The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,000 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan Game Cover
Man of Medan builds on the solid foundation of Until Dawn. The decisions you make actively alter your experience, meaning you'll want to replay it over and over.
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"The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan" is a cinematic horror game that follows a group of friends on a diving trip who encounter a supernatural terror. Players make choices that determine the fate of the characters, with multiple endings possible. The game is designed for replayability, with different decisions leading to new scenes and outcomes.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,000 reviews
story624 positive mentions
stability116 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with multiple endings and choices that matter.
  • Great graphics and atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience.
  • Fun to play with friends, especially in co-op mode.
  • Short gameplay length, averaging around 4-5 hours.
  • Clunky controls and camera angles can hinder the experience.
  • Frequent reliance on jump scares, which may feel cheap and predictable.
  • story1,793 mentions

    The story of "Man of Medan" revolves around a group of friends trapped on a ghost ship, with player choices significantly impacting character fates and the narrative's direction. While the game features a compelling atmosphere and multiple endings that encourage replayability, many players found the plot predictable and the overall execution lacking depth compared to its predecessor, "Until Dawn." Despite its short length of around 4-5 hours, the game offers an engaging experience for fans of interactive storytelling, though some critiques highlight issues with pacing and character development.

    • “The story follows a group of friends who find themselves trapped on an eerie, abandoned ship, and every choice you make affects their fates.”
    • “The story is engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that unfolds in unexpected ways, making each decision feel crucial and impactful.”
    • “With multiple endings and a branching storyline, you're encouraged to replay the game to explore different outcomes, which makes each playthrough feel fresh.”
    • “The story was short and boring; the characters were boring, just boring in general.”
    • “The story is fairly uneventful and extremely predictable.”
    • “The story is too short, and all characters' lives depend on quick-time events.”
  • graphics405 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising their stunning realism and atmospheric detail, particularly in the context of horror elements. While the visuals are often described as breathtaking and immersive, some players noted occasional glitches and inconsistencies in character animations. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay experience significantly.

    • “It's such a visual feast of a game, the graphics are amazing and it really pulls you into the story.”
    • “The atmosphere aboard the ghost ship is palpable, enhanced by stunning visuals and chilling sound design.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the setting on the old abandoned ship is creepy, the soundscape is brilliant.”
    • “Can't go without mentioning that playing this game will activate your undiagnosed epilepsy disorder with the amount of quick-cuts and graphical lighting glitches that happen.”
    • “Expect a decent amount of glitching in the graphics and some awkward scene jumps.”
    • “The graphics are pre-2010 and the 'scary' parts are non-existent.”
  • gameplay314 mentions

    The gameplay of "Man of Medan" is characterized by a blend of decision-making, quick-time events (QTEs), and exploration, reminiscent of its predecessor "Until Dawn." While the interactive storytelling and multiple endings offer some replayability, many players find the mechanics clunky, the controls frustrating, and the overall gameplay experience lacking depth, often feeling more like a cinematic experience than a traditional game. Additionally, the short playtime of around 4-5 hours for a $30 price tag has led to mixed reviews regarding its value.

    • “Man of Medan offers an intense narrative experience that keeps you on edge with its combination of decision-based gameplay and psychological horror.”
    • “The studio has expanded upon the decision-making mechanic, which can now steer the story in far more directions, allowing for fairly unique paths through the game.”
    • “It boasts a genuinely intriguing story and a high-fidelity decision mechanic that brings a lot of value in terms of both story progression and replayability.”
    • “3 hours of sluggish, clumsy gameplay for 20€.”
    • “The gameplay is close to non-existent; half of the time is cutscenes, the rest is slow walking in corridors and quick time events here and there.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, this game is virtually identical to Until Dawn, even if it presents things slightly differently.”
  • atmosphere184 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Man of Medan" is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, enhanced by effective sound design and stunning visuals that create a palpable sense of dread aboard the ghost ship. While many players appreciate the game's ability to build tension through atmospheric details and jump scares, some critiques highlight a reliance on predictable scares and a lack of depth in character development that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully delivers a haunting atmosphere that keeps players engaged, though opinions vary on its effectiveness as a horror title.

