Developer: We Create Stuff
Publisher: Modus Games
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X
Code received.
One has to wonder if at this point whether the narrative first person psychological horror sub-sub genre is over saturated at this point in time. I’ve personally done more than my share of key searching, drawer opening and listening to pre-recorded messages in creepy offices. For me, there needs to be a real authorship to the next one that comes down the pike for me to sit up and pay attention. In Sound Mind by developers We Create Stuff definitely caught my eye with their blend of dark atmosphere and creepiness, run through with a cheeky anarchic streak that doesn’t throw the balance off.
In Sound Mind sees you as play Desmond, Milton Haven’s town psychologist. He awakens in a warped, bizarre apartment complex filled with experimental, highly hallucinogenic chemicals. Cassette tapes from his patients give him access to portals that transport you to warped manifestations of their traumas, while a taunting disembodied voice on the other end of telephones suggests you’re better off taking responsibility for their pain. Luckily, you’re not totally alone, your cat Tonia is there to give you moral support, perhaps more vocally than you might reasonably expect. Ok, so far, so Silent Hill. However, there’s a lot more to it than that handy touchstone.
There is a lot more going on with In Sound Mind’s gameplay than I initially expected. Initially I expecting a very deliberate Layers Of Fear loop, but after a very short amount of time you are introduced to survival horror item collecting, open area exploration in the mind portal sections, and a reasonable amount of defensive gunplay. Plus a rather pliable mirror shard that is at once a key, a radar, a map, and a spirit repellent. Nifty. Mechanics are nice and responsive, although firearms combat is probably as robust as you can expect from an unassuming psychologist. It’s worth pointing out that combat is a component of the game rather than the drive, so one shouldn’t expect the robust shootouts of a Resident Evil. There are interesting puzzle elements at play here too. For instance, in the deserted store section, viewing your mirror tool over your shoulder reveals the rough locations of key items, but without the context of the route, the double reversal can leave you quite discombobulated when you are also pursued by the angered spirit trapped inside the building with you.
The real hook to the game is the distinctive tone and style. Visually there’s an interesting contrast between psychedelic fluorescent chemicals splashed throughout ageing wood-panel hallways in the apartment hub. The surreal nature of the patient confessional sections with its gigantic cassette tape horizon that is barely recognizable in the distance. There’s a lot of variety in the open exploration sections, including a darkened haunted supermarket, monster infested coastline surveyed by a lighthouse that acts like some concrete and glass Eye of Sauron, and more.
While the game maintains a creepy (if never truly scary, although it doesn’t seem like the developers aim to terrify) atmosphere, the splashes of humour and quirk are very welcome; big shoutout to mannequin Dave, appreciate the hand. That quirk thankfully doesn’t undermine the tape sessions of Desmond’s patients, which are thoughtful portraying their traumas and inner thoughts, and incredibly well performed by the voice cast. Also worthy of note is the excellent score by The Living Tombstone, genre hopping according to mental state while never compromising the overall vibe.
While it’s convenient to do the ‘X meets Y’ encapsulation – in this case, the multidimensional psychology of Silent Hill meets the arch knowing of an Alan Wake – that also does this game a disservice. This title carves out its own very distinctive personality and makes it stand out from the crowd of first person note collecting corridor wanderers. Intriguing, stylish, kaleidoscopic, individual, quirky and at times surprisingly poignant and tragic, In Sound Mind is a gem in the psychological adventure genre.
