Anthology horror series have made a comeback in recent years, and we've been a little spoiled when it comes to spooky tales. Black Mirror, American Horror Story, and the newest Twilight Zone reboot are all prime examples of horror anthologies that have given fans a bevy of standalone fright fests to keep them up at night.

Up until now, there hasn't really been an equivalent of this in the gaming world. Sure, a horror series may introduce new protagonists or monsters, but if you're playing a Resident Evil or Silent Hill game, there's a significant chance that a familiar horrifying face will make an appearance. Supermassive Games is attempting to produce the first real horror anthology of horror video games with its Dark Pictures series, and Man Of Medan is a pretty solid first entry, although it definitely has some issues that need to be ironed out for future installments.

Pretty People, Petty Pirates, & Putrid Poltergeists

Man Of Medan has a pretty standard set up for a horror story. Five sexy people all jump on a boat to do some diving in the hopes of finding sunken treasure, and because this can't possibly go well, they run afoul of some pirates who want that treasure for themselves. That treasure hunt takes them into a massive storm, which also causes them to run into a gigantic lost ship that kind of magically appears out of nowhere. You could even call it a "ghost ship" of sorts. Supernatural hijinks occur, and it's up to you to keep our merry band of potential victims alive to the very end.

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The story is standard, so don't expect anything revolutionary plot-wise, although it does have some decent twists and turns along the way. However, because you're the one controlling these attractive sea-faring folks, it makes everything more intense, and it is a fun little ride. It does need to be said that some of the dialogue is incredibly corny, and the acting quality is all over the place. Also, at least three of the main characters are the douchiest people who ever lived, which does kind of remove the importance of keeping them alive.

Thankfully, there is one fun character. Since this is a horror anthology after all, it has its own Cryptkeeper/Rod Serling-style host in the form of a character called, The Curator. He's a rather well-dressed British fellow, who will occasionally pop in to tell you how good or bad you're doing, and may give you a hint on how to not die. His segments usually occur after a major event in the story, and they offer you a chance to breathe a little before jumping back into all the nautical terror. He's quite possibly the best performer in the whole game, and I think he's a good way to tie all of The Dark Pictures stories together, although he really needs more scary puns.

Get Those Quick Time Reflexes Ready

If you've ever played Until Dawn, or one of the many David Cage games, then you should be a pro at Man Of Medan. This is one big interactive movie, with you controlling the characters, choosing how they interact with each other and the environment, and hitting some quick time events in order to prevent any sudden deaths. And I sincerely hope you're pretty good at QTE's, because not only does Man Of Medan have them, but they're the type where if you happen to blink at the wrong moment, you probably screwed up.

Speaking of screwing up, your choices do matter quite a bit in this game. There are not only multiple ways for the story to go, but there are also multiple ways for character relationships to go, too. Depending on how you respond, these pretty people will react differently to each other, and that affects the outcome of the plot. Even the smallest decision can have ripple effects that could potentially cost a character their life.

If that sounds scary, well good. It's a scary game, so it's doing its job. But if you do want some hints on how to proceed, there are pictures spread throughout the chapters that give you "Premonitions." These allow seeing how a scene will play out, although you won't necessarily know what exactly is happening. It's more of a hint, as it gives you just a quick flash of a potential scene, and it's up to you to figure out what decision leads to that scenario playing out.

Frights With Friends

The one really cool feature that Man Of Medan offers is the ability to experience this nightmare with other people. The game has two kinds of multiplayer modes, with the first being the Shared Story mode, which allows you and another player to play online. You both control different characters at different points in the story, and both of your decisions will impact relationships, and the way the story plays out. For example, while one person is doing some deep-sea diving, the other may be trying to sweet talk the captain into coming to their cabin.

The other mode that likely will get even more play is Movie Night. Likely based on how some people played games like Detroit: Become Human or Until Dawn, this is a couch co-op mode for 2-5 players where each player controls one or two of the characters. The game tells you when to switch, and you pass the controller around when it's someone's turn. It's an incredibly cool way to experience the game, and I'd highly recommend grabbing some friends together to play it this way. Just keep in mind, you might want to make sure they're either good at QTE's, enjoy a good scare, or are willing to sit through the boring bits of the story until it's their turn.

A Lovely Uncanny Valley

The game's graphics are gorgeous. Supermassive Games are focused on creating photo-realistic environments that make it easy to think that this entire world is just a movie. Sometime you might be so distracted by how good it looks, that you'll forget that you're actually playing a game. Characters are well modeled, the water looks beautiful, the lighting looks near perfect, and every scary bit has the appropriate amount of shimmering blood and gooey gore.

However, there are some issues. While the graphics are good, sometimes the game's performance isn't as good as it could be. Some scenes awkwardly transition into others, or some characters may freeze up a bit before responding to you. There were some hitches and hiccups, and I also had the odd stutter here and there.

Man Of Medan also has a few issues that have carried over from previous Supermassive titles. While they do look incredibly life-like, our handsome heroes will occasionally look more animatronic than animated. There's some awkward movements and facial expressions that can break the immersion a little bit, and some of the characters suffer from having glassy dead eyes that creep me out more than the actual scares. It's a small issue, and this game is a graphical jump up from Until Dawn, but the engine still isn't quite there when it comes to perfectly replicating these actors' performances.

A Pleasant Vacation

The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan is a pretty good start to this franchise. This particular story is definitely cliched, and a little too reliant on jump scares, but it still comes together in the end. It's always fun to watch pretty people run for their lives. The game really shines with it's multiplayer modes, as gathering up some friends to get frightened together is a ton of fun. There's a lot of choices, and it's very possible to lose all, some, or none of your hunky hunks and beautiful babes.

If the next game has a more original story, a more likable cast, and some smoother animation, then The Dark Pictures could truly be the gaming equivalent of The Twilight Zone.

3.5 Out Of 5 Stars

A Playstation 4 copy of The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan was purchased by TheGamer for this review. The Dark Pictures: Man Of Medan is available on Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan is the first in the anthology of interactive survival horror games from Supermassive. Kidnapped by pirates, a group of friends must survive an encounter with a ghost ship.

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