Tormentum - Dark Sorrow Reviews

Oozing with gore and morbidity, Tormentum - Dark Sorrow is an engrossing point and click adventure that you're sure to remember for years to come. The game itself is seething with hellish nightmarescapes, and venomously dripping with macabre dialogue; a far more tortured choice compared to many of the point and clicks available on the market today. Make no mistake, this title is not for those who may get depressed easily, as it deals with some heavy subject matter and it confronts those dark, ghastly thoughts that linger in the back of our minds; forcing us to think about our life choices, and what may be waiting for us in the afterlife.

Hands down, the main focus of Tormentum is its eerily captivating artwork. The artists did one hell of an amazing job merging the soft pastels and hazy dream-like features of Zdzislaw Beksinski's work with the harsh, alien architecture of H.R. Giger. If it weren't completely impossible, I'd go as far to say that both of these renowned surrealist artists collaborated and contributed the art straight to the game. The massive amounts of detail that has been put into the artwork alone more than makes Tormentum worth the full selling price, artists as talented as the ones who worked on this title deserve high recognition and I firmly believe that true art should never be undersold. The screenshots that you will see on the store page are just a faint few of the 70+ cadaverous hand-painted expanses that you will wander across, and there are numerous devils to encounter. The entire world that has been created for Tormentum feels overwhelmingly larger than you are.

Coupling the awe inspiring artwork is a dark, brooding soundtrack. I sincerely wish that it was for sale on Steam, as I would purchase it in a heartbeat. There was actually one part of the game, near this giant tower, that I enjoyed the music so much that I cranked my speakers, left my computer and proceeded to do housework while just listening to the audio. It's rare for me to enjoy a game soundtrack this deeply, but I would actually put Tormentum's score on a regular playlist; right along side some Bethlehem, Velvet Acid Christ and Burzum. The ominous, ambient hymns bring an entire new dimension to the art style that is displayed within the game, and they really suck the gamer in while refusing to let go.

So, what is this game actually about? Sadly, I can't delve far into the story without spoiling it completely; I will say that you are a man, wandering the huge realm of Tormentum in search of a way out. Along the way you must face tough choices, all of which will ultimately matter in the end. The character that you are playing has no more knowledge than you do, and vica versa; this is much akin to plots like that of Stasis and Sanitarium. You will learn more about the hellish world that you're traversing through by reading notes and speaking with the many interactive beings within the game. Many of these fiends are quite forlorn and profound with their dialogue, which is reminiscent of The Divine Comedy by Dante. As usual, it will all make the most sense once the game has reached completion.

Tormentum - Dark Sorrow is a completely stunning macabre point and click game that will appeal to a niche audience. Art enthusiasts will absolutely love this game for its stunning in-depth visuals, audiophiles will love it for the superbly creepy soundtrack, and fans of both will completely fall in morbid love. While the story isn't anything to rave about, it will strike a chord with fans of literature along the lines of The Divine Comedy (Dante's Inferno). The only real fault that I could possibly find with Tormentum is how short it is. I finished 3 full playthroughs in roughly 6 hours, with my initial run clocking in at about 3 and a half hours. That being said, I just can't gush and go on about this title enough. It's absolutely the best point and click experience I've ever had, but then again I love H.R. Giger, Zdzislaw Beksinski, Dante's Inferno and dark ambient music. If you're a fan of any of the aforementioned things, do not hesitate to throw your money down on this twisted nightmare.

Rating: 5.0/5.0 - An amazing achievement, this game must be played.
The Horror Network
Steam Group: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/thehorrornetwork
Steam Curator: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/thehorrornetwork#curation

Description

Tormentum is a dark point-and-click adventure game taking place in a hellish world inspired by the paintings of H.R. Giger and Zdzislaw Beksinski as well as the atmosphere of Dark Souls and Dark Seed franchises. Every level looks like a painting and the game is peppered not only with the usual puzzles but also with moral choices that will slightly influence the world around the protagonist and be reflected in the ending.

Pros

+ Nightmares have never looked so good
+ Interesting moral choices
+ Logical puzzles requiring little back-and-forth
+ Impressive and oppressive atmosphere
+ In-game hints to alleviate some of the puzzles
+ Pixel hunting alleviated by pickable objects shimmering
+ Good varitey of puzzles, none of which last long enough to outstay their welcome

Cons

- Replay value hindered by the inability to load back to a previous state
- Very gorey, though gore is artistically rendered
- Bleak from start to finish

Verdict

Look at the screenshots and if the art style appeals to you in any way, you owe it to yourself to play Tormentum.

If the art style leaves you indifferent, but you really enjoy brain-teasers that are tricky enough to make you feel smart when you solve them, but straightforward enough not to require random tries, try the demo, chances are you will like this game.

You should only stay away from this game if you despise the art style or the bleak atmosphere.