This article is part of a directory: Complete Guide to The Devil in Me: Collectibles, Endings, and More
Table of contents

Spoilers for The Devil in Me Ahead!The latest entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology, The Devil in Me, features a group of filmmakers who visit a replica of H. H. Holmes' murder castle. There, they discover that things aren't just make-believe, and their lives may be at stake in very real ways. As is the case with past games in the series, player choices affect how The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me's plot plays out and which characters get to live or die, which adds to the tension. The scare factor is raised further this time around, as H. H. Holmes is a real-world serial killer who is as sadistic as he is terrifying.

It is difficult to pick apart lies from the truth when it comes to the life of Holmes, particularly because he is a skilled con man. Consequently, a lot of myths have built up around his crimes and his supposed murder castle. The Devil in Me borrows from both the myth and reality of Holmes' life and his mysterious murder castle when crafting its horror. Using these elements, the game manages to be one of the most hair-raising entries in The Dark Pictures Anthology thus far.

RELATED: The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me Needs to Come Out of Until Dawn's Shadow

Who is H. H. Holmes?

The-Devil-In-Me-002-1

Born in 1861, H. H. Holmes began his life of fraud, deceit, and manipulation from an early age. While in college, he and his anatomy professor robbed graves to supply medical cadavers, and Holmes admitted to using cadavers to defraud insurance companies. Eventually, Holmes moved on to murder. However, some criminologists do not classify Holmes as a serial killer because, despite his killing spree, he was motivated by greed and self-interest rather than the thrill of the murders themselves.

Due to his deceiving ways, there may never be an entirely accurate account of Holmes' life. It is believed that some of his earliest murders were cases of botched abortions. This was likely the case with his mistress named Julia, a young girl who worked for him named Emeline, and another young worker named Emily. Eventually, he moved on to using murder for fraud. After convincing Minnie Williams to transfer the title to her property to an alias of his, she was never seen again. Though it cannot be proven, it is believed that there are at least six "vanishings" between 1891 and 1895 that are probably linked to Holmes. His killing spree came to an end following his murder of Benjamin Pitezel, which had been an insurance fraud attempt. After being found guilty of the murder, he was hanged in 1896.

Holmes and His Murder Castle

devil in me key art

In 1887, Holmes began construction on a mixed-use building in Chicago, Illinois. Construction was completed in 1892, with the building featuring a store on the first floor, and the higher floors featuring rooms for visitors. To those who asked, he informed them that the building was going to be used as a hotel for visitors coming to see the World's Fair. During the construction of the building, Holmes never stopped his swindling ways and was sued for not paying his architects.

Over the years, as Holmes' infamous reputation has grown and many myths have developed around this building. False reports from journalists and urban myths have led many to believe that the building was an elaborate murder castle featuring trap doors and torture chambers for the killer to act out his sadistic fantasies. In reality, the building was relatively normal. Holmes' building was destroyed by a fire in 1895, though both Holmes and the myths surrounding his murder castle live on. In The Devil in Me, characters like Kate and Erin come face to face with these horrors.

RELATED: Upcoming Horror Games Have an Issue with Representation

The Devil in Me and H. H. Holmes

The-Devil-In-Me-Holmes

The latest entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology is arguably the best thus far. The Devil in Me brings major improvements over past titles in the series, including tool-based puzzles as well as new movement capabilities such as jumping, running, and climbing. For gamers who enjoyed Until Dawn from Supermassive Games, this horror game is not to be missed, as it brings a similar, slow-burning, campy kind of horror along with characters that are easy to care about.

The Devil in Me borrows from the mythical version of Holmes, which is ultimately for the best, as the myth may be more interesting than reality. Gamers are introduced to this version of Holmes from the first few moments of the game when he lures a newlywed couple into his murder castle and proceeds to bring a brutal end to their honeymoon. This is the version of Holmes that Mr. Du'Met grows obsessed with and attempts to mimic in twisted ways.

Mr. Du'Met is a wealthy and eccentric man who constructs a replica of Holmes' murder castle. With his intricate yet depraved plotting, he is a memorable gaming villain. To Du'Met, Holmes is a methodical serial killer who enjoyed his murders and had likely racked up over 200 kills by the time of his execution. As the crew explores Du'Met's building, they discover secret rooms, booby traps, and puzzles meant to physically and psychologically torture his victims. Some of these traps are based on commonly repeated myths surrounding Holmes' murder castle. For instance, it has been said that the murder castle had a human-sized stove to incinerate people. Similarly, in The Devil in Me, the leader of the crew, Charlie, finds himself in a furnace with seemingly no escape.

Though the game missed Halloween, it arrives in time to provide a scary end to the year. It joins recently released titles such as Resident Evil Village: Gold Edition and A Plague Tale: Requiem that are geared toward having players scared stiff. The Devil in Me paints a good picture for the future of The Dark Pictures Anthology, and it appears that Supermassive Games has finally found its rhythm with the franchise.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MORE: How The Quarry Can Improve Upon Until Dawn