Post Trauma Preview

In the lead-up to Post Trauma's highly anticipated release on the 31st of March, Red Soul Games debuted a new demo during Steam Next Fest, giving us a taste of puzzles and combat while exploring its nightmarish world. With its fixed camera angles, surreal aesthetics, and mind-bending challenges, this title is definitely made by (and for) survival horror fans.

Post Trauma opens in a dreamlike and terrifying fashion, tasking you to shoot a cowering stranger whose face is hidden from view; there’s no context given, and yet, you have to do it to continue. I couldn’t help but feel squeamish as I made Roman (the protagonist) carry out the act, leading me to question this main character’s morals and background. It created an uneasiness that complemented the discomfort I’d have going forward as more disturbing imagery came my way.

Everything about Post Trauma’s world is strange, like an abstract painting that is both familiar and incomprehensible. The subway train Roman finds himself on post-shooting is abandoned, and the search for an exit leads to blood-smeared floors and creepy mannequins. When you finally get out, the station is no better — there’s a grotesque substance coating the walls, locked doors blocking your way, and monstrous creatures hell-bent on killing you. Your only reprieve is small, Resident Evil–style safe rooms where you can save and stash your inventory.

While I only fought two abominations throughout the demo, they made me excited for enemy designs in the full release. The ones I encountered looked and sounded like twisted individuals who were once human, with the first being two bodies conjoined together and the second being a head and upper torso crawling at me on its hands. The sounds they make definitely heighten their creepiness: gross squelches when they lumber through blood, otherworldly groans, and animal-like growls.

Combat is the one area that I wished I could’ve seen more of, as you’re limited to using a crowbar in the demo, but I did enjoy it. Your swings feel heavy and you’re forced to get quite close to your foe. I’ll admit I had an awkward moment when Roman wouldn’t strike in the right direction as I fought the second monster that was on the floor, which caused me to get hit a couple of times. Regardless, I’m intrigued to see more upon its full release; it already seems like the fixed camera will also add some additional challenge to fights as well as opportunities for creepy enemy reveals.

Post Trauma’s puzzles cater to those looking for a satisfying “a-ha!” moment. I spent the majority of my time trying to get out of the subway train because all my attempts to find the padlock’s code had failed. While there were numbers and symbols written on the walls, it was still pretty tricky and I was honestly happy to see I wasn’t the only one struggling when I peeked at the discussion forums. When I did figure it out, it was satisfying — not in an “I should’ve known that” way, but in a “That was a clever challenge” way. That same enjoyment came again with the power generator puzzle toward the end of the demo, which took a good bit of trial and error.

If you’re looking for a horror game that is clearly inspired by classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, then Post Trauma should be on your radar. The strange premise has me excited to see more of its twisted world, and I love that it manages to feel simultaneously modern and retro.

Thankfully, the wait won’t be long, as Red Soul Games recently announced its launch date on the 31st of March 2025. Post Trauma will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.