Info about In Sound Mind:

Official game description:
As you awake in the corridors of an inexplicable building, you find the environment takes on a life of its own and leads you to discover a series of victims, all exposed to the same experimental chemical. In your search for answers, bizarre visions emerge and introduce a host of imposing horrors…and a cat named Tonia.  
From the creators of the cult classic Nightmare House 2 comes In Sound Mind, a witty first-person psychological horror with frenetic puzzles and unique boss fights. Traverse a series of unsettling memories as you journey within the inner workings of the one place you can’t seem to escape—your own mind.  
*   **A new survival horror experience from the creators of the legendary Nightmare House 2.** We Create Stuff, the team behind one of highest-rated mods of all time returns with an unexpected spin on the horror genre.  
*   **Experience a series of haunting memories.** Journey through a progression of unsettling stories, each with unique puzzles, mechanics, weapons, and boss fights.  
*   **Overcome a cast of terrors.** Confront those who stalk you in a series of daunting boss fights and learn how to defeat them by solving mind-bending puzzles.  
*   **An eerie soundtrack by The Living Tombstone.** The internet icon lends his distinct sound to this next generation psychological thriller, with a distinctive song for each story.  
*   **Unexpect the expected.** Explore an imaginative and disorienting narrative, featuring sentient mannequins, a feline companion, and much more. And yes, you can pet the cat.

Release date: Sep 28, 2021

Categories: First-Person Perspective, Psychological Horror, Puzzle Solving, Survival Horror, Exploration, Companion System, Story-driven Gameplay, Boss Fights

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Instructional Data Dependency; summary: The primary barrier for users is the need for a walkthrough to locate all hidden collectibles (pills), with additional minor issues regarding unclear progression. The game's overall design is praised for natural navigation, but collectible hunting creates a significant external data dependency.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The game performs best on Windows systems with 8-11GB VRAM, where players report smooth gameplay with minor frame drops. Systems with less than 8GB VRAM still manage playable performance on low settings but with occasional stuttering. Higher VRAM systems (12-15GB) suffer from severe stuttering and control issues, making the game unplayable for that user.
  - Sample size: 45 (4% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (positive, 26 reports): Most players report playable performance on low settings, though some experience significant stuttering.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (negative, 8 reports): Severe stuttering and control issues reported, making the game unplayable for this user.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 5 reports): Generally smooth performance with some frame drops, no crashes reported.
  - Caveats: 45 of 1150 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The community sentiment indicates that the current full price of $34.99 is slightly high for many players, with one review explicitly stating '$35 is a little high' and another suggesting full price isn't necessarily worth it. However, a review valuing the game at €29.99 (~$32) as 'more than worth it' sets an upper bound. Combined with frequent recommendations to wait for a sale, the fair base-game price range is estimated between $20 and $30, where the game is considered good value without requiring a discount.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 15.0h
  - Story completion: 10.0h
  - Session length: 2.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews cite a total playtime of 15-20 hours for full completion, with one stating 15 hours for all achievements including collectibles. The main story is estimated around 10 hours based on a review that says 'about 10 hours.' Session length is supported by a review recommending 2-3 hours per nightly session. Endgame content is not explicitly quantified in hours; while some mention replaying stages for collectibles, no specific endgame playtime is reported, so it is set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game initially feels sluggish and tedious for many players, but becomes more engaging after the tutorial and first area when mechanics and story open up; however, combat repetitiveness and limited enemy variety can cause fun to fade after several hours.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Gameplay opening up after tutorial and first main area
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: repetitive combat with limited enemy variety; tedious combat sequences; slow start or sloggish pacing; poor inventory system; enemy types become boring
  - Unlock drivers: progression system that introduces new mechanics gradually; interesting story and psychological themes; varied puzzles and environmental challenges; atmospheric and immersive design
  - Conditions: patience to push through the initial slow phase; appreciation for puzzle-driven and story-focused gameplay; willingness to engage with combat despite repetitiveness
- Player Archetypes:
  - Narrative-Seeking Story Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Emotional storytelling, character depth, and psychological themes
    - Playstyle: Focuses on story progression, explores dialogue and backstories, plays at a relaxed pace to absorb narrative
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: story gamer; psychology enthusiast; narrative seeker
    - Reference games: The Baby in Yellow; Amnesia: The Dark Descent
  - Survival Horror Completionist (sale)
    - Motivation: Achievement completion, collectible hunting, and mastering game mechanics
    - Playstyle: Systematic exploration, revisiting stages for missables, using guides for 100%, adjusting difficulty for challenge
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: achievement hunter; completionist; survival horror fan
    - Reference games: Resident Evil 7; Bioshock; Prey
  - Casual Horror Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Atmospheric puzzles and moderate horror without intense scares
    - Playstyle: Explores environments, solves puzzles, appreciates story and music, not seeking high difficulty or terror
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: casual gamer; horror newbie; puzzle lover
    - Reference games: The Baby in Yellow; Mystery games


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Engaging puzzles requiring thinking (weight 0.44): Puzzles are described as interesting, enjoyable, fantastic, and wonderful. They require thinking but are not too hard, providing a satisfying challenge.