    • “The atmosphere aboard the ghost ship is palpable, enhanced by stunning visuals and chilling sound design.”
    • “The atmosphere is genuinely creepy, and the game does an excellent job of building tension.”
    • “The atmosphere is perfect.”
    • “There is absolutely zero atmosphere in this game.”
    • “The game didn't even deliver on the horror aspect--just a couple of cheap jump scares and poor attempts at creating a creepy atmosphere--and I can't recall any time during the game where I felt any sense of tension.”
    • “The atmosphere does not quite cut it; I don't feel threatened walking around or interacting with objects.”
  • replayability156 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its branching narrative and multiple endings, allowing players to explore different outcomes based on their choices. While some players find the story predictable after multiple playthroughs, many appreciate the depth of decision-making and the potential for varied experiences, especially in co-op mode. Overall, the replay value is considered high, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “The branching narrative, shaped by player choices, adds replayability as even minor actions can lead to drastically different outcomes, including life or death for the characters.”
    • “With its branching narrative and multiple endings, every choice feels consequential, adding immense replay value.”
    • “The fact that there are so many choices to be made means this game has some great replayability, so the purchase was a no-brainer to me!”
    • “The replay value is basically just for the achievements; this will be more or less a one-time playthrough if you don't care much for achievements.”
    • “The game is short and does offer replayability, but you still have to slowly walk around and sit through repeat dialogue to get a mostly not too impactful but different outcome.”
    • “After you find a plot twist, it stops being scary and its replay value becomes zero.”
  • stability118 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and crashes that detract from the overall experience. While some users noted minor issues that didn't heavily impact gameplay, many described the game as a "buggy mess," particularly in multiplayer modes, leading to frustration and the need for frequent restarts. Overall, the game's technical problems overshadow its potential enjoyment, making it difficult for players to recommend it in its current state.

    • “Runs great and looks fantastic, just a few issues here and there.”
    • “Runs great for me in 4K.”
    • “This game is extremely buggy (I'm talking buggy/missing clues, scenes, and voice lines).”
    • “The online co-op is so broken to the point where in our save we couldn't progress, and it's just buggy all around.”
    • “This game is a disaster in terms of glitches and issues.”
  • optimization68 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and no significant issues, while others reported stuttering, frame drops, and clunky controls. Many noted that the game runs well on high-end PCs, but there are still instances of poor optimization that can detract from the experience. Overall, while some players found the game well-optimized, others recommended waiting for further fixes due to performance inconsistencies.

    • “The game is even extremely well optimized for the most part and extremely stable.”
    • “Very well optimized game, fantastic story, very good gameplay.”
    • “No tech issues, great performance on ultra settings in 1080p (i7-3770, gtx1080).”
    • “The lesser amount of dev time is difficult to ignore for this one in particular, as the dialogue is a little choppy and the performance is erratic.”
    • “Bad optimization and character movements very clunky.”
    • “I was able to run the game at 4k, ultra @ 60 fps but due to a pretty noticeable graphics issue, perhaps a memory leak or the like, the game performance steadily deteriorated to approximately half that by the end of the adventure.”
  • music63 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and tension, while others find it generic or underwhelming. Notable highlights include an outstanding intro song and effective use of sound design, but many players feel the soundtrack lacks prominence during gameplay. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the experience, it doesn't consistently stand out or innovate within the genre.

    • “The music score enhances the tension and drama, making every moment of the game feel like a cinematic masterpiece.”
    • “The music and ambient sound elements consistently contribute to the overall gaming experience.”
    • “The music helps set the atmosphere.”
    • “The original soundtrack by Jason Graves (of 'Dead Space' fame) feels generic and disappointing, but the game includes some awesome modern versions of traditional folk songs in the intro and the credits.”
    • “Music is listenable, but I did not even notice it at times (not that you can't hear it, but it doesn't stand out).”
    • “They use the same music over and over again (the song makes you want to blow your brains out).”
  • humor45 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as unintentional, stemming from awkward dialogue, clunky animations, and amusing character interactions, particularly when played with friends. Many players find the experience entertaining, likening it to a "B-movie" where the comedic elements overshadow the intended horror, making it a fun choice for group play. However, the humor can be hit-or-miss, with some players noting that the poor voice acting and visual bugs contribute to the overall hilarity, while others feel it detracts from the experience.

