The Suffering comes outta left field to establish itself as a great game
Gameplay: The Suffering is a new twist on the Survival Horror genre, you just gotta' subtract the "Survival" and add "Action". Yes The Suffering is an action game.....and a damn good one at that. Now I don't agree with GameSpot's opinion on the Suffering at all....but those who do...hey good luck to you, have a nice day. The Suffering is a 3rd person action adventure game. The action is smooth frantic and bloody to the nth degree. The game lets you take control of Torque, and gives you a slew of weapons to take apart the minions of hell. Oh did I mention, The Suffering is incredibly scary, with subliminal messages, and images rampaging across the screen at every turn. Not only do you have a multitude of weapons at your disposal, but you also have Torque's insanity. Yes his rage is a weapon. When given the opportunity, one quick button press will transform Torque into his monstrous alter ego. The inventory system can get quite annoying from time to time. Nothing is worse than having to fumble through guns and items while a dozen monstrosoties are nippin' at your heels. To top off all the action, the games ending is directed by you. As you play through the game you are given moral choices, you know the classic choice between "this man needs your help" and "SLICE HIS THROAT OPEN".
Graphics: The graphics aren't the best of the best of the best of the best......but they are good. The main characters in this nutty adventure are designed well, and animate well. Blood flies everywhere, even on Torque as he can go from a light spackle of blood on his shirt, to soaking head to toe in demonic plasma. At times the enviroment can look brillant (mostly the prison, and the mansion) and then other times the enviroment looks muddy and bland (the outdoor section). The only thing that turned me off on the visuals, is the fact that the characters faces all remain locked in one tone for the entire game. Also lip synching isn't to well either.
Sound: The Suffering has the most brilliant audio design I have seen in a while. The voice acting is excellent, although Torque chooses to stay silent in the game. The voices that play Torques duality are done incredibly well...with his dead wife being the good voice...and what I can only describe as Lucifer playing the bad voice. The music is surreal, the metallic chains and bars banging coupled with the drums creates the coolest game soundtrack.
Overall: All in all The Suffering was very well done. The only main things that kept from scoring higher was the inventory, and the fact that some of the visuals could look better. A must have for people who like gettin' the begeezes scared outta' them.....and also not a game you'd wanna give your 5 year old son.....trust me, he'd dump in his pants faster than you can curse in German.