[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]t’s time to put on the metal records kids, because today we’re talking about Tormentum: Dark Sorrow, a dark horror adventure game that looks like the illegitimate child of Metallica and H.R. Giger. The project was funded between June 2nd and August 1st 2014, raking in $11.5k over its original $9k goal. The story begins when the game’s protagonist awakens to find he is being flown through the skies in a cage by a flying machine. He is dressed in rags, and cannot remember who he is or where he comes from. A talking rat in a cage next to his informs him that he has been kidnapped by strange armored beings who reside in a castle. Apparently these beings seek to purify evil people through suffering. Naturally, our protagonist isn’t interested in their idea of purification, and so begins his nightmarish adventure…

The world of Tormentum created by studio OhNoo is visceral, beautiful, and deliciously unsettling. As it is an adventure game, it doesn’t rely on the typical jump scares you might find with other dark, horror-themed games. Honestly, it doesn’t have to. Tormentum’s gorgeous artwork, gloomy atmospheric music, and dark surrealist fantasy designs are impressive, effective, and just downright spooky. Not to mention occasionally graphic. Be warned, this game isn’t just some Hot Topic emo trip. There are genuinely disturbing sights to be seen in the game, and if you are put off by such violent and tragic things, this title simply isn’t for you.

I was delighted to learn that Tormentum wasn’t just about its visuals and atmosphere—it has genuinely solid gameplay. It isn’t perfect, however. For hardcore adventure fans, the puzzles won’t prove much of a challenge 90% of the time, but rest assured there are a few that will have you scratching your heads. That said, this game isn’t long. It took me under six hours to beat this, give or take. At first, I thought this was a negative point for it, but as I was going through it, I realized that, while I was enjoying the devastatingly fascinating world of Tormentum: Dark Sorrow, I wasn’t entirely sure how OhNoo could make the game longer without losing that atmospheric appeal. Sometimes, it’s about striking a good balance.

One major aspect of the game are the moral choices you can make as you make your journey. You can condemn, kill, and steal from others. Or you can be a goody-two-shoes and be kind, forgiving, and honest. The great thing about this morality is that the game leaves you to constantly question your choices. Did you do the right thing? Well did you? Because just about every choice in the game is steep with consequences that ultimately decide the sort of ending you have. People are never as they appear in Tormentum: Dark Sorrow, and like any good morality-system in a game, OhNoo doesn’t allow you the benefit of feeling entirely certain of your choices.

Tormentum: Dark Sorrow is a macabre journey that forces you to evaluate just what evil is, and whether or not redemption is possible…and I love it to bloody bits for it. If you want something dark and haunting, Tormentum: Dark Sorrow is certainly the game to get!

Struggling to get through Tormentum: Dark Sorrow yourself? Then be sure to check out our Tormentum: Dark Sorrow Game Guide. It’s got everything you need to get through this creepy adventure.

