A dark and bloody horror tale centered around an island prison that's been sent into hell. Fun for the whole family!
The Suffering plays out like a third-person action shooter, with a bit of survival horror thrown into the mix for variety. The monsters jump out of hiding at you, and some of the visions Torque gets while wandering the prison are downright freaky. A lot of the game occurs very quickly, so a lot of the horrifying images don't really sink in until you've had a chance to reflect on what you just slugged your way through. The game isn't very long (a single playthrough will take less than 20 hours), but it has a few different endings that make it worth going through again. Along the more or less linear path, you'll be faced with a number of different morality choices that will effect the ending of your game. You can be a good little convicted felon and aid the guards and prisoners to escape Abbott's infested halls, or you can slaughter everyone and everything in your path. In addition to having standard weapons at your disposal - such as revolvers, shotguns, and grenades - Torque has a rather unique ability to morph into a rampaging monster. This mode is interesting to use every so often simply because of the brute force and damage this beast can wield, but usually it's just cumbersome, especially since Torque can't heal while he's a monster and the screen gets kind of blurred, making it hard to keep from getting hurt.
I've played through this game twice, gotten the "Good" ending both times, and I've seriously enjoyed this title. The story is pretty compelling, especially since it's coming at you so fast. The monsters all represent a manner of execution that was used at the prison, so the character designs here are really spooking. It's a violent ride, but there's more blood on hand than actual gore, and a bunch of profanity. If that's the sort of thing that offends you, this may not be the title for you. But if you're into the horror/shooter type of action, The Suffering is a swift and terrific ride!
Gameplay - Very easy controls, the game isn't very difficult at all on the medium setting. The inventory management does get a bit unwieldy when you're swapping weapons, especially during the heat of battle. A great story, although some of the scenes get trampled by monster attacks. Really spooky atmosphere. Personal favorite!
Graphics - Pretty solid here. One of the only noticable flaws is the water effect that's used in several puzzles. When you're filling up a room with water, it fills up in patches, and doesn't actually flow. It's hardly noticable, especially since you only do this twice, and both times you've got monsters to worry about, so you probably won't be watching the water. The monsters are pretty freaky looking.
Sound - The voice acting is top notch. Sometimes the music overrides the speech during scenes. (These are the same scenes where monsters are attacking, so a lot of the dialogue gets lost)
Value - Several different endings, plus the save file gets transferred over into Ties That Bind. Hey, any game that anticipates leading into another has to be cool, right? Plus, the story alone is enough to call you back for more.
Tilt - A very fun ride! The right mixture of darkness here, quality voice acting, and not too difficult. A perfect addition to a gamer's collection.