The Medium

A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review.

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"The Medium" is a horror game where players control a psychic medium who can explore both the real and spirit worlds simultaneously. Players use their psychic abilities to solve puzzles, uncover disturbing secrets, and avoid the monstrous Maw. The Deluxe Edition includes an original soundtrack and an art book inspired by Polish surrealist Zdzisław Beksiński.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,277 reviews

story2,039 positive mentions

optimization179 negative mentions

The game features stunning graphics and a beautifully crafted atmosphere that immerses players in its eerie world.
The story is engaging and emotionally impactful, with well-developed characters and intriguing plot twists.
The unique dual-reality gameplay mechanic allows players to explore both the physical and spirit worlds simultaneously, adding depth to the puzzles and narrative.

The game suffers from technical issues, including performance drops and bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
The controls can feel clunky and frustrating, particularly during chase sequences and when navigating fixed camera angles.
The ending leaves many questions unanswered and may feel unsatisfying to players seeking closure.

story
4,050 mentions
50 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of *The Medium* is widely praised for its depth and emotional weight, exploring themes of trauma and loss through a dual-reality mechanic that enhances the narrative experience. Players appreciate the intricate storytelling, which unfolds gradually through collectibles and character interactions, though some find the pacing slow and the ending unsatisfying. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy immersive, story-driven experiences, despite some technical issues and a linear gameplay structure.
- “The story is captivating and felt like a cool origin for a different horror franchise with ghosts and spirits and espionage... would be really cool to see a continuation of the story!”
- “The narrative dives into dark themes, and the exploration of trauma and loss gives the story emotional weight.”
- “The story is the main reason to play their games, and the medium is no exception.”
- “The ending is a huge middle finger to logic, the rest of the story and people who’ve experienced trauma.”
- “The story is really confusing and it does not help that English isn't my native tongue.”
- “The story was a bit convoluted and getting all the nuance came from watching an explanation post game.”
gameplay
1,482 mentions
28 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *The Medium* is characterized by its unique dual-reality mechanic, allowing players to navigate both the real and spirit worlds simultaneously, which serves as a foundation for some clever puzzles and storytelling. However, many reviews highlight that the gameplay can feel simplistic and linear, often resembling a walking simulator with minimal combat and repetitive mechanics, leading to a lack of engagement for some players. While the atmospheric visuals and compelling narrative are praised, the overall gameplay experience is seen as underwhelming, with calls for more depth and challenge in future installments.
- “The unique dual-reality gameplay: one of the medium’s key features is the simultaneous navigation of two worlds.”
- “The gameplay is once again the longest journey's style of object puzzles in the art of problem solving meets pretty much any Capcom game's camera view which many people found in the west, disorienting but if that's how the medium wishes to present itself then that is its character.”
- “The gameplay for the exploration/puzzles was solid, and the game told a compelling story.”
- “What didn't keep me engaged is some of the gameplay choices, especially the slow walking (with a long walk in Thomas's second vision, very annoying), and the chase sequences feel poorly made.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it can get a bit boring and repetitive, as it is mostly about walking (with very slow and clunky animations).”
- “The gameplay is once again the longest journey's style of object puzzles in the art of problem solving meets pretty much any Capcom game's camera view, which many people found in the West disorienting.”
graphics
1,154 mentions
57 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Medium" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and detailed environments, particularly those inspired by the surrealist artist Zdzisław Beksiński. Players have praised the game's atmospheric lighting, color palettes, and the unique dual-world mechanic that enhances the visual experience. However, some users have reported performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical glitches, particularly during split-screen sequences, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “This game has gorgeous visuals, excellent vocal performances, and the perfect atmosphere.”
- “The game's visuals, inspired by the works of Polish surrealist artist Zdzisław Beksiński, are haunting and otherworldly, perfectly capturing the unsettling tone of the story.”
- “The graphics are stunning (even though there are some frame rate and stutter issues).”
- “There are some rough looking animations and visuals like blurry textures and noticeable pop-in of environment.”
- “The game is an unoptimized mess, with abysmal performance even on a high-end RTX 3070 graphics card, frequently dipping below 20 fps at 1080p resolution.”
- “Graphically, the medium disappoints with underwhelming visuals, and the split-screen feature proves to be more distracting than innovative.”
atmosphere
815 mentions
63 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in *The Medium* is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, effectively combining stunning visuals, exceptional sound design, and a compelling soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a sense of dread and tension without relying on jump scares, instead focusing on a rich narrative and atmospheric storytelling that draws players into its eerie world. While some critiques mention gameplay limitations, the overall consensus is that the game's atmosphere is its standout feature, reminiscent of classic horror titles like *Silent Hill*.
