The Nightmare House 2 Source engine modification helped the We Create Stuff development team earn a lot of praise more than ten years ago. Over time, the little, unsettling Half-Life 2 map pack gained popularity among horror fans. The mod used tension and a feeling of being continually attacked by the surroundings in place of jump scares and shocks. After showcasing their proficiency at subtly terrifying horror, We Create Stuff upped the ante and proceeded to develop a whole game. Although the visuals of In Sound Mind are somewhat more modern than those of the (already antiquated) Nightmare House 2, its concepts provide a welcome infusion of new ideas into the survival horror subgenre.

You take on the role of a psychiatrist who awakens in his mental health facility's basement. You're greeted by an enigmatic, anonymous "Jigsaw" voice that starts heaping metric tons of guilt onto your shoulders as you struggle to make sense of what the heck is going on. Taking just a flashlight with you, you journey into this strange place's darkness. It soon becomes clear that the structure is a sophisticated center where you will go off on a variety of excursions, discover mysteries, and put equipment together. The unidentified relative of Jigsaw continues to obliquely explain that you are to responsible for your victims' horrific meeting with their creator.

It won't take long for you to begin looking into the situations of the patients you seemed to have failed once you get to your office. You may explore their cases by finding the cassette recordings from their sessions, which can open portals into other realities. Of the two cases that are now accessible, the first one centers on a young lady who was very worried and killed her family as well as wreaking havoc at a nearby grocery. You have to deal with the fallout from Virginia's outburst because she was paralyzed by dread of being seen and assessed in any manner.

The first big set-piece in the game is the destroyed supermarket, where you must vanquish Virginia's ghost and heal her tormented soul. Herein lies the first really exceptional moments of In Sound Mind. When you navigate the damp, dark recesses of the market, you always feel as if you are being watched and followed. The moment when you're expecting a jump fright but the clichéd shock never materializes is effectively simulated by the game. The boss/victim of this level must confront her anxieties in a series of mirrors as she is utterly terrified of being seen. It's fitting that you have a fragment of a shattered mirror as your weapon against her. The pointed reflected item will serve as a useful traditional mirror to deter her strikes from behind you.

The game chooses to raise the paranormal action up a notch by including really creepy aware retail mannequins. Fortunately, the gray plastic humanoid shells are not meant to harm you, even if their Amnesia-like off-screen motions can frighten the heck out of you. Rather, they function as a useful component of the surroundings by offering guidance and recommendations. Still, ISM has its share of overt adversaries. In addition to the previously described Jigsaw's cousin, who resembles Freddy Krueger and materializes out of nowhere to harass you, the preview version also has the inkblot creatures, who aimlessly search your surroundings for you. When you get a gun together, these freaks won't pose much of a danger.

In order to find out what in the world is going on, IMS will have you perform some simple platforming, crawl around places, solve simple puzzles, and take in the eerie ambiance. Your cat Tonia, who can speak out of nowhere and spends a lot of time paw-licking your office in the hub, will be your tour guide on that adventure.

I must praise In Sound Mind for its approach to the complexities of the horrors of the mind, since it stands out for addressing mental diseases in a fitting manner. Because of its origins in the 2005 Half-Life 2 mod, the gameplay is simple yet very powerful. IMS, even with its simplistic approach, hits the mark in terms of sheer dread. In Sound Mind is similar to Netflix's Stranger Things in several ways because of its nostalgic gameplay, late 90s setting, and vintage visuals. The game's horror and psycho-thriller components are believable, and it never veers into cheesiness like the famous show does. IMS creates a chilling atmosphere without resorting to over-the-top gore or staged scares. Additionally, In Sound Mind has an incredible audio bundle. When The Living Tombstone (the soundtrack artist for Five Nights at Freddy's) doesn't play, you'll be submerged in some eerie soundscapes reminiscent of NIN's "Ghosts" album.

Still, there are a few technical areas that may be improved. Similar to the graphics section, the interface dates back to the early 1900s. Even if it works, the game's user interface might need some serious updating. However, the user interface is not the primary emphasis here, much like the washed-out, desaturated pointed images.

In every way, In Sound Mind is a true independent game. The plot and mood are flawless, but the technical aspects seem almost as if they were done after the fact. Although the mechanics are simple, the fundamental idea stands out like a beacon on the already crowded horror indie coast. If this turns out to be the much-needed port for your horror-seeking boat, only time will tell.

In Sound Mind will give you a scary sense of terror via graphic tales of hopelessness mixed with a hint of classic fear as you run out of ammunition or batteries if you're not into jump scares and gore. We're certain that In Sound Mind will turn out to be the low-budget indie horror treasure we've been waiting for when the full version releases in September based on the substance of the demo.