[MINOR SPOILERS WARNING]
Sound game
Playing the game for the first time, it might seem to you that it's a walking simulator, but as it goes on, you'll be surprised at the amount of gameplay it offers. In many ways, it is similar to the latest Resident Evil games.
The game puts you in the shoes of a clinical psychologist, Desmond, who (what do you know) has amnesia. Sure, we have seen that countless times, but it's what comes next that matters, right? At first, it does give you an Amnesia: The Dark Descent feeling, but as you explore the first area, which serves as the hub, you realize it's more Resident Evil than Amnesia.
There are four other areas in the game, each one representing the memories of one of Desmond's clients. They each have their distinctive design and feeling, heavily influenced by games like Alan Wake and Half-Life (and probably others I couldn't figure out). In each level, there is a nemesis that can't be brought down by conventional weapons, and this is where the game offers its biggest innovation. Instead of guns, you'll have to use a mirror shard, flares, pills, and a radio to defeat the nemeses in each level. These newly acquired weapons are used to unlock other areas in the hub or the other levels.
The rest of the gameplay consists of sporadic shooting of regular enemies (of which there are two types), collecting items to improve stats as well as optional items, and a good deal of puzzles. The puzzles aren't particularly hard, but they can be obtuse at times, and they vary from simple to complex. There's a cat in the game who tells you to git gud, and it doesn't make much sense when she does, but you'll see what she meant later on, as the difficulty increases in the later levels. You might die a few times to the final boss.
Sound is very good, blending well with the idiosyncrasies of each level. The music is usually minimalistic, but evocative. There also vinyl collectibles, which contain songs of different genres, with very meaningful lyrics relating to the situations of the clients, Desmond, and one other character. A great touch.
Graphics, physics and mechanics are nothing to write home about. Quite outdated.
For me, the greatest feeling a story can offer is when the big reveal makes you see the series of previous events from an entirely different perspective. Alas, that doesn't happen here. The big reveal is based on Jungian mumbo-jumbo combined with CIB (the game's CIA) secret experiments, which our protagonist counters with positive psychology mumbo-jumbo. It's darkness vs. the light, psychobabble version. However, the game is also about dealing with the loss of a cat, which is the much better theme.
In Sound Mind is a pretty sound game, offering a good deal of survival horror, puzzles, action sequences, and atmosphere. The underwhelming story is counterbalanced by the original weapons you get to use and the distinct levels, each with their own well made design. I hadn't heard of this game before it was offered for free on EGS, which is a bit surprising. It's no masterpiece, but I definitely don't feel I've wasted my time on it.
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