In Sound Mind

At first the atmoshpere is creepy, but as I started to understand the game itself, it became less so. Regardless of that, even without the jumpscares, it's still a pretty solid experience that sort of deserves the title of scary. I had a some stutters when loading new areas, but other than that the game has been pretty smooth for the most part. The graphics are nice and so is the gameplay. DON'T BE CHEAP WITH RESOURCES - they are not scarce, the game is spawning loot according to your needs, so do not be afraid to utilise whatever gear you have.

Loved this goofy little game, reminded me a LOT of those PS2 era horror games with a little humor thrown in - titles like Ghosthunter, the Evil Dead games, etc. At one point I got a full creep-out scare and the thing that was responsible insulted me - I can't remember the last time I got spooked and laughed in the same scene in a horror game. Really good music by a band supplements the atmospheric music nicely. Puzzles were fun and only one stumped me to the point of needing a look-up. There's definitely a little jank here and there, but it won't impact your playthrough. Barring one poorly built area where it's raining at night and they show a starry sky the whole time...rain comes from clouds. I highly recommend this game - it was very fun and I hope we see a follow up at some point, or just another game like this from these devs.

Very solid game, it's hard to classify but I would say it's a horror game first, a puzzle game second, and an FPS third. Some aspects of these genres all feature in this game, though not scaled too daunting for novices to any of those genres to be too difficult/offputting, and the blend really works! While all of these genres feature in this game, you'll often move between "scenes" of each of these genres, solving a puzzle gives way to a combat encounter, or some solves could present with a horror element waiting for you on the other side. While this game does a great job of setting the atmosphere, the insertion of some comedy/light bits help keep the darkness balanced; there are discussions of mature themes, with different themes central to characters in the game, and jokes at appropriate times to not break immersion. This game explores mental health themes directly, yet punctuates the horror with a minor drop of comedy to keep it from being too gloomy. I grabbed this game because I got Lovecraftian vibes from the trailer/screenshots, and I got what I wanted and more. If you're looking for a game that keeps you engaged and a little spooked, this is worth the full sticker price. If I could say anything against the game, I would say that the engine has a few quirks. I encountered some strange jump issues where jumping didn't behave as expected. I also noticed strange mouse sensitivity issues, likely caused by screen tearing while the game catches up with a sudden turn of the mouse. I had one instance of strange AI behavior so far, but all of these technical quibbles are very small, especially compared against the overall quality of the game. If you're a fan of horror looking for a good story, this is it!

+ Brimming with creativity and striking visuals + The patients are all great characters + Gameplay forces you to explore, rather than simply walk down corridors + Environments are brilliant. A "mall" is never just a mall. It's full of touches that add to the character and story depth in subtle ways. - "Puzzles" are a joke (find the fuse, find the key, that sort of thing) - Bland main character - Some dramatic notes fall flat

Creepy. Novel elements. An enemy who manages to be both an occasional comic relief and a lurking omnipresent threat. Amazing level design with perfectly signposted-yet-subtle layout and a heavily, almost Metroidvania-esque-ly interwoven main hub with unlockable elements. Gameplay and tonal shifts between 'zones' that keep things from getting stale. I walked into In Sound Mind knowing nothing about it, and I won't ruin that for anyone reading this, but it might very well be the best game I played this year. The plot, pacing, and ideas it explores regarding humanity would have made it worth slogging through if it were a vastly inferior moment-to-moment experience, but coupled to just how well they handled the engine, level layout, sound, balance... it's a masterpiece. Replay value seems low, and while short it doesn't overstay it's welcome, so it's not a huge commitment.