Tormented Souls 2 [REVIEW] – Old-School Horror at Its Finest

Much like its predecessor, Tormented Souls 2 proudly sticks to the roots of survival horror, embracing the genre’s classic formula and polishing it into something tense, nostalgic, and surprisingly refined. I was a big fan of the first game, and this follow-up proves that there’s still plenty of life (and a whole lot of death) in the old-school survival horror genre.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Picking up a few months after the events of the first game, Tormented Souls 2 once again follows Caroline Walker, still scarred by her ordeal at Wildberger Hospital but now hoping to help her sister Anna recover from the lingering trauma. This sees Caroline travelling to the remote Chilean town of Villa Hess, where a mysterious religious clinic promises healing… but of course, that promise turns into trouble, with Anna kidnapped by a violent cult and Caroline finding herself trapped in another nightmare filled with ritualistic horror and otherworldly creatures. Honestly, she just can’t catch a break.

The story doesn’t break new ground when it comes to the genre, but it’s effective, with the occult themes, cult conspiracies, and supernatural touches all comfortably familiar and keeping tension high. However, what Tormented Souls 2 lacks in originality, it certainly makes up for in atmosphere, with the game’s setting absolutely oozing in gothic dread that helps make the world feel tantalising to be a part of. It throws in plenty of shocks for good measure too, and whilst it can be a little predictable with its storytelling, Tormented Souls 2 still knows how to hook players in.

It delivers on the gameplay front too, and if you loved the old-school puzzling from the first game, you’ll be pleased to see there’s more of the same. Nearly every area hides something to decipher, with the puzzles ranging from requiring some clever thinking, a bit of logical tinkering, using the right item, or simply leaving you scratching your head as you try to deal with cryptic clues. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t a couple that felt a little bit obtuse, but there’s always a method to the madness when you start to piece everything together. The sense of discovery is always satisfying in the puzzle-solving, especially when a previously unreachable door FINALLY opens after solving a complex riddle… it’s good stuff.

“Tormented Souls 2 is old-school survival horror at its finest, with the game brimming with eerie atmosphere, clever puzzles, and that ever-present sense of unnerving tension that defines the genre.”

Of course, combat also makes a return, with it also utilising old-school design that’ll feel reminiscent of some of the survival horror greats of yesteryear – sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Caroline’s movement is slow and deliberate and aiming feels imprecise, but it’s also incredibly tense and leaves you on the edge of your seat. You’ll spend much of the game deciding whether to fight or flee – especially since ammo and healing items are scarce – so there’s a constant sense of unease where you’ll worry that you’re leaving yourself in a dangerous predicament.

The only problem is that you don’t always feel like you have the upper hand over foes. The weapon variety is a limited (though I loved seeing the nail gun return), whilst melee combat in particular feels awkward and ineffective… it often made me naturally push for the latter option in fight or flight scenarios. Add to that a somewhat clumsy dodge mechanic and it’ll be clear that the game could’ve done with a little bit more polish when it came to combat.

Don’t get me wrong, the combat works well enough that it never feels like a chore at all, whilst every encounter feels dangerous and each decision to engage an enemy carries real weight. As your weapons improve, the difficulty feels fairer too, so things do balance out the longer you play… just expect one or two tedious moments early on. Shout out to the enemies and boss encounters though – I loved the monster designs in the game, whilst the boss encounters brought with them some clever little ideas to ensure they pushed player’s capabilities in some different ways.

Check out some screenshots down below:

One of the things I loved the most in Tormented Souls 2 was simply exploring its world. As mentioned, the atmosphere is top notch throughout, but simply discovering each locale within Villa Hess and its surrounding locations always felt rewarding. It’s cleverly designed and smartly inter-connected, but never feels overwhelming, with the game always nudging you forward while leaving room for exploration and puzzle-solving. It’s just a world that I really enjoyed being a part of, whilst the fact that it looked both gorgeous and unsettling in equal measures made it feel all the more special as a long-time survival horror fan. And hey… those fixed camera angles are here too, with each utilised efficiently to offer effective cinematic framing that plays into the game’s constant sense of unease.

True to its survival horror roots, saving progress relies on manual save points rather than auto-save – as a long-time survival horror fan (and the occasional glutton for punishment), it’s something I was pleased to see. But if you want an easier life? The game comes with an easy mode with checkpoints and mild auto-healing helping make the experience more forgiving for newcomers. It always feels worth mentioning because I know the survival horror genre can be intimidating, but Tormented Souls 2 does make an effort to be more accessible. It’s still scary and tough, sure, but it’s a little less punishing for those who don’t like to lose too much progress with each death.

Developer: Dual Effect
Publisher: PQube
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PC
Website: https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10008744