The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan

Following up from the smash-hit that was 'Until Dawn', Supermassive Games turned to the independent route and created their own "make your own path" horror game franchise, commencing with this very game. However, Until Dawn is the best and worst thing for this game - best as it simply wouldn't exist without Until Dawn but worst as it led everyone to wrong expectations, everyone expected another slasher story but that's not what this is - this is a ghost story.

The plot of the game is somewhat well-crafted as dives into interesting themes such as: paranoia and disenfranchisement of cultures following WW2, however the ambitious over-focus on alternating pathways with no thought of plot armour for specific characters in certain situations (which allowed Until Dawn to have a naturally flowing plot/pace no matter what you've chosen) is gone now - often leading the ending chapters of the game, especially the epilogue, to feel rushed, clumsy and unfinished. The big plot twist simply does the game no big favours, while it is clear what they were trying to aim thematically (with it presumably being a metaphor for how we create our own fears of a past we didn't witness), it simply doesn't work as good as just having a traditional ghost story would have done for this plot. It is also worth noting that despite there being so many ways for the lead protagonists to die, the actual feeling of trying to make the characters survive the night is gone as the game makes it really easy for the player to save them all.

However, on a gameplay aspect, I have no huge quarrels with the game apart from the fixed angle perspectives making it occasionally difficult to navigate your way through the ship. The character models and environments are all beautifully designed, perfectly convey accuracy while creating a perfect atmosphere for the game, the ship literally feeling dead and lifeless which is very apt, as well as some eye-catching aesthetics. Sadly, the facial motions of the character models are nothing to write home about as they are often very hit-or-miss which doesn't compliment the actually decent voice acting on display.

Overall, Man of Medan is a decent launching pad for the franchise and while the it isn't Supermassive Games' strongest, it is an enjoyable experience nevertheless.

Five friends set sail on a holiday diving trip with a rumoured WWII wreck to find. As the day unfolds and a storm rolls in, their trip soon changes into something much more sinister. Who will live? Who will die? It's down to you. Can you save them all?

Man of Medan kicks off The Dark Pictures Anthology elegantly and subtly chilling with a solid, entertaining horror experience from Supermassive Games. Whilst the game isn't as emotionally impactful as Until Dawn, and the characters not nearly as interesting and fleshed-out the game makes up for with gripping, beautiful, and giddily silly horror. Technical issues, a rushed story, and a confusing approach to player choices halt the game from reaching the same levels as Until Dawn. Overall, Man of Medan is a fun, entertaining horror experience but I'm hoping Supermassive Games can scare up something a little more substantial for future The Dark Pictures titles.

After the unspectacular Playstation VR game ''The Inpatient'' and the boring interactive Playstation 4 game with PlayLink feature ''Hidden Agenda'', I'm glad to announce that British video game developer Supermassive Games is back in the game with the release of ''The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan''. Just like this company's greatest success, the horror video game ''Until Dawn'' released four years ago, this is an interactive game. You can play five different characters and their survival depends upon the decisions you take throughout the game. The game can be played individually, by multiple players or online. This survival horror game is supposed to be the first in an anthology of eight games. The next entry in the franchise, titled ''Little Hope'' is supposed to be released in spring 2020. A new game is supposed to follow about every six months. I could see this become my favourite video game franchise ever if the series continues to keep the momentum of this first installment.

This story revolves around five characters stranded on a mysterious ship that disappeared in the Pacific Ocean after the end of the Second World War. Positive leader Alex, his shy brother Brad, Alex' adventurous girlfriend Julia and her quirky brother Conrad travel to the South Pacific Ocean for an illegal underwater diving expedition as they try to find a plane wreck at the bottom of the ocean. Their headstrong captain Fliss criticizes the group for its carelessness but accepts to help since she is in desperate need for money. Things turn sour when a group of pirates attacks them and attempts to find gold on a nearby ghost ship. Once the five lead characters and the pirates enter the ship, they realize that its crew died terrible deaths. The five lead characters must take the right decisions in order to avoid the same fate.

