The Suffering (PC, PS2, Xbox)

The Suffering is an action packed horror based game. Unlike most other horror games this pushes towards the action side of things rather than the Resident evil style game which looks to puzzles and exploration. The suffering gives you straight forward high octane action from the off. You play as a character called torque. You have been send to death row for killing your wife and two sons. The twist here is that you remember nothing of these murders and don't believe you should be in prison at all. You have been sent to an island where all the most evil criminals are sent to die.

At the start of the game a group of creepy monsters destroy the prison killing guards and inmates, this gives you the chance to escape your cell and begin to explore around. Most of the game is set in darkness, you do find a flashlight along the way which you can attach to your shirt. However only being able to see in front of you always gives you that feeling that something is going to jump you from the darkness.

What seems like a strange addition to The Suffering is a insanity meter. When Torque fills his insanity meter he has the ability to turn into a monster himself. In Monster form you can do some serious damage to your foes. However watch the meter carefully if you let it drain all the way down to empty Torque will not survive the change back to human form and will die.

From time to time you will come across trapped inmates and guards, you have choices here, you can lead them to safety, ignore then or kill them on the spot., The choices you make affect the type of ending you see at the end of the game, based on what type of person you were during the game.

Controlling Torque is done with classic first person shooter controls in a third person perspective. (consoles) You use the left stick for moving about and the right stick for looking around. The D-Pad is used for inventory control. It is possible to enter First person mode but you cant actually see anything behind you and as enemies often attack you from behind this can be a very bad and frustrating thing. Third person view is definitely recommended. As well as vision sound is important here as well as you can hear monsters creeping around scraping there blades against the wall, great creepy sounds for a horror game.

(Click to Enlarge Screen shots - Screens taken from PS2 version)

Features

• Over 15 gritty and terrifying levels, transverse indoor and outdoor terrain and horror lurking in every dark corner.
• Amazing character morphing effect – fill your rage meter and transform into a hideous and powerful creature.
• Over 10 deadly weapons from the shiv to the flamethrower to help you survive this nightmare.
• A dozen horrific monsters--each representing the means of execution that befell them--stalk your every move.
• Powerful boss monsters will challenge your ability to stay alive.
• Blood and gore galore, dripping, pooling and splattering every level of your frightening journey.
• Interact with hardened criminals featuring advanced AI; garner their assistance or end their life on your path to freedom – it’s your choice.
• 3 distinct endings depending on how you play the game. Are you a cold-blooded killer, a man wrongfully accused or something else?
• Intricate levels featuring moveable and destructible environments.

System Requirements (PC)
 

This information is based on specifications supplied by manufacturers and should be used for guidance only.
 

Games Zone - Action/Adventure - Driving/Racing - Sports - Strategy/Simulation