The Suffering is a deep, involving masterpiece which deserves a place on even the most MW2 obsessed player's shelf.
The first cutscene rolls, with two COs (Correctional Officers) leading the silent Torque to his cell, his paltry possessions in a box. After being deposited and left in his own private prison the inmates sharing the cell block begin a discussion about the mysterious, moody Torque. A few defend him - telling the others of the purely circumstancial evidence framing Torque for a triple murder he may or may not have committed. The more reactionary types call him sick - an argument ensues, peppered with extreme bad language. The bad language is part of the reason The Suffering earns its 18 rating, along with its extreme gore and violence. Shockingly, at some point during this cutscene the lights go out and the prison begins to shake and rumble. The panicked prisoners demand answers, screaming and baying for help. Too bad they're dead.
Torque - who has miraculously escaped his cell by this point, rips a makeshift metal blade from a rather more unfortunate inmate's cranium in satisfying, bloody manner and Torque's escape begins...
Talking of the shiv, it is probably better to mention the combat in The Suffering before anything else; as combat is crucial to the game. Torque acquires a range of weapons in the game - such as a shotgun, a tommy gun, dual pistols, a fire axe and the trusty shiv. A bonus weapon available is the Gonzo Gun, an extremely-handy weapon shaped like a chicken which kills any enemy with one shot. Torque also carries around a variety of explosive items, along with flares which are useful for keeping the Slayers at bay and substituting as a torch if it has run out of batteries (the majority of The Suffering is very, very dark). An interesting but ultimately-redundant feature is the Insanity meter, which allows Torque to turn into a hulking, raging beast at the tap of Y. However, the longer Torque remains in this mode the faster his health drains, so it is important to balance the two. Xombium - the only healing item in the game, allows Torque to continue on his rampage for longer by replacing his health.
The enemies presented in the game are where The Suffering makes its mark - each enemy in the game is modelled after a method of execution used by Abbott Penitentiary in the past. For example, the Nooseman class descends from the ceiling on a noose, ready to grasp the unwitting victim below. Each enemy has a different method of attack and in larger gunfights they gel together well to ensure the player is kept thinking (well, shooting) at all times.
After these battles, the player may be wondering how to heal and restore health. Xombium, as I mentioned before, plays a vital role in the game and is a complete necessity on the more difficult gameplay levels.
Aside from frantic blasting and bloodletting, the game unwinds by providing the player with some puzzle-solving. Most of these are light - sticking to a traditional Resident Evil formula, but some can become difficult if you don't know where to look.
The Suffering presents itself well for a 2004 game - however the player quickly realises this isn't too difficult, due to the near-absolute darkness and lack of huge, complicated set pieces. The sound is also sterling for a horror game; creepy ambient sound lingers around the corridors and the usual footsteps are present and correct. During battle there is a loud, jangly drum beat which increases the tension and also smartly fades out after the enemies (or you) are gone. Little things like this make The Suffering great. The dialogue is also excellent - confusion and panic portrayed well by the various voice actors and characters in-game. One particular memory from my experience with the game is crawling around an abandoned asylum, whilst thunder and lightning batter the windows outside. I crept around, swinging my gun wildly in all directions. Tentatively, I creep into a large living room to be greeted by a loud 'HEEEEEEEEEY!' from a rather-relaxed Russian lounging on a once-grand sofa smoking a joint.
In conclusion, the Suffering is a great game which deserves a quiet spot among any gamers' collection as a more obscure piece which is great all the same. At a bargain bin price it is also an attractive prospect in the economic lull, and you have no excuse not to hunt this down and play it.