I accomplished it, folks. I successfully completed the Steam Next Fest demo for Post Trauma, a survival horror game influenced by Resident Evil and Silent Hill, and I am thrilled to report that it delivers despite its challenging puzzles.
I won’t deceive you; I came perilously close to not being able to write this article because I struggled immensely with the initial puzzle in the demo, which I ultimately brute-forced my way through after numerous failed attempts. Admittedly, time is of the essence, and I don’t have all day to search for hints, but I can still assert that the puzzles I faced in the Post Trauma demo rival some of the most difficult Resident Evil and Silent Hill puzzles I’ve ever encountered. There’s one puzzle towards the end of the demo involving a circuit board that nearly drove me insane, but fortunately, I managed to figure it out and finish the demo.
If you relish complex puzzles, this is likely music to your ears; however, if you’re a big ol’ goof like me, you might find what I’m describing quite off-putting. But take my word for it, if you have a liking for survival horror classics and are comfortable with fixed-camera angles, Post Trauma is definitely worth your time. And no, it’s not just another one of those indie games attempting to emulate the PS1 style that seem to be popping up everywhere, which vary widely in quality based on my experience; Post Trauma presents itself as “a modern reinterpretation” of its inspirations.
It is also remarkably clear thematically, tonally, visually, and musically – it truly stands out on its own while drawing from a well-established foundation. You assume the role of a middle-aged train conductor named Roman who awakens from a nightmare to find himself in the horrifying alternate dimension where the game takes place. The demo offers a first glimpse of the game’s premise, showcasing Roman waking up in an abandoned train with countless reasons to escape. To start, there is blood everywhere, and even worse, there are eerie mannequins whose eyes seem to follow you. Unfortunately, the train’s exit is blocked by a padlock and you need to explore the entire environment to uncover the solution, assuming you’re clever enough to figure that out.
I didn’t get to witness much of the “unspeakable nightmares” that developer Red Soul Games hints at in the game’s Steam description, but I did battle a humanoid creature that appeared to have been torn in half yet inexplicably had the strength to nearly overpower me. That was definitely a rather frustrating encounter, but I’m eager to see more of the truly disturbing elements like those depicted in the image at the end of this article, which I took from the trailer.
Visually, the atmosphere is captivating. I genuinely appreciate that the game seems to be at least partially set in Japan rather than the typical small-town American settings often showcased in Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and similar titles. And musically, I must say, even if you don’t play this demo and have no plans ever to try out Post Trauma, do yourself a favor and check out the main theme, composed by Myuu. It’s striking, eerie, and evocative in a manner that feels wholly unique to survival horror games from the past.
Once again, I’ve only played about 30 minutes of this demo and a similar duration in a previous demo that took me through an obscure section of the game, but I am thoroughly impressed by what I’ve seen so far. The puzzles are rich with depth and, up to this point, variety; the atmosphere is unsettling and ominous; the controls (tank-style optional) are smooth and intuitive, the st