$20 game of the week: Suffering – Ties that bind

In 2004, Midway released ‘The Suffering’ a refreshing take on the survival horror genre.  It was a lot more action focused than the Resident Evils and SIlent Hills, in which it was less about solving puzzless so much as it was about blowing away hideous creatures.  It was basically a combination of SIlent Hill and Max Pane.  Players took the role of Torque, a grim man scentenced to Death Row for the murder of his wife and children, but here was the twist – weather or not he actually committed the crimes depended on how you played the game, giving you one of three endings.  A year later, Midway followed it up with this sequel.  WHile it delivered more of the same action, it was moved to a different setting.  Players with an old save game can load up and get a different starting sequence based on how they finished teh game last time.  You fight against Blackmore and his henchmen, including dozens of new monsters, each based on real life horrors.  Once again your ending differs based on how you play the game.  Although this game’s big plot twist will seem familiar to anyone who has seen Fight club, Midway/surreal has crafted a brand of survival horror that can very well end up being America’s equivalent to Resident Evil.