When The Suffering, developed by Midway Games, initially hit the market in 2004, it truly took the gaming world by storm. Nobody was quite prepared for what this game had in store. It is a spooky and gruesome experience that doesn’t hold back when it comes to presenting players with some of the deepest, darkest, and most depraved characters imaginable at that time.
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Both The Suffering and its sequel, The Suffering: Ties That Bind, have been available on GOG for quite some time now, allowing gamers to enjoy them. However, recently it was announced that these games would be delisted from the store as of September 1, 2024, at the request of the publisher. If you haven’t had the chance to play these brilliant retro horror/action games, I highly recommend them as they offer a glimpse into a significant moment in gaming in 2004.
Games have become darker over the years, but this title was particularly memorable for many reasons. It is set in a prison where the protagonist, Torque, is awaiting his sentence on Death Row. But after an earthquake rocks the prison, supernatural creatures start roaming the halls and killing the guards and prisoners. Torque must fight his way out while trying to understand what happened to his wife and child, how he ended up in prison in the first place, and who he truly is.
As Dark as It Gets
It’s important to remember that in 2004, we also had the likes of Halo 2, The Sims 2, and Doom 3. What The Suffering brought to the table was a tangible sense of horror. Imagine finding yourself in a prison on Death Row, not knowing the crimes you’re accused of.
Suddenly, there’s an earthquake, and all the lights go out. You witness a guard being brutally murdered and dragged away by a hulking monster-like figure, but it’s too dark to make out any details. You have to navigate the halls as quietly as possible, using only a makeshift weapon for defense and hoping no one discovers you.
I vividly remember playing the game at launch and experiencing an overwhelming sense of terror until you faced your first supernatural enemies. You’ll also have to deal with attacking guards and other prisoners, but the supernatural foes somewhat diminish the horror because they take away from the realism of the setting.
Throughout the story, you’ll encounter actual monsters that haunt the prison. Their executions have twisted them, with the lethal injection creating a mutant with needle-like limbs, slave traders now filled with maggots and wielding huge chains, and many others, making them terrifying to behold and equally terrifying to fight.
Image via GOG
Even the moments when you can assist other sane individuals, both prisoners and guards, are not free from the discomfort and unease that lurk in the background of this game. You’ll have to choose how to help them and make other decisions that directly impact the game’s endings. There are three possible endings, each showing something different happening to Torque’s family.
This is an interesting morality system that requires you to replay the game several times to see everything and reveals the shattered nature of Torque’s mind. It’s not just his mind that’s broken; Torque is able to transform into a raging, blade-wielding monster who tears everything and everyone around him apart.
I’ll admit that the transformation aspect of the game felt a bit jarring to me at the time, but it does work because it shows how Torque is not immune to the supernatural forces around him. He’s clearly a monster, but it’s up to you to decide how monstrous he truly is.
Continuity is Key
Image via GOG
The Suffering: Ties That Bind takes the action aspect of the series to the next level. While I don’t think it’s as good as the first game, it still has some truly remarkable moments and is a great example of retro horror.
One really nice touch in this game is that your save file from the original game impacts the opening. This was a rarity back in the day, and I believe it still is quite uncommon these days, given that most games these days expand with DLC to fill out story arcs.
Instead of being confined to a prison island, you now explore Baltimore. The enemies in this game represent crimes and the underbelly of the city instead of execution methods, which broadens the scope of the series even though it concludes here.
While these games may not be on par with Silent Hill or Resident Evil, they are heavily inspired by those survival horror predecessors. They ooze atmosphere, and although the action does somewhat dilute the scares, there is a lot to enjoy in these titles if you are a fan of retro horror games.
Do yourself a favor and don’t delay. If you have the hardware to play them, they’re not overly expensive on the PS2, but these PC copies from GOG are ones you can keep and enjoy indefinitely. If there’s even a remote chance you might play them in the future, add them to your collection now before it’s too late because you’ll surely regret it if you don’t.
As for what the delisting of The Suffering and The Suffering: Ties That Bind means, well, that’s anyone’s guess. Usually, a delisting like this is related to music licensing or another license expiration, indicating that the game has to be taken down. GOG does excellent work in bringing old games like these to the PC, just like they did with the original Resident Evil trilogy. But GOG is just one company among countless games that get delisted each year, and the best way to ensure these titles stay alive is to have as many people owning them as possible right now.
