The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes (Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S)

Game description:

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is a 2021 interactive drama and survival horror video game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the third game of the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology. The game features a multilinear plot in which decisions can significantly alter the trajectory of the story and change the relationships between the five playable protagonists; some lead to their permanent deaths. House of Ashes is set during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and follows five characters—four Americans working for the US Armed Forces and one Iraqi Republican Guard—who must escape from an underground Akkadian temple and survive the vampiric creatures that infest the area.

Gameplay:

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is an interactive drama and survival horror game presented from a third-person perspective. Player control switches between five protagonists, working for the armed forces of their respective countries during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, who become trapped in an underground ancient Akkadian temple infested by vampiric creatures. Managing the characters' relationships is one of the game's core mechanics; they can be amicable, being courageous and ensuring everyone survives despite their differences, or they can continue alone and be concerned with their personal safety instead. Characters often quote the proverb "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", one of the story's recurring themes.

Game review:

In many respects, you know exactly what you’re getting with The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes. It’s a QTE-filled horrorfest that is often stretching against the limitations of its budget. The script could use some polish and the characters could be a little more outside the box. However, the claustrophobic scares work effectively, and the central mystery of House of Ashes signifies a return to what fans loved about Until Dawn. It gives us a tantalizing look at what could be coming in the future.