    • “Funny as hell if you're playing with multiple people.”
    • “The story was spooky and entertaining, and the characters were funny and unique.”
    • “I actually enjoyed it despite all the emotions, heartaches, funny moments, and scares; I enjoyed it!”
    • “It's not funny to kill a character off.”
    • “The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
    • “I expected more clever humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
  • character development29 mentions

    Character development in "Man of Medan" receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the emotional investment and branching choices that shape character personalities, while others criticize the lack of depth and connection to the characters due to the game's shorter runtime. Many feel that the character development is insufficient compared to similar titles like "Until Dawn," leading to a less engaging experience overall. Despite some interesting moments, the consensus is that the game falls short in delivering meaningful character arcs.

    • “Man of Medan excels at character development, making you emotionally invest in the fates of the characters.”
    • “Man of Medan is truly a movie turned video game, giving you many different character development and story branch decisions that can cause things to play out very differently on each playthrough.”
    • “Deep character development with characters you will love, hate, or generally just be baffled by in some way or another.”
    • “There is close to no character development; I didn't care about any of the characters.”
    • “The character development isn't good enough for you to actually care about the group.”
    • “There's a very large amount of character development missing in this game, and unfortunately it teases you with it and never delivers.”
  • grinding24 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often describing the character movement and repetitive tasks as slow and mind-numbing. Many reviewers note that while the game encourages multiple playthroughs for different endings, the lack of meaningful rewards and the inability to skip content make the experience feel laborious. Achievement hunters may find the grind particularly overwhelming, as it requires extensive replaying with little incentive.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “The way the characters move and interact very slowly makes playing this game tedious.”
    • “It's not even difficult, it's just so mind-numbingly tedious.”
    • “For all the choices I make that may affect the game long term, I also make dozens of inconsequential choices and am subjected to endless amounts of tedious play which did more to put me off the game than draw me into its story.”
  • emotional19 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the nuanced character portrayals and immersive storytelling that foster deep emotional investment, particularly in titles like "Man of Medan." However, others criticize the lack of meaningful character connections and predictable narratives, which diminish the emotional impact and overall experience. While some elements, such as character animations and relationship systems, enhance emotional engagement, many feel that the writing and story execution fall short, leading to a less impactful emotional journey.

    • “The nuanced details in character portrayal make it such that players find themselves emotionally invested in the unfolding events, enhancing the overall immersive nature of the game.”
    • “Character animations and facial expressions add depth to the emotional impact, intensifying the immersion into the harrowing tale.”
    • “I was able to become emotionally invested in the characters regardless of the fact it was such a short game.”
    • “It's a boring story with bad writing and uninteresting characters. The 'twist' of the story is very predictable, making the game feel pointless once you know what's going on.”
    • “Very short and a boring story, to say the least.”
    • “Terrible and boring storyline.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for feeling forced and misleading, particularly due to persistent advertising for a "friends pass" that reportedly does not work, leading to frustration among players who feel they were misled into paying for a feature that is no longer available. Many users express disappointment over the game's short length and the aggressive promotion of other titles, suggesting a cash grab mentality from the developers. Overall, the monetization approach has left a negative impression, with calls for boycotts due to perceived fraudulent practices.

    • “If it was skippable I wouldn’t mind so much, but it really came across as forced advertising, especially since the menu itself also advertises the other games in the series.”
    • “I will be boycotting this game's maker for fraudulent advertising, and you should too.”
    • “I only planned on playing this game with someone else and ended up paying twice unexpectedly because of a mix of old, but featured advertising (with expiration dates as a vague 'early to mid January' relegated to the very end of the last paragraph), a good sale price, and me not paying close attention.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
4-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 45 analyzed playthroughs

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