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.
