The Suffering

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Midway
  • Release Date: Mar 9, 2004
  • Also On: PC
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 47
  3. Negative: 1 out of 47
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  1. GamerArchive
    70
    An enjoyable, tense, and if anything one of the most surprisingly playable games of the year so far.
  2. Eurogamer
    70
    As it is though, it's a good, solid, disquieting action game that ought to serve fans of the macabre and whodunnit-with-demons perfectly adequately, but stands little chance of threatening the crowns of the Silent Hills, Resident Evils and Project Zeros of this and other worlds.
  3. Village Voice
    70
    Classical monsters are one thing, but why encourage players to think of themselves as killers of women and children, brought to justice, but justified by their "insanity"?
  5. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    63
    The story loses steam about two-thirds of the way through; solving puzzles, which are few and far between, requires little brainpower; and it's far to easy to survive your sentence with so much free ammo and health lying around. [May 2004, p.86]
  6. Edge Magazine
    60
    Had the level design have been a touch more ingenious, and the creatures exhibited more guile, this could have been memorable. [June 2004, p.106]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Times Online
    60
    The learning curve is gentle, the controls simple to master, but there’s little new here.
  8. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    60
    It doesn't help that you seem to be shooting the same handful of monsters no matter where you are—or that the vast majority of these look like offspring of Soul Calibur's Voldo. The shoddy framerate, slippery controls, and blocky character models provide an even more low-rent feel.
  9. GMR Magazine
    50
    The game's frequent puzzles also range from simplistic to mildly frustrating. Fortunately, you'll be finished with the game in a weekend.
  10. TotalGames.net
    50
    This is as much fun as working in a butchers, if you happen to be one of those spooky automatons that stand in the window and carve meat for eternity.
    All this publication's reviews

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Best PS2 Game of 2004
38
#38 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2004
64
#64 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2004

User Reviews

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User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 65 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 65
  3. Negative: 2 out of 65
  1. EdB.
    Jul 31, 2005
    10
    The reviews that dont like this game dont like a fear or a scare atmosphere. This game was great -period - for the non-whimp crowd. I have The reviews that dont like this game dont like a fear or a scare atmosphere. This game was great -period - for the non-whimp crowd. I have been playing for 20 years and this is the scariest video since the silent hill series. Resident evil does not hold a candle to this. Reviewers that had comments on controls, weapon management systems etc. just dont get it. You buy this game for the scare and atmoshere factor which cannot be beat! If you want super controls etc. stick to Ratchet and Clank this game is for the big boys not the whimps.… Full Review »
  2. NathanB.
    Oct 2, 2004
    10
    Dude, I almost wet myself more than once while playing this game. Enough said.
  3. MattS.
    Mar 13, 2004
    8
    WOW!! This game is by far the scariest game ever. Take Resident Evil and Silent Hill, mix them with the battle system of Freedom Fighters, WOW!! This game is by far the scariest game ever. Take Resident Evil and Silent Hill, mix them with the battle system of Freedom Fighters, add a little bit of every serial killer ever born and you get this. I actually don't see how it got by without a A rating. This game doesn't just scare you by things jumping out at you, it goes far deeper, in side your head. The creatures are horrifically scary, the main character, constitently hears voices in his head, grotesque images flash on the screen for a second every now and then, such as decaying corpses, and sucide images. But Torque, the main character, has two voices in his head. A demon, which he can turn into, and his wife's. Throughout various parts, both voice try to influence you to do something, such as save a person( the wife) or kill them (the demon). I would have gave this a 11, but the constent use of the F word, and some more prison talk (etc. Full metal jacket !)has lowered the score. It doesn't effect me, and I know it has a M Rating, and it is in a prison. but it is used in every sentence and for those of us who have little bros, sis's, and uhh mothers. Have to either turn down the volume, which makes you miss out on the creepy background sounds, good acting, and effects, or turn on the subtitles and not hear the voices. I recommend this to any mature player out there and PLEASE PARENTS. Keep this out of the hands of your kids, oh and you might want to confiscate their copy of GTA too.… Full Review »
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