- Great overall soundtrack (weight 0.42): Beyond the Living Tombstone, the game's soundtrack is universally praised as fantastic, cool, amazing, and the greatest. It blends well with the theme and is considered insanely good, with vinyls being a nice touch.
- Wonderfully told story (weight 0.33): The story is superb, well-told, beautiful, and amazing. It is drip-fed in a way that keeps players engaged, with great storytelling.
- Excellent horror atmosphere (weight 0.32): The atmosphere is genuinely scary, eerie, spooky, and creepy in the right measures. It creates an excellent horror experience with genuinely scary moments.
- Well-balanced puzzle difficulty (weight 0.21): Puzzles are not too difficult or too easy; they are fun, intuitive, and solvable. The balance is well-maintained, making them enjoyable without frustration.
- Beautiful graphics and visuals (weight 0.2): The graphics are praised as good, beautiful, and great for the price. The art style is appreciated, and the graphics complement the music well.
- Excellent level design (weight 0.18): Level design is interesting, on-point, and great. It leads players subtly, with beautiful and enjoyable layouts.
- Excellent voice acting (weight 0.18): Voice acting is excellent, especially the villain. It is high-quality, with good writing and Russian voice acting praised.
- Tonia the cat companion (weight 0.18): Players love Tonia the talking cat companion, finding her cute and enjoying the ability to pet her. She adds charm to the game.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive and shallow combat (weight 0.37): Combat is described as lackluster, repetitive, and lacking depth, with poor hit feedback and scarce enemy variety. Players find the combat system uninteresting and stiff.
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.34): Frequent frame rate drops, especially during combat and action sequences, make the game feel unoptimized. Some players report drops from 120 to 30-60 FPS, which can hinder gameplay and aiming.
- Weak horror elements (weight 0.33): Players consistently report that the game is not scary enough, relying only on occasional jump scares rather than sustained horror. Many expected a more frightening experience and were disappointed.
- Low enemy variety (weight 0.24): The game features very few enemy types (only 2-4), making combat feel repetitive and encounters predictable. Players note a lack of diversity in enemy design and behavior.
- Frustrating ending (weight 0.22): The ending is described as frustrating, hasty, and anti-climactic. The story fails to come together, leaving many players dissatisfied.
- Unsatisfying final boss (weight 0.18): The final boss is considered tedious, boring, and anticlimactic, with some players finishing it in about 5 minutes. It fails to provide a rewarding conclusion to the game.
- Confusing puzzles (weight 0.17): Certain puzzles are obscure, tricky, or misleading, causing frustration. Wording can be unclear or, in some localizations, lose essential clues.
- Tedious backtracking (weight 0.17): Excessive backtracking and searching in certain levels makes the gameplay feel dragged out. Some areas are too large and cause players to get lost.
- Bugs and technical issues (weight 0.12): Various bugs exist, including constant crashing at specific points in the game. These technical issues disrupt the gameplay experience.
- Stealth mechanics are poor (weight 0.12): Stealth sections and mechanics are described as terrible and awful, with one stealth upgrade being useless. Players find these segments frustrating and poorly designed.
- Difficulty spikes and pacing issues (weight 0.12): There are sudden difficulty spikes, especially at Tape 4, and some chapters feel unnecessarily long. The game's pacing is inconsistent.
- Subpar graphics for price (weight 0.09): Graphics quality is considered below expectations given the game's cost. While not terrible, the visuals do not meet modern standards for the price point.
