The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan (Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S)

Game description:

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is a 2019 interactive drama and survival horror video game with paranormal horror elements developed by Supermassive Games and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the first game of the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology, a series of standalone horror video games. Man of Medan features a cast of five playable protagonists and a multilinear narrative influenced by player choice. The game's decision-making scenes, of which there are several, can significantly alter the trajectory of the plot and change the relationships between the main characters. Due to these choices, any of the five protagonists can die permanently.

Gameplay:

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is an interactive drama and survival horror game developed on Unreal Engine 4 by Supermassive Games and played from a third-person perspective in which single or multiple players assume control of five different characters that become trapped on board a ghost ship. Players are required to make decisions based on their character's "head" or their "heart", or can choose for them to do nothing, while selecting between different options when interacting with other characters. The selection of options are stylised as a compass, which is both representative of the characters' "moral compass" and reflective of the game's nautical themes.

Game review:

Man of Medan lacks the campy charm of Until Dawn, but still offers an unnerving horror adventure with consequences that felt directly linked to my actions. If you can get through its slow beginning twice, playing through with a co-op partner is a blast as you both properly explore its many branching storylines.