The Dark Pictures – Man of Medan: The spooky adventure comes our way this summer
Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn was an exclusive sleeper hit on PS4, managing to capture the campy horror of classic slasher films while creating an experience that felt both engaging and ensured player choice meant something.
Being haunted by terrifying creatures while trying to solve an unfolding mystery was hugely enjoyable, and it’s something we remember fondly. The Dark Pictures Anthology is set to introduce a new series of horror stories, starting with Man of Medan in 2019.
Trusted Reviews has compiled everything you need to know about The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan including all the latest news, release date, gameplay and more.
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The Dark Pictures Anthology – what is it?
Described as “intense standalone horror games” by Supermassive CEO Pete Samuels, it will follow in the footsteps of Until Dawn where “your decisions, your reactions to horror thrown at you, will determine who will and who won’t survive.”
This isn’t a PS4 exclusive or being published by Sony, instead launching for PS4, Xbox One and PC. It also runs on different technology, utilising Unreal Engine 4 as opposed to the Decima Engine.
The Dark Pictures Anthology trailer – how does it look?
The Dark Pictures Anthology release date – when is it coming out?
Man of Medan, the first entry in the series, will be launching on August 30, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One and PC. Expect to see it make an appearance at E3 2019, too! From now until release, Man of Medan is available for pre-order. Those who jump in early will gain access to the Curator’s Cut, a bonus available on to Day 1 players.
Unlocked after completing the game once, the Curator’s Cut (which will be made available for free to all players at a later date) provides:
- A new perspective with alternative characters in previously played scenes
- New decisions and choices within each scene which change the story in different ways
- New scenes and new secrets not featured in your original playthrough
The Dark Pictures Anthology Gameplay Preview – How does it play?
A heck of a lot like Until Dawn, as it turns out. Supermassive Games has clearly taken the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach with The Dark Pictures Anthology, and it’s worked wonders. At least, it proved both spooky and compelling in the short demo I had a chance to play at Gamescom 2018.
Taking place on an abandoned ship haunted by what is presumably an ancient curse, Man of Medan features a group of hapless teenagers eager to party. As expected, things go terribly wrong and you’re left to fight for survival. My time with the game begins right in the thick of things as I’m taken hostage and escorted through the ship’s rusty corridors. My captor is clearly just as uneasy as me, making the entire situation ooze a palpable dread.
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Controls feel very similar to Until Dawn as you move around a singular character while they explore a specific environment to progress the narrative. It’s strictly linear, only deviating from the established path when you make decisions, which can be both major and minuscule in magnitude.
For example, I could choose to inspect corpses for a little extra insight or, by the end of demo, leave a friend behind to be eaten alive by living corpses. Choices like this punctuate the entire experience, and they’re all made to serve the unsettling atmosphere that permeates everything.
Camera angles shift majestically to take perfect advantage of the environments you explore. As I descended down a corridor my character was thrust to the back of the frame, allowing for a dastardly jump scare as an alien hand crept away in the corner. It’s fun, spooky and the exact kind of campy horror I signed up for.
First Impressions
Beyond what was mentioned above, there isn’t very much more to say about Man Of Medan. It’s an extension of Until Dawn both in terms of narrative ambition and gameplay mechanics. If you’ve experienced Supermassive’s previous horror effort, you’ll likely adore what’s to come in The Dark Pictures Anthology.
Are you ready to be spooked by Man of Medan? Let us know on Facebook and Twtter @trustedreviews.
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
