In Sound Mind Xbox Series X Review
| Game: | In Sound Mind |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Modus Games |
| Developer: |
When venturing into the realm of horror, the intricacies of the human mind serve as a rich foundation. Over the years, countless games and films have exploited the complexity of the psyche. In Sound Mind is no exception with its adept exploration of psychological horror themes, offering a truly bizarre experience.
In Sound Mind places you in the shoes of Desmond Wales, a therapist grappling with amnesia. By listening to tape recordings from therapy sessions with his patients, Desmond gains the ability to traverse different dimensions. This premise is undeniably peculiar, and it only becomes increasingly bizarre as you delve deeper into the game. You’ll confront the fears of these patients first-hand, encountering them in various manifestations throughout your journey. Additionally, you’ll receive regular phone calls from a mysterious individual throughout the game, often filled with snide remarks directed towards you. However, amusingly, you always have the option to hang up on the caller if you so choose. Oh, and one more thing, the narrative even includes a talking cat.
In Sound Mind impresses with its remarkable gameplay diversity. Each tape presents a distinct experience, not only through its environments but also its mechanics. You may find yourself utilizing mirrors in a supermarket to combat the main adversary in one tape, while navigating a train yard and confronting a swift, oily foe in the next. This dynamic variation keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging throughout.
In Sound Mind features expansive levels that often offer flexibility in completing tasks in various orders. These levels are filled with optional content, leading to the discovery of secrets, upgrades, health, and ammo. Each level is imbued with an eerie atmosphere, with moments that can startle or unsettle, such as encountering unexpected mannequins or experiencing strange visions. While the game includes puzzles, they primarily rely on a keen eye rather than taxing mental challenges. Despite occasional moments of confusion, a closer examination of the surroundings often suffices, minimizing the need for a walkthrough.
Between tapes, you return to Desmond’s apartment building, which features a Metroidvania-like structure. Here, you can delve deeper into the building’s mysteries, aided by newly acquired weapons and equipment that unlock access to previously inaccessible areas. Additionally, within the building, you are also able to explore the homes of Desmond’s patients, gaining deeper insights into their psyches and possibly uncovering vinyl records, each representing a patient’s unique soundtrack. These vinyls can be played in Desmond’s office, and features original music by The Living Tombstone.
In Sound Mind offers a sparse selection of weaponry, although combat remains a feature within the game, it isn’t a strong point. You confront inkblot-like adversaries, whose swiftness can pose a challenge, especially in the game’s earlier stages when armed only with a pistol. While the combat does play its part, the enemies don’t feel very varied, and when compared to, say, the Silent Hill series, they are rather underwhelming in design. The boss fights, as mentioned earlier in this review, are a definite highlight though.
Among the equipment you’ll come across are a torch, which requires batteries to function (which brings to mind Alan Wake), and a mirror shard. The mirror shard serves multiple purposes, including revealing hidden items and secrets in the environment and aiding in certain puzzles. While all these tools are valuable, the game would have benefited greatly from a weapon wheel for quick switching. Instead, you must scroll through them to find the one that you desire, which can be cumbersome, especially in tense situations. While this does add to the tension, a smoother option wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Besides the rather lacklustre generic enemies and somewhat awkward weapon and equipment switching, another disappointing aspect is the game’s performance, which occasionally suffers from noticeable lag. While it never reaches a point where the game becomes unplayable, the occasional slowdown is still disappointing. This is especially true considering that, as presentable as it may be, In Sound Mind is hardly a powerhouse that pushes the Xbox Series X to its limits.
All in all, In Sound Mind stands as a flawed masterpiece. Its strengths lie in its captivating environments, engaging exploration, and overall eccentricity. However, shortcomings such as performance issues, the absence of a weapon wheel, and tense yet unsatisfying combat detract from the experience. Despite these flaws, the game offers a compelling 10-12 hour journey into psychological horror, with each tape presenting unique challenges as well as plenty of intrigue. For those willing to overlook its imperfections, In Sound Mind comes highly recommended for its variety and the compelling urge to uncover its mysteries.
