The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me

Checking in, and far from checked out

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Listen, we stan actor Tobin Bell as much as the next horror aficionado, and we're certainly no prudes about gore, but we I never could quite get on with Saw. However, set the murder castle within the confines of an interactive medium and suddenly we're cooking with gas! Though you may want to stash your smokes for this one...

The unfortunates so doomed in this Dark Picture are the staff of flagging production company Lonnit Entertainment. Desperate for a win, the opportunity to shoot in a recreation of 19thcentury serial killer HH Holmes' hotel from hell is too good an opportunity to pass up. Unfortunately, the crew members barely have time to unpack their bags before the walls begin to close in.

The finale of the first season of Supermassive's horror anthology sees the biggest departure from the established formula. Yes, everyone can still live or die depending on your choices but there are a few new mechanical wrinkles in play.

Well, 'new' is perhaps a strong word for mechanics that are well-established outside Supermassive's cinematic oeuvre. For a start, your movement options have been expanded, allowing characters to run, jump, climb, and vault around explorable environments. It's not the most elegant locomotion, with movement being hitched to the post of 'vaguely realistic momentum.' It takes some getting used to, and can make even the simplest block-pushing puzzle feel oddly laborious, but at least now characters have more options beyond taking a leisurely stroll away from danger.

Second, you've now got a limited inventory tied to the D-pad, with each crew member enjoying the utility of character-specific items. Resident Evil or Obscure it is not, but these mechanical additions give this frightfest a fighting chance.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, QTE!