Let’s be honest: most modern horror games leave me cold. Too many chase the bloated, faux-cinematic vibe or try to turn everything into a roguelike. But when I saw Tormented Souls 2 pop up at the Latin American Games Showcase with its unapologetic fixed-camera angles and eerie 90s energy, I stopped scrolling. If you’ve been starving for survival horror that actually feels like survival horror, there’s a reason this one’s on your radar right now.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | PQube |
| Release Date | Late 2025 |
| Genres | Survival Horror, Adventure |
| Platforms | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Games Store, GOG.com |
From the get-go, Tormented Souls 2 isn’t hiding its inspiration. If you’ve played the original – or just miss the golden age of fixed-camera scares – you’ll recognize Dual Effect’s obsession with the likes of Resident Evil 2, Silent Hill, and Parasite Eve. This time, you’re exploring Villa Hess, a remote Chilean town that’s instantly giving off Wildberger Hospital-meets-Raccoon City vibes. The hour-long demo puts you in the boots of Caroline Walker (now rocking a noticeably evolved look) as she plunges into cultish convents and derelict malls, searching for her missing sister.
What’s immediately clear is that the devs get what made those old survival horror games tick. The fixed-camera angles aren’t just nostalgia bait — they’re used to milk tension from every shadowed corridor. Weapons are makeshift and scarce (nailer, chainsaw — check), and even the quick-select feature for swapping gear feels like a thoughtful modernization rather than some streamlining concession. The old-school tank controls and limited saves are back if you want them, but there’s also an “assisted” mode for folks who don’t want to be punished for not hoarding ink ribbons.
Let’s talk about Caroline’s redesign, because it’s a bold move. The devs outright reference Claire Redfield and Aya Brea in their statement, and you can tell they’re leaning hard into those B-movie roots: blood-red dress, battered leather jacket, unmistakable silhouette. Some fans will nitpick (“Did Capcom sign off on this much homage?”), but for me, this shows a studio unafraid to wear its influences on its sleeve — literally. The key is that Caroline isn’t just cosplay: her grown-up, “big sister” energy fits the story’s darker, more protective tone.
The story still looks deeply weird (in a good way). Anna’s psychic trauma manifests in reality, and the plot leans into cultish weirdness, secret clinics, and a sinister matriarch named Mother Lucia. If you like your horror with a heavy dose of cryptic lore and twisted family secrets, this should be right up your alley. And, crucially, the demo reportedly doesn’t just tease — it delivers a full hour of old-school exploration, puzzle-solving, and a fresh boss encounter. That’s a lot more than most showcase demos muster.
For those still collecting physical games (bless you), there’s a PS5 boxed edition up for pre-order. That matters, because it signals confidence from the publisher — and honestly, survival horror die-hards love their collectible shelves. Physical runs are risky these days unless a publisher actually thinks the community will show up, so this isn’t just a vanity play.
This is a real litmus test for where survival horror is headed. The first Tormented Souls was a cult hit, standing out in a sea of limp horror-likes by being unafraid to be obtuse, punishing, and rewarding in equal measure. From what’s been shown, the sequel isn’t chasing trends — it’s doubling down on what fans actually want: atmosphere, scarcity, and the constant dread that the next room could be your last. The devs seem to understand the community: they talk about character silhouette and story evolution with the kind of detail that suggests they actually care about continuity and fan expectations.
But here’s my honest skepticism: can they balance accessibility with the kind of teeth that made the first game stand out? Adding assisted modes is smart for bringing in new blood, but will it dilute the experience for the faithful? The survival horror community is notoriously picky about “true” challenge levels. Plus, with a late 2025 release, there’s always the risk that the industry will have moved on, or that too much gets “modernized” at the last minute. But, so far, this feels like a love letter and not a cash-in.
If you pine for the days when horror games were about dread, limited ammo, and actual scares — not just jump cuts and QTEs — Tormented Souls 2 is shaping up as one of the only real options in the pipeline. The new demo proves they’re not just talking a good game; they’re showing it. The Caroline redesign is a smart evolution, the physical edition is a nice nod to collectors, and the story looks unapologetically weird. There are still question marks, but for now, survival horror is in good hands. Play the demo — and see if it crawls under your skin the way the classics used to.