Summary
Post Trauma, fromdeveloperRed Soul Games and published by Raw Fury, is a recently released indie survival horror game that currently has a Very Positive score on Steam. After shuffling its release window around from late 2024 and into Spring of this year, the titlethen found itselfcaught off guard byThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remasteredbeing shadow dropped on April 22, the same day it moved its final launch to.
While it may not have the recognition of Bethesda’s powerhouse fantasy franchise,Post Traumais a tight and well-designed psychological horror experience that unabashedly pulls from the genre’s past in its presentations, particularlySilent Hill. And while this is apparent in much of its vision and story elements,Post Traumaalso carries the torch forward to contribute another excellent entry in the thriving indie retro horror sector.
Due to its release coinciding withOblivion Remastered,Post Traumais now being “re-released” on June 23, with giveaways and streams set to happen.
Comparing Post Trauma to Silent Hill
Post Trauma Wears its Silent Hill Inspirations Loudly and Proudly
The most recent entry in the IP, Bloober Team’sSilent Hill 2 Remake,took clear cues from Capcom’s work on its modernResident Evilones.Post Traumareaches further back into the past, invoking the PS2 era in its feel and gameplay. Red Soul marketed it as “a new world of horror that pays homage to the greats,” and this is an apt description.
Post Trauma’s protagonist, middle-aged train conductor Roman, is easily recognizable as a similareveryman thatSilent Hilltitles often featureas main characters. Awakening in a warped version of his station much like the Otherworld, Roman finds himself wandering through its eerie corridors where disturbing creatures have appeared. Played mostly from a classic third-person fixed camera perspective,Post Traumaalso makes great use of modern graphic, lighting, and sound techniques to create a nostalgic experience that doesn’t feel overly dated or derivative.
Post Trauma Feels Like a Slice of a Larger Silent Hill Story
Like in manySilent Hillgames, Roman begins with a standard melee weapon and gradually collects a smaller array of arms as he makes his way through the train station and a few other familiar psychological horror settings.Post Trauma’s variety of puzzles is also a major focus, with fans having to solve multiple deviously intricate and sometimes head-scratching (though never insurmountable) ones throughout. Many of these resembleSilent Hill’s disturbing occult-themedlocks and other bizarre barriers to progression.
Other mysterious figures crop to assist or taunt Roman as he delves deeper into his surreal ordeal, and there are set-pieceboss battles also reminiscent of some ofSilent Hill’s that cap off the horror after navigating through portions of unnerving maze-like areas. One notable feature is that certain sections are played entirely from a first-person view, switching things up and keeping the tension fresh between story beats.
With a runtime of around 6 to 7 hours,Post Traumafeels like part of a larger narrative that could have lasted a bit longer, although there are alternate endings available. The shorter length and sometimes lower production values are understandable, though, given the studio’s size and independent nature.Post Traumahas done its homework well, however, studyingSilent Hill’s formula while including some of its own original touches and sensibilities that make it much more than a copy of what has come before. It ends up playing like a smaller, self-containedSilentHillentry from a bygone time. And with the major changes to the franchise thatupcoming entries likeSilent Hill fpromise to make,Post Traumais holding down the fort by providing a satisfying and well-crafted old-schoolSH-like experience.
