen in the regular game and these cinematics.
It’s evident that the leap to Unreal Engine 5 has been very beneficial for the game, and if you played the first part, you’ll undoubtedly be pleasantly surprised by the evolution of the franchise in this new installment.
The sound is another aspect to highlight, with a back-and-forth of orchestral music in the background and the deepest silence, which only allows the sound of footsteps and other noises from insects or things that convey a lot of unease to the player.
As the development team is Chilean, it was almost a certainty that the title would be localized in Spanish, and so it is, with a Latin American and an Iberian variant of our language. However, in terms of audio, the game is only available in English.
Gameplay
The game’s structure remains within the boundaries of the genre, where the player must obtain keys to open doors, eliminate some enemies or escape from them, solve puzzles to access certain areas or obtain some weapons. As in any production of this style, Tormented Souls 2 features some items that will always accompany the player, while others will be discarded after one or several uses.
Saving the game is something that made me smile and also frustrated me at times, and it’s that it’s not possible to save at any moment, but rather, in a very Resident Evil-like way, to save progress, you’ll have to find a room with a recording machine where you can insert a tape. Fortunately, and just like in the Capcom title, those rooms are safe, and there are no enemies, which is complemented by the relaxing piano music that accompanies those places.
Just like in the first installment, the puzzles are very well thought out, and the joy of solving them remains intact. In many cases, you might feel stuck, but with a bit of alternative thinking, I think someone who already knows the genre won’t have too much trouble overcoming these obstacles.
The combat is also quite similar to the previous installment, although it’s true that the arsenal seems to be larger in comparison, without this meaning that you won’t have to think about when to attack and when it’s more convenient to flee to save ammunition. A positive point to cover a wider range of players is that three selectable difficulty levels have been added for combat, so there’s an option for almost every profile.
Caroline will also travel to a kind of “B-side” of the world, as happens, for example, in Silent Hill, and even visit the convent’s past at times.
The adventure takes the player through various locations, but the initial convent was, for me, the seal of quality of the game that later disperses a bit in scenarios like the village and especially in the final scenario, which seems to be somewhat disconnected from the rest of the game, at least in my understanding.
Duration
This continuation of Tormented Souls not only improves many aspects of the previous edition but also expands it greatly, taking it to around double the content with approximately 15 hours of gameplay in the first playthrough. To this, we must add the different endings that can be obtained and other challenges that maximize the game’s replayability.
Conclusion
Tormented Souls 2 was a pleasant surprise, demonstrating the evolution of both the studio and the game itself in just four years. Judging by what’s been seen, I believe Caroline Walker’s adventures have only just begun, and I hope that in the future, the franchise will dare to explore new things, stepping out of the traditional framework; Dual Effect has more than enough talent to do so, which is undeniable.
A question that may arise with this second part is whether it’s necessary to have played the first installment to enjoy this new title, and the answer is no. While some things may be better understood, this new adventure tells a story on its own, although if you’re enthusiastic, I also recommend trying the first part. You won’t be disappointed.
Translator and video game localiser with a passion for retro titles and simulators. He has never let go of a controller since he was given an Atari 2600. He collaborates with different developers in the localisation of their titles into Spanish through Camelot Translations.
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