- Limited petting for Tonia (weight 0.08): Players are disappointed that they can only pet the character Tonia a limited number of times, expressing a desire for unlimited petting interactions.
- Unreliable auto-save (weight 0.07): The auto-save system is reported as completely useless or unreliable, which can lead to lost progress. Players express frustration with the lack of manual save options.
- No minimap navigation issues (weight 0.06): The lack of a minimap makes navigation difficult; players only have fixed map viewing points. A minimap would have significantly improved the experience.
- No sequel despite cliffhanger (weight 0.06): The game ends on a cliffhanger but no sequel exists and likely never will, leaving the story unresolved for invested players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Puzzle-oriented psychological horror (weight 0.86): The game is primarily a psychological horror experience heavily focused on puzzle-solving, with elements of exploration, combat, and a deep story. It blends survival horror mechanics with puzzles and a lighthearted yet unsettling tone.
- Pill-based upgrade system (weight 0.59): The game has an upgrade system using collectible pills to increase stats like Stamina, HP, and Speed, allowing players to customize their survival capabilities.
- First-person shooter elements (weight 0.38): The game incorporates first-person shooting with pistols and shotguns, blending survival horror combat with exploration and puzzle solving. It is often described as a first-person survival horror with shooter elements.
- Exploration and puzzle gameplay (weight 0.32): The core gameplay loop involves exploring environments and solving puzzles, with additional elements like enemies and light combat. It is considered a puzzle-platformer or adventure with strong exploration focus.
- Story-driven narrative focus (weight 0.25): The game is heavily story-driven with a character-driven narrative, told through collectible notes, cassette tapes, and deep lore. Players uncover the story through exploration and collectibles.
- Psychological thriller horror (weight 0.22): The game is primarily a psychological thriller with horror elements, featuring psychological horror with jump scares, combat, and a deep narrative.
- Cassette tape mind exploration (weight 0.2): A key mechanic involves using cassette tapes to enter patients' minds, exploring symbolic mindscapes. The narrative is non-linear, with tapes unlocking story elements and allowing entry into psychological realms.
- Unique chapter-specific mechanics (weight 0.19): Each chapter or story arc introduces a unique gameplay mechanic, changing up survival, puzzle, or exploration elements to keep the experience fresh throughout the game.
- First-person hub-based puzzles (weight 0.12): The game is experienced from a first-person perspective, often hub-based, where players solve puzzles in atmospheric levels to progress the story.
- Interactive cat petting (weight 0.11): The game features interactive petting of a cat, allowing players to pet and interact with the environment and characters in a meaningful way, adding a lighthearted touch.
- Mirror-based puzzle mechanics (weight 0.09): Puzzles often involve mirrors and reflection-based mechanics, requiring players to manipulate mirrors to solve spatial challenges and progress through levels.
- Walking simulator with shooting (weight 0.09): The game is described as a walking simulator that includes shooting elements, blending slow-paced exploration with occasional combat encounters.
- Collectible vinyl records (weight 0.08): Players can collect vinyl records and music albums as a secondary collectible activity, adding depth for completionists.

Performance notes:
- Poor optimization and general performance (weight 0.23): Many reviews highlight terrible or absent optimization, with vague but repeated complaints about low FPS and instability. This indicates a widespread problem affecting various system configurations.
- Extreme stuttering on high-end hardware (weight 0.19): Multiple users with high-end GPUs like RTX 5080, RTX 5070, 9070 XT, and RTX 3080 report consistent stuttering and frame drops. This suggests a core optimization issue rather than hardware inadequacy.
- Low FPS on modern systems (weight 0.18): Users with modern, capable machines still experience low frame rates. This suggests the game is poorly optimized for current hardware standards.
- Crashes and freezes (weight 0.16): Multiple users mention constant freezes, crashes, and micro-freezes, sometimes triggered by specific effects or areas. This disrupts gameplay and indicates stability bugs.
- Frame drops during combat and action (weight 0.1): Several reports note that performance degrades significantly during combat, with FPS dropping to 30-40. This hampers gameplay experience in crucial moments.
- Settings adjustments don't fix issues (weight 0.08): Players report that changing graphics settings, including dropping to lowest, does not resolve stutters or low FPS. This implies problems beyond graphical configuration.
- Frame drops in later chapters (weight 0.07): Players experience frame drops specifically in later parts of the game, suggesting optimization degrades or content becomes more demanding as the game progresses.