On the positive side, this game is very atmospheric. The opening hour isn't particularly gripping but serves to introduce the different characters efficiently. Once the characters arrive on the ghost ship, the atmosphere gets more intense and never lets go until the very end. The challenge level in this game is quite difficult. I played this game twice and only one character survived after my first try while nobody survived during my second attempt. The game has a lot of replay value as the story is quite variable. Characters can die or survive in many different ways and there are lots of secrets to be discovered throughout the game. These secrets will also unlock additional video clips which are very interesting to watch. The graphics and sound aren't as sharp as in ''Until Dawn'' due to a lower budget but they are overall still above average. The soundtrack of the game is outstanding and the title song ''A Conversation with Death'' by American doom metal band Khemmis is a very positive surprise. The song fits the game and its atmosphere and it's awesome to hear some great metal music in a video game.

The game also has a few downsides. The controls are complicated and lacking fluidity. Instead of entering a room, a character might hit a wall and you have to move very carefully. The different quick-time events are particularly challenging as you almost always make mistakes and end up in very dangerous situations.

The length of the game might seem like an initial disadvantage as it takes roughly five hours to complete it. However, the game has such a high replay value that you will spend many more hours playing this game. Plus, the game's price is very appropriate with around forty Canadian dollars plus taxes.

In the end, ''The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan'' is an outstanding survival horror game that convinces with intense atmosphere and great replay value. It leaves you wanting more and the next entry in the franchise with ''Little Hope'' can't come soon enough. The first trailer already looks quite promising and gives you Silent Hill and The Blair Witch Project vibes. Give this overlooked new game a try and enjoy it alone at night or with a couple of friends. The game is available on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

'The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan (2019)' is the first of eight (planned) games in an anthology series from the makers of 'Until Dawn (2015)', followed by 'Little Hope (2020)' and the upcoming 'House Of Ashes (2021)'. It's a narrative-driven adventure game in which you take control of five characters and, in turn, try to help them survive the events they're forced into. It's a choice-based experience that mostly consists of dialogue options, quick-time events and split-second decisions. There are segments in which you walk around the environment in a more traditional manner, finding secrets to flesh out the story, but most of the thing is like an interactive cut-scene. That's not a bad thing, though; it's the style of the game. Though it's sometimes a bit clunky (both narratively and mechanically), it's ultimately an atmospheric and engaging experience. The piece nails its realist aesthetic, with nuanced animation bringing to life the motion-capture performances that drive each character. The game's choices feel like they have impact, even if some are inevitably red herrings, and the action/ suspense sequences get you on the edge of your seat. The ending is a bit of a let-down, primarily because it feels a bit rushed and underwhelming (there's no major climax, really). Plus, some of the characters' reactions to certain events - including deaths - are unbelievably subdued. Having said that, the game is enjoyable pretty much all the way through. It allows you to uncover its mystery, which is satisfying; however, the characters never confirm their own theories, which is unsatisfying. As you can see, the piece is a bit of a mixed bag, but it's entertaining and that's the most important thing. It also features an apparently fantastic co-op mode that I haven't had a chance to play myself. In the end, it's a solid narrative adventure. 7/10.

The game is good don't get me wrong, but it isn't like Until Dawn. In Until Dawn you became very attached to the characters, which is something Supermassive missed the mark on here. The story of Until Dawn also felt longer and developed characters more. Personally I think using more established actors would have helped make people more involved with characters. Part of what made Until Dawn feel amazing was you had NO IDEA what was going on, while Man of Medan feels a bit too straight forward. The nice thing about Until Dawn was that it was drawn out for suspense, while Man doesn't have as much. Another problem was that Man felt really confined and direct , oppose to the dark and long forest trails in Until Dawn which could harbour collectibles in any corner. On the positive note the graphics were cleaner especially on PC and the multiplayer movie function was a great idea (albeit needs a little tweaking). In the end the game is good and fun to play, but don't expect any GOYT edition. In the future Supermassive needs to work on character development, a more open feeling environment, and return to the horror movie cliches that we all know and love.