yeah, i know, stupid question...

[quiksilvershado]

Why do you hear screaming several times in the game? Like in the sewers in mission 6, or from mission 16 onwards in the hallways there are women screaming? Was it put in the game for psychological factor, or is it to just set the scene some more? Also, does anyone have any theories for who or what could be screaming? Could it be tortured souls trapped in the castle?

 

[Tony_Redgrave]

I'm sure they were put there just to give a better feeling to the whole game. Like the sounds you hear in games like Silent Hill. There isn't something that does them but it creeps you out, and that's its job

But if you want to take it more story-line wise, then I think that what you said about souls may be true. This castle was once a property of many castellans until Mundus started his first attempt to take over the human world I guess. The screams could be trapped souls that suffer for eternity, since (if I am not mistaken) they thought of Mundus like some kind of god before he showed his true colours and Sparda beat him. (According to the bookcases in DMC1 at least)

 

[Phantom Dante]

They were put in the game so you could crap your pants.
But what Tony_Redgrave said is more clear.

 

[Iced Digger]

The first game seems to be more influenced by Resident Evil than any others, mabye they just tried to add a little scare factor to it?