- No frame cap causes high GPU usage (weight 0.04): Without a frame cap, the game uses 100% GPU, which can be mitigated by enabling V-sync. This suggests a lack of proper frame rate management.
- HDD performance issues (weight 0.04): The game stutters on an HDD but runs smoother on an SSD. This indicates loading bottleneck issues that affect lower-end storage configurations.
- Stuttering with V-sync enabled (weight 0.04): Ironically, some users report extreme stuttering when V-sync is turned on, conflicting with the previous point about needing it for smoother performance.
- Conflict with overlay tools (weight 0.04): The game conflicts with overlay tools such as Nvidia FPS display, causing crashes. This restricts players' ability to monitor performance or use streaming features.
- High resource consumption for visuals (weight 0.04): The game consumes significant system resources relative to the graphical quality delivered, suggesting inefficient coding or heavy asset usage.
- Gamma and lighting issues (weight 0.04): One user notes bad gamma and lighting, with insufficient brightness options for OLED displays. This affects visual quality and accessibility.
- Inconsistent performance on older GPU (weight 0.04): On a Geforce 560, performance varies between normal and slideshow-like conditions. This indicates unpredictable behavior on less powerful hardware.
- Game speed tied to frame rate (weight 0.04): A report states the game's speed is linked to FPS, which can cause gameplay inconsistencies on varying hardware.
- Real-time shadows cause performance hit (weight 0.04): Real-time shadows are identified as a specific performance drain, suggesting they are computationally expensive.
- Too much rendering at once (weight 0.04): The game attempts to render too many elements simultaneously, leading to poor performance. This is a classic optimization oversight.
- Mouse sensitivity issues (weight 0.04): A player experiences 180-degree flips when turning quickly due to a mouse sensitivity problem, affecting control precision.
- Cat fur physics drain FPS (weight 0.04): Cat fur physics have an outsized negative impact on FPS, even more than mirror reflections. This indicates a specific rendering inefficiency.

Recommendations:
- Strongly recommended overall (weight 0.71): Many players give a strong overall recommendation, calling the game highly recommended, worth buying, and a must-play experience.
- Great for horror fans (weight 0.43): The game is highly recommended for fans of psychological horror, survival horror, and atmospheric horror titles like Resident Evil, SOMA, and Amnesia.
- Recommended on sale (weight 0.41): Several players recommend waiting for a sale or buying at a discounted price to get good value.
- Worth experiencing (weight 0.21): The game is described as worth playing and finishing even with flaws, and an experience worth having.
- Unique horror experience (weight 0.2): Players recommend this game to those tired of cliche horror games or looking for something unusual with psychological depth and narrative focus.
- Hidden gem status (weight 0.12): Some players call the game a hidden gem or underrated indie that deserves more attention.
- Not for combat lovers (weight 0.12): The game is not recommended for players who prefer to eliminate all enemies, as it features constant chasing by invincible foes.
- Great for puzzle lovers (weight 0.1): Fans of puzzles and mental challenges will enjoy the thoughtful puzzles and puzzle-heavy gameplay.
- Sequel desired (weight 0.09): Players express hope for a sequel and would be excited if one is announced.
- Casual play value (weight 0.06): Some find the game good for casual play after work or relaxation.
- Cat interaction a plus (weight 0.06): The ability to pet the cat is noted as a charming feature.

Other player notes:
- Cat Tony is best (weight 0.04): A review praises Cat Tony as the best character in the game, highlighting positive player sentiment toward this specific character.
- Developer The Living Tombstone noted (weight 0.03): A review references the developer The Living Tombstone, indicating recognition of the developer's involvement in the game.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players feel satisfied due to well-designed puzzles, unique boss fights, and rewarding exploration. The game offers good value for money with a compelling story, atmospheric music, and mechanics that trust player intelligence. Overall, it provides a fun and complete experience with satisfying progression and collectibles.
- Frustration (weight 0.1): Frustration arises from poor optimization and performance issues, even on high-end hardware, causing stuttering, crashes, and frame drops. Gameplay problems include impractical inventory systems, tedious backtracking, unclear navigation, and unresponsive controls. Bugs and game-breaking glitches that prevent progress further contribute to player annoyance.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoy the game for its engaging story, atmospheric music, and enjoyable puzzle gameplay. The variety in gameplay, including exploration and combat, along with the ability to pet the cat, adds to the fun. Overall, the experience is described as pleasant and worth playing despite some minor flaws.
