This is brought so far that, in some segments, In Sound Mind can feel more like a rudimental shooter than a proper horror title.
This sensation is helped by the fact that enemies are mostly of one single kind, with small variations that are not able to diversity the fights which, especially in the later tapes, become more of a nuisance. Unfortunately the same can’t be said about for the later tapes: starting from the third level, the game becomes more and more action, with its horror side coming short most of the times. These sequences are well implemented, especially in the first two tapes, where combat is well-timed and doesn’t break the atmosphere that all elements of the game are able to create. In between the psychological horror, many action sequences can be found: In Sound Mind uses them to break the rhythm a little bit, while keeping the gameplay engaging and interesting. The mirror shard is just one of the mechanics introduced in the tapes.
Again, in the first tape you will have no way to harm the boss wandering around the supermarket’s aisles, so you will have to turn your back on it in order to make it see her reflection on the mirror shard: while you won’t see that enemy again, the mirror shard will remain very useful, allowing you to see secrets that would be otherwise invisible to the eye.
These mechanics are all fundamental in the game, but some of them are particularly well-implemented and fun to play with. For example, we will a mirror shard in the first tape, since the first patient fears the sight of her own reflection. In Sound Mind environments strongly reflect the mind of the patient you are re-visiting.Īnother important distinction between the levels is the introduction of important mechanics in each of them: each patient will have one linked to its disorders. I really appreciated this distinction, which really helped in making each tape (and patient) feel unique. In the second tape instead, the feeling of danger is much more present throughout the level and action sections of gameplay pop out more often. For example, and I’m staying as spoiler-free as possible here, in the first tape you will be (not quite) alone in a giant supermarket, trying not to be seen by the patient’s shadow. Since every tape follows the story of a different patient, delving into its own troubled mind, these levels have completely different atmospheres. Pretty cliché? The constant beeps of the supermarket’s motion sensors will be a reminder that they are still there and, honestly, sent shivers down my spine throughout the level. In the first tape, you’ll find yourself surrounded by mannequins that will only move when they are out of sight. The first tapes (and the very first one in particular) definitely nail the meaning of psychological horror: you will be at the edge of your chair for the whole level, which makes the absence of jumpscares all more commendable. The game is set to keep the player in a constant state of tension, making it peak in some scenes, while boiling it down with some more action-packed sections. Instead, I would say that there are almost no jumpscares at all. Bear in mind, this title is a psychological horror and you won’t find jumpscares all over the place. Right from this initial environment, In Sound Mind unveils its horrors. The condominium acts as a level hub, but offers also a lot of different areas to explore. Not only this, but it also gives you a three-story building to explore and, while initially many areas are completely blocked off, backtracking after getting new tools is always a good idea. The condominium acts as a level hub: from there, you can start listening to the various patients’ tapes, which will bring you to the corresponding level. You will wake up in your condominium, abandoned and alone, the outside world in ruins: floods cover the streets and thunderstorms rumble on the horizon. The discovery of the secret that caused the deaths of your patients that, while certainly troubled, wouldn’t have committed certain actions in the state they were. In Sound Mind doesn’t have a single storyline, but rather multiple that merge into a single one: the escape of Doctor Wales from the guilt of the deaths of his patients.
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