The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is an interactive horror adventure game where players navigate a group of characters trapped aboard a ghost ship haunted by supernatural threats. Set aboard the eerie SS Ourang Medan, the story unfolds through player choices, quick-time events, and branching narratives that determine survival outcomes. With multiplayer options and multiple endings, the game emphasizes tension-driven exploration and decision-making in a cinematic supernatural setting.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan: Review

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is a masterclass in interactive horror, blending a rich narrative with innovative gameplay mechanics to create an experience that lingers long after the credits roll. Developed by Supermassive Games, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Until Dawn, Man of Medan sets a high bar for the anthology series, offering a compelling blend of choice-driven storytelling and atmospheric terror. This review will delve into the game’s development history, narrative depth, gameplay mechanics, world-building, and critical reception, providing a comprehensive analysis of its place in the horror genre.

Development History & Context

Studio and Creators’ Vision

Supermassive Games, a British video game developer based in Guildford, Surrey, has a proven track record in creating immersive and choice-driven narratives. Their previous work, Until Dawn, was a commercial and critical success, selling over a million copies and receiving numerous awards. Building on this success, Supermassive Games aimed to create a new horror anthology series that would appeal to a broader audience while maintaining the depth and complexity of their previous work.

The development of Man of Medan began in earnest after the positive reception of Until Dawn. The studio recognized a market for interactive drama horror games and sought to expand the concept to a larger audience. The Dark Pictures Anthology was conceived as a series of standalone horror games, each inspired by a different horror trope. Man of Medan, the first installment, was inspired by the urban legend of the SS Ourang Medan, a ghost ship found in the Dutch East Indies with its entire crew dead under mysterious circumstances.

Technological Constraints and Gaming Landscape

Man of Medan was developed using Unreal Engine 4, a powerful and flexible game engine that allowed Supermassive Games to create a visually stunning and immersive world. The game was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows, targeting a wide audience of horror enthusiasts. The gaming landscape at the time was dominated by AAA titles, but there was a growing interest in smaller, narrative-driven games that offered unique experiences. Man of Medan capitalized on this trend, offering a fresh take on the horror genre with its interactive storytelling and multiple endings.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot and Characters

Man of Medan follows five young adults who embark on a diving trip in the South Pacific Ocean. The group, consisting of brothers Alex and Brad, their respective partners Julia and Conrad, and their skipper Fliss, encounter a group of modern-day pirates who take them hostage. The pirates force the group to sail to a nearby ghost ship, the SS Ourang Medan, where they encounter supernatural horrors and must make life-or-death decisions to survive.

The game’s narrative is multilinear, with player choices significantly altering the trajectory of the plot and the relationships between the main characters. This choice-driven storytelling is a hallmark of Supermassive Games’ work, and Man of Medan is no exception. The game features a “moral compass” system, where players must choose between acting rationally (“Head”), acting emotionally (“Heart”), or doing nothing. These choices have far-reaching consequences, affecting the characters’ personality traits, their relationships with each other, and ultimately, their survival.

Dialogue and Themes

The dialogue in Man of Medan is well-written and performed, with each character having a distinct voice and personality. The game explores themes of fear, survival, and the consequences of one’s actions. The supernatural elements are used to amplify the characters’ internal struggles, creating a sense of dread and uncertainty. The game’s setting, a ghost ship adrift in the South Pacific, adds to the atmosphere of isolation and despair, making the characters’ struggles all the more poignant.

Inspirations

Man of Medan draws inspiration from various sources, including the horror films Ghost Ship (2002), Triangle (2009), Insidious (2010), and The Shining (1980). The game’s urban legend inspiration, the SS Ourang Medan, adds a layer of mystery and intrigue to the story, making the supernatural elements feel more grounded and believable.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Gameplay Loops

Man of Medan is an interactive drama and survival horror game played from a third-person perspective. Players control five different characters who become trapped on board a ghost ship. The game features a multilinear narrative influenced by player choice, with several decision-making scenes that can significantly alter the trajectory of the plot.

The game’s core gameplay loop revolves around exploration, quick-time events (QTEs), and decision-making. Players explore the ghost ship, uncovering secrets and collectibles that reveal the mystery surrounding the tragedy that occurred on the ship in the past. These collectibles, known as “Dark Pictures,” give players premonitions of what may happen in the future, adding a layer of foreshadowing and tension to the gameplay.

Combat and Character Progression

Combat in Man of Medan is minimal, with most action sequences featuring QTEs. These QTEