My favorite love letter to '90s Resident Evil is back in Tormented Souls 2, and you can try it for free

I'm really glad we got Tormented Souls 2. The first installment in the series is probably the most impressive homage to old-school survival horror that I've seen. Developer Dual Effect wears its inspirations on its sleeve; most notably those first three Resident Evil games, but with influences from several of the other best horror games of the era, including Alone in the Dark and Silent Hill. Tormented Souls is a game that clearly understood why those worked, embracing the limitations of the fixed-camera perspective and the inherent terror of the unseen that it creates. Now, it's back for a second round.

Rather than adopt the shifting protagonists of its forebears, Tormented Souls 2 sticks to established lead Caroline Walker, who's back to investigate the remote town of Villa Hess, where she's looking for a mysterious clinic to help free her from a spate of horrifying visions. Naturally, the warm reception quickly turns sour, and she's quickly thrust into a fresh nightmare. The ability to explore the town brings a little more Silent Hill into proceedings, or perhaps vibes of Resident Evil 3, but its building interiors certainly bespeak a deep-held love of the Spencer Mansion and Raccoon City Police Station.

Dual Effect is bringing back all of the aspects that made its first outing memorable, from disturbing creatures to puzzles that'll actually force you to think carefully rather than being five-second roadblocks. The writing, much like the first Tormented Souls, can leave a little to be desired at times, but perhaps that's fitting for a game paying tribute to the series that gave us the likes of "Don't open that door" and "The master of unlocking."

The only real caveat is that Tormented Souls 2, right from the earliest moments, feels particularly punishing when it comes to giving you supplies and ammo, even by survival horror standards. Some will relish in that challenge, soaking in the tension of limited saves and awkward tank controls, but if it proves a problem you can always bump down the difficulty and soak in the atmosphere with a more friendly 'assisted mode.'

Tormented Souls 2 is out now on Steam and the Epic Games Store, and you can expect to pay $26.99 / £22.49 thanks to a 10% launch discount, which is available through Thursday November 6. It's also coming to GOG soon. Get it here and 'enter the survival horror' all over again.

Go further and sink even deeper into the haunting atmosphere with the best gaming headset. Or take a look through our pick of the best single-player games on PC today.

What's your favorite modern, throwback survival horror experience? Stop in at the PCGamesN Discord to let us know.