- Disappointment (weight 0.07): Disappointment stems from the game failing to maintain its initial quality, with later chapters feeling repetitive and less scary. Combat mechanics and horror elements are criticized as underdeveloped, and the story loses coherence with a predictable ending. Performance issues and a steep full price for the content provided also contribute to letdown.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is generated by the game's creative mechanics, challenging puzzles, and memorable moments. The deep story, references to other works, and high-quality soundtrack by The Living Tombstone hook players quickly. Many express a strong desire to replay the game and recommend it as a hidden gem.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration is directed at the game's masterful storytelling, atmospheric music, and creative puzzle design. Players praise the thoughtful handling of psychological themes and the evident passion from the small development team. The game is regarded as a masterpiece that stands out in the indie horror genre.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Appreciation is expressed for the game's unique atmosphere, well-crafted soundtrack, and innovative gameplay mechanics. The thematic depth, particularly the psychological concepts integrated into the story, is highly valued. Players also commend the developers' attention to detail and respect for the audience.
- Amusement (weight 0.04): Amusement arises from humorous elements such as the talking cat, unexpected jumpscares, and quirky character interactions. The game balances horror with comedy, creating moments that are both startling and funny. Inside jokes and absurd situations, like mannequins moving in mirrors, add to the lighthearted enjoyment.
- Surprise (weight 0.03): Surprise comes from the game exceeding low expectations, often being discovered as a hidden gem. Players are amazed by the depth of the plot, quality of the soundtrack, and overall polish despite a low price. Plot twists and unexpected gameplay features contribute to a sense of pleasant astonishment.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love for the game is driven by its emotional story, excellent soundtrack, and strong representation of mental health themes. The game's ability to create a deep connection with characters and its overall quality make it a favorite among players. Many describe it as one of the best games they have ever played.
- Sadness (weight 0.03): Sadness is evoked by the tragic stories of the patients and the protagonist, with endings that move players to tears. The game's emotional depth and relatable characters create a powerful sense of loss. Additionally, players feel sorrow that the game is underappreciated and that it has ended.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from the ability to pet the talking cat, which adds a charming and heartwarming element to the game. The balance of horror and humor, along with a satisfying story, creates an emotional adventure that players love. Hidden content and achievements also contribute to repeated enjoyment.
- Fear (weight 0.02): Fear is effectively achieved through atmospheric horror, well-timed jumpscares, and terrifying entities that represent inner demons. Specific moments like the power room in Tape 2 and the antagonist's unexpected appearances create memorable scares. The game delivers sufficient tension without being overly stressful.
- Amazement (weight 0.02): Amazement stems from the outstanding music quality, incredible lore, and mind-blowing revelations. Players are impressed by the game's constant variety and handcrafted attention to detail, which exceed expectations for an indie title. The level design and storytelling are described as god-tier.
- Delight (weight 0.02): Delight is expressed over the soundtrack by The Living Tombstone and the collectible vinyl records that match personal taste. The game's absurd creativity and pleasant little details, along with a cheap price for high quality, bring joy. Replaying the game is just as enjoyable as the first time.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom sets in during the later chapters, particularly Chapter 4, where the gameplay loop becomes repetitive. Large, empty levels and slow plot development cause players to lose interest. The lack of variety in enemies and puzzles contributes to a tiresome experience.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the unique concept of psychological horror focused on treating patients by entering their worlds. The combination of shooter, puzzles, and horror elements creates an intriguing gameplay loop. An engaging plot and interesting story design capture and hold players' attention.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance arises from technical issues like enemy clipping and poor saving systems, which disrupt gameplay. Certain characters, like the Rainbow antagonist, are considered annoying with bad voice acting. Frustrating mechanics include stamina drain and excessive enemy spawns, making combat tedious.
- Slight disappointment (weight 0.01): Slight disappointment comes from lackluster graphics and a game that feels too easy or simple. The story and ending do not meet expectations, being seen as hasty and not scary enough. From a horror standpoint, the game fails to deliver the intended thrills.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Impressed players highlight the game's psychological depth and creative use of props to tell emotional stories. The excellent voice acting, set design, and storytelling exceed expectations, with specific chapters praised as top-tier. The game is considered one of the best story-driven horror experiences available.}