- “The atmosphere, imagery, and music do really well at immersing you into the different realities.”
- “From the very beginning, the game immerses you in a dark and mysterious atmosphere where the worlds of the living and the dead intertwine, creating a unique and captivating gameplay experience.”
- “The atmosphere is absolutely top-notch and the art direction is so stunning and immersive.”
- “Feeling of a journey is non-existent and this is so strange, because we have different locations, but due to the same atmosphere it feels bland and boring.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is boring as hell, which perfectly matches the gameplay loops and puzzles where I walk in circles to pad out the 'game' to get to the story underneath.”
- “But when half the game is split into two screens, it completely destroys any and all atmosphere.”
music
674 mentions
50 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in *The Medium* has been widely praised for its atmospheric quality, significantly enhancing the horror experience. Composed by Akira Yamaoka, known for his work on the *Silent Hill* series, the soundtrack effectively evokes feelings of dread and nostalgia, with many players noting its ability to immerse them in the game's eerie environments. While some critiques mention a lack of memorable tracks, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature that complements the game's narrative and visual design beautifully.
- “Inspired by horror classics and accompanied by an evocative soundtrack by Akira Yamaoka (known for Silent Hill), The Medium stands out as a cerebral horror experience.”
- “The soundtrack was phenomenal - Akira Yamaoka and Arkadiusz Reikowski did a truly outstanding job with excellent vocals from Mary E. McGlynn and Troy Baker.”
- “The music guides the player through different scenes and creates the right atmosphere for anxiety and the unknown.”
- “The music is mostly just ambiance that does little to accentuate the mood; there's nothing really scary here, I don't know what anyone could see in this.”
- “Also, for a game that couldn't go 10 minutes without mentioning they had Akira Yamaoka on board, the only song I can remember is the one in the reveal trailer; other than that, the soundtrack completely fell into the background.”
- “The music isn't as good as I was expecting; nothing really sounds like the track that plays in that original reveal trailer, Yamaoka is wasted on this.”
optimization
595 mentions
14 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received widespread criticism, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame rate drops, and inconsistent gameplay even on high-end hardware. While some users noted improvements after patches, the dual-world rendering mechanic appears to heavily impact performance, leading to a frustrating experience for many. Overall, the game's optimization is considered a major flaw, detracting from its otherwise engaging story and visuals.
- “I was worried about performance hit by rendering both worlds, but it worked well sitting on 60fps.”
- “As of July 2024, performance and optimization is solid, just got to tweak the settings to fit your machine.”
- “The game looks gorgeous and while it does have some minor performance hiccups, it was nothing that detracted from the experience.”
- “The game has absolutely horrible optimization.”
- “Performance is terrible though.”
- “The optimization of the game is incredibly uncomfortable, with constant stuttering and frame drops.”
emotional
150 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of *The Medium* is widely praised for its deep exploration of trauma, loss, and psychological themes, creating a hauntingly beautiful narrative that resonates with players. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, with some describing it as a heart-wrenching journey that left them in tears. The combination of a gripping storyline, atmospheric sound design, and immersive visuals contributes to a powerful emotional experience, although some players felt disconnected from the characters at times.
- “The narrative dives into dark themes, and the exploration of trauma and loss gives the story emotional weight.”
- “Marianne’s journey is one filled with emotional depth, and by the end, you feel a real connection to her struggles and the haunting revelations she uncovers.”
- “The story is a beautifully crafted, heart-wrenching tale that left me feeling emotionally invested and connected to the characters.”
- “I have no idea why I decided to beat this game, because it's essentially a very, very slow walking simulator with a boring story and completely lame and uninteresting characters.”
- “Anyway, a somewhat boring story, almost no gameplay, but outstanding graphics and an original, but underdeveloped idea.”
stability
98 mentions
4 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent visual glitches, control issues, and crashes that disrupt gameplay. While some users found the experience relatively smooth, particularly on certain hardware configurations, others described it as a "buggy mess" requiring constant troubleshooting. Overall, the game's performance appears inconsistent, with a significant number of players experiencing frustrating technical problems that detract from the overall experience.
- “It runs great on my Steam Deck, so I'm happy to say I can finally get all the way through.”
- “You can see there's a lot of hard work in this game, and with the ever-increasing amount of AAA titles being released in an unfinished state, I really enjoyed playing a bug-free and enjoyable game.”
- “I experienced no glitches or errors at any stage.”
- “There's visual glitches every now and then, controls not responding, sequences not starting, or completely broken to a point where you have to reload your save every 5 minutes to fix it.”
- “Crashes constantly every minute, or completely freezes.”
- “This is quite possibly the most buggy game I've ever encountered.”
replayability
62 mentions
