PlayStation 2

The Suffering: Ties That Bind

Like its main character Torque, there are two sides to The Suffering: Ties That Bind. It is simultaneously fun and extremely frustrating, compelling and flawed, mature and foul, engaging and confusing. As a game, it can be aggravating, but as a piece of interactive storytelling, it flirts with brilliance.

Satisfying survival/horror gameplay with a first/third-person shooter twist. Ties That Bind has one of the most disturbing storylines I have ever seen in a game. It’s told very well, but if I were to watch Court TV before or after playing it, the game would probably give me nightmares. Some parts are a little too real. The demons could be viewed as a sign of guilt as if Torque is fighting the pain he feels inside. Tidbits of it reminded me of White Noise, which wasn’t very good but was pretty disturbing. I can’t think of too many games – especially an action game – that made me stop playing to contemplate the story.

Unfortunately, while Ties That Bind should stand proudly beside its older brother, it doesn't do a whole lot to expand on the theme of the original -- nightmare prison visions come alive, ghosts that kill, and churning violence. There are more neutral people in the environment, but one of the original's strengths was how we were so isolated within a seemingly inescapable mote of horror. That was an excellent tension. There was also something quite Gothic about it that doesn't carry over into Ties That Bind. With the survival horror subgenre so heavily populated, you'll want to add any flavor you can to make yourself not look like the stalwarts. Ties That Bind, being more urban, loses some distinction.

The Suffering: Ties That Bind is a satisfying follow-up to those looking for more of the same. But those looking for a significant step ahead for the series will likely be disappointed. The fundamental gameplay is the same, and even the graphics haven’t gone through any real change. Gore hounds will like the blood and guts (and there’s plenty of it), and horror fans will dig the mature, disturbing atmosphere.

Ties That Bind is one of those games that you wish went farther than it actually does. Sure, it expands on the story of the previous game, and as an expansion pack would be somewhat adequate, but it doesn’t innovate or redesign anything to make it stand out from its predecessor’s shadow. It’s a great chapter to Torque’s story, but some of the restrictions with the combat and linearity make it a good action title instead of a great sequel.

Still, polish up a few rough edges and you'll find a very good game underneath. Few developers have been able to master the horror aspects of games as well as Surreal has done in the two Suffering games thus far, and with a bit more balancing, this could have been a great current generation sendoff for players looking to move on to the next-generation terror of F.E.A.R. and Condemned.

The Suffering: Ties That Bind has its moments, but most of these moments are the same sorts of moments that you saw in last year's game. If you're a fan of the previous game and you're looking for more of the same, Ties That Bind fits the bill, but more expansion on the themes of the first game would have made for a much more interesting final product.

The Suffering: Ties That Bind is a solid action title that should satisfy fans of the original game. Although the game doesn't bring a lot of new experiences to the table, it does do a great job of adding to the experience gamers enjoyed the first time around.

Loin d'être désagréable, The Suffering : Les Liens Qui Nous Unissent est malgré tout sorti à la va-vite pour profiter du succès du premier épisode. Bien que l'absence d'évolution graphique ne soit pas un vrai problème en soi, il est dommage que les développeurs aient construit ce second opus sur des gunfights qui ne s'arrêtent pour ainsi dire jamais, sans prendre le temps d'améliorer la jouabilité. Le scénario est un peu laissé en retrait, même s'il suit directement celui de The Suffering, et on aimera ou non cette nouvelle orientation, synonyme d'une difficulté plus importante. Dans l'absolu, on prend tout de même du plaisir à suivre Torque dans ses déboires psychotiques et à avancer, rien que pour avoir le plaisir de découvrir les nouvelles créations du studio de Stan Winston.