In Sound Mind, by developer We Create Stuff and publisher Modus Games, is an interesting addition to the psychological horror genre. The game seems to revel in being a unique blend of horror which feels distinctly different from purely survival horror games like Amnesia, as well as action-based horror games such as Resident Evil. Often, its charms rely more on the game’s strange, chaotic humor rather than its ability to consistently submerge the player in a sense of terror. This unconventional charm of In Sound Mind isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the player is left asking, “what’s next?”
As per many games in the genre, the beginning of In Sound Mind is framed in mystery, but as our protagonist presses on, holes within the murky context of the story begin to illuminate. In this case, with only a few ominous words from the narrator, the player is dropped into the basement of an abandoned building. Notes, tapes, and pieces of information scattered around the map uncover unsettling details of the player’s situation, while, at the same time encouraging a healthy amount of exploration and freedom in how one approaches the game.
You learn that your name is Desmond, a psychiatrist who is (thankfully for the player) intensely dedicated to recording his declining mental state on tape. On top of that, the player uncovers tapes of his conversations with patients. Playing certain tapes illuminate doors which transport the player to various locations, revealing wildly differing set pieces with even more puzzles and information to unveil. This was the case for the first patient, a young girl named Virginia. Following her breadcrumbs eventually ends with you trudging down a dark winding path flanked by violently gloomy water. Audio tapes are found on the side of the road, leading up to the foreshadowed place where Virginia met her demise.
In Sound Mind has many gameplay mechanics that allows it to stray away from being a traditional horror survival scenario. The player isn’t quite helpless enough for monsters to be terrifying. Excluding our gal, Virginia, the only type of monster to be seen in the first section of the game is a creature that resembles a shade on an acid trip. You find them patrolling certain hallways and areas of the map. The player can deal with these monsters relatively easily with stealth or a pistol. To tell the truth, my first encounter with them consisted of me trying to casually walk past one and being bonked on the head as a consequence, needless to say, the 4 damage I took didn’t do much to discourage me to do the same thing again next time. As a result of the monsters being scarce (and relatively non-threatening), much of the horror relies on the atmospheric setting. The player always has avenues for rest available to them as little actually threatens them. Even the main threat, Virginia, is thought of more like a tool to solve the puzzles than an actual major threat.
Overall, In Sound Mind is a merciful horror game, even letting you take cat petting breaks in your office between the spooky set pieces. The sense of dread is not persistent and often intentionally broken by the creators. It says something about the game when it features the world’s friendliest weeping angel mannequin after all. Even the antagonist himself doesn’t exactly inspire terror and dread. When I saw him, I often found myself thinking, “oh, it’s the guy in the funny suit.” At times, he feels more like a school hallway bully than anything really menacing: sending his clumsy acid tripping goons at you, calling you mean things on the phone, and taunting you with his dumb face from across the room and disappearing before you get too close. Maybe he hates me so much because I “accidentally” hung up on him during his monologue (and got an achievement for it, too).
All in all, there is plenty of mystery and intrigue behind In Sound Mind. Developer We Create Stuff is taking on a very special challenge trying to mash together witty and terror in this truly interesting entry into the horror genre.
Check Out the In Sound Mind Release Date Trailer:
Pre-order In Sound Mind by visiting www.insoundmind.com and keep up with the game by following @Modus_Games on Twitter. For all things Modus Games, visit the official site and join the conversation on Discord.
You can also wishlist In Sound Mind for PC via Steam.
I remember when I was a little kid, I watched my dad talk to a cowboy robot in a post-apocalyptic open world game. He kicked me out of his office, stating that the game is inappropriate for children, but I think that’s where my love of western RPGs started. Since then, I’ve grown up playing competitive games, interacting with the community, and exploring immersive worlds. I’m definitely an old soul as my favorite games include all of the old Fallout games, RPGs with classical elements such as Divinity: Original Sin 2, and the all-time great Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
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