After its success with Until Dawn, Supermassive Games has stuck to its niche and continued churning out narrative-heavy, choice-based horror games. Although it has not reached the cult status of Until Dawn, The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of games that takes the formula that made Until Dawn so popular and applies it to other scary stories. With the latest title, House of Ashes, the studio decided to amp up the experience by including big names such as Ashley Tisdale.
Supermassive Games will conclude the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology with The Devil in Me, which is scheduled to release in the latter half of 2022. A recently revealed trailer of The Devil in Me suggests that the game will take inspiration from Until Dawn, which is a good thing, as it is a favorite among gamers. If The Devil in Me can incorporate Until Dawn’s elements correctly, it could be another cult classic from Supermassive Games.
Murder Is an Art in The Devil in Me
The reveal trailer for The Devil in Me features a narrator who explains exactly what it means to be a killer and what it feels like. According to him, nothing compares to watching the life bleed out of someone, and murder is an art. He wants the player to be an artist, too. Though not much more is revealed, the gory imagery lets gamers know that they are in for a good scare. As the latest The Devil in Me trailer explains, the game's plot revolves around a documentary crew that receives an invitation to a hotel that is a replica of the serial killer H. H. Holmes' murder castle. When they arrive, they realize all is not well, and that their lives may be on the line.
In addition to a new story, gamers can also expect new gameplay moves that will make exploration easier. The game will include character inventory, and additional movements, including the ability to run, jump, and climb. Players can also expect tool-based puzzles in the murder castle, but they will not have to face them alone because multiplayer is back, allowing for up to five players to experience the horror together.
For gamers who are interested in the upcoming game, there are a few versions of The Devil in Me to choose from. The first is the Standard Edition which, if pre-ordered, gives players access to the Curator's Cut which features new playable characters and outcomes. There is also the Volume 2 Edition which contains House of Ashes and The Devil In Me, as well as the Animatronic Collector's Edition which includes a hotel map in addition to an animatronic bust.
The Devil in Me appears to be the most ambitious The Dark Pictures Anthology title yet, but it will have to do a lot to step out of Until Dawn's shadow. It seems like Supermassive Games is up to the task, as The Devil in Me may share some elements with Until Dawn. If the studio can pull it off correctly without making The Devil in Me feel like a carbon copy of Until Dawn, gamers could be in for a scary Halloween.
Players Can Expect Some Murder Games
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Part of the frightening fun of Until Dawn comes from the murder games that players engage in. Following the disappearance of two of their friends, a group of teens returns to Blackwood Mountain for what turns out to be a night of horror. One by one, they get hunted down, and at times, their stalker plays demented mind games with them that are not unlike what one might see in the Saw franchise. This is seen, for example, when, playing as Chris, players must choose whether to kill Josh and save Ashley, or vice versa.
Though The Dark Pictures Anthology has managed to gather a following for itself, it still lies in the shadow of Until Dawn and this is seen in part by the fact that no game from the anthology has managed to top Until Dawn's Metacritic score. Some criticisms of the anthology have claimed that it does not give players enough freedom, it leans too much into being a movie and not enough into being a game, and that its stories are lackluster compared to Until Dawn's tale. The trailer suggests that Supermassive Games has heard the criticisms and will be delivering an experience far more similar to Until Dawn with The Devil in Me.
The documentary crew that arrives at the hotel is impressed by it at first, but they soon discover they have been caught in the trap of a maniac who is trying to be America's greatest serial killer. Players will encounter elaborate killing rooms designed to shed blood and bring about painful deaths. To make it out alive will require some smart decision-making and good survival instincts. Some of the tensest moments of Until Dawn are created from having to make life or death decisions and trying to outsmart others, and The Devil in Me seems to be looking to replicate that. This bodes well for the game, and it may be the reason Supermassive Games will be able to end season one of The Dark Pictures Anthology with a bang.
Although The Dark Pictures Anthology has not been received as well as Until Dawn, with The Devil in Me, the series has a chance to prove that it can be just as toe-curling as the PS4 classic. The trailer suggests it may bring the most intriguing story yet, and its connections to H. H. Holmes will ensure it is an experience filled with sadistic scares. If Supermassive Games can play mind games with players and have them sweating as they make life or death decisions, it could have another horror hit on its hands.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is scheduled to release in 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.