3 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its low replayability, with many reviewers noting its short playtime of around 7-10 hours and linear storytelling that offers little incentive to replay. Most players feel that the absence of multiple endings, difficulty settings, or varied gameplay mechanics significantly diminishes the game's replay value, making it more akin to a one-time experience rather than a game to revisit. While some may return for missed collectibles or to re-experience the story, the consensus is that replayability is minimal.
- “The story and the main idea opens potential for replayability in different stages of life.”
- “Replay value is low because once you know the story it's hard to enjoy it as much, but I will definitely play again once I forget as much as I can :)”
- “So the game is fairly short, which is fine, but the price seems kind of high for hardly any replay value.”
- “However, the medium does not offer any real replay value because there are neither different levels of difficulty nor multiple endings.”
- “It's a total replayable game, though there aren't multiple endings; I must explore to find if I missed any details that could expand the story even more!”
grinding
56 mentions
4 % positive mentions
5 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often describing gameplay as slow and lacking challenge. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and story, many feel that the excessive backtracking, simplistic puzzles, and drawn-out stealth sections detract from the experience, leading to frustration and boredom. Despite these criticisms, the game's visuals and atmosphere are frequently praised, providing some motivation to push through the tedium.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “The gameplay can be a bit tedious at times, but the visuals, atmosphere, and story pace are top-notch.”
- “The biggest sin, gameplay-wise, is that when you're not solving puzzles and walking around, you're trapped in absolutely tedious and unfun stealth sections where you have to evade an enemy's gaze while experiencing fixed cameras in the environment that give you no indication when the enemy can actually see you or not.”
- “Up until now, this is the most boring and tedious gaming experience I ever had with a video game in my entire life.”
character development
41 mentions
59 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and emotional resonance, particularly in the portrayal of certain protagonists and their relationships. However, others criticize the lack of growth for key characters, feeling that some narratives are underexplored or rely too heavily on shock value rather than meaningful development. Overall, while the character designs and atmospheric elements are often highlighted as strengths, the effectiveness of character development varies significantly among players.
- “The medium is a masterwork in horror atmosphere and character development; it subverts many of the genre's staples, and Marianne is by far one of the most interesting protagonists in a horror game since Heather in SH3.”
- “The game actually makes you have real sympathy for certain characters throughout the experience due to its use of dialogue, scripted writing, and well-thought-out character development.”
- “Not only was my community captivated, I was absolutely entranced with the rich character development.”
- “I understand the reason for it, I just wish Henry got more character development.”
- “Despite professing her love for her father and her sadness for his death, the main character does not show much emotion towards the matter; the dynamics of their relationship are poorly explored, and character development is shallow.”
- “There is no incentive to understand the story as a whole, because the story appears to be written with no clear direction in mind, and the biggest cutscenes fail to leave an impact on the player because of the failed character development.”
humor
28 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent and often misplaced, with some players finding it amusing while others feel it detracts from the horror experience. Moments of levity, such as the protagonist's quirky observations and awkward animations, can elicit laughter, but they frequently clash with the game's darker themes, leading to a disjointed narrative. Overall, while there are funny elements, they often feel out of place, undermining the intended atmosphere of tension and immersion.
- “Some of the most laughable writing and voice acting since the days of CD-i, which made me laugh out loud at several points in the game.”
- “It is hilarious watching Marianne move around strangely in the real world when she is interacting with an apparition in the spirit world.”
- “Throughout the gameplay, I was scared, sad, mad, and laughing at times.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Monetization in the game is criticized for being deceptive, with players feeling misled by advertising that promises features or gameplay that are either incomplete or require paid modifications to fully experience. Additionally, issues such as confusing camera angles and movement restrictions are seen as tactics to push players towards in-game purchases, while the overall gameplay experience deteriorates after an initial period, leaving little recourse for dissatisfied buyers.
- “Plus, many games deceive the buyer; for example, in soulslike games, it says adventure or impossible to complete without paid modifications. In co-op, it doesn't mention that it's only co-op in a franchise that had a single-player campaign. The game is just very boring hackwork with cool advertising or has an agenda instead of a normal plot with normal characters. The game is easy or well-optimized for the first two hours, then problems start, and you can't return the game.”
- “You are blocked in your movement several times for no reason at all, and the camera angle will change to confuse you even more. There are ads that make it unclear why you are able to move in one direction but not in the other.”
- “One of the game's biggest advertising points is your ability to navigate the real world and the spirit world at the same time; it's a genuinely cool mechanic, but it also devours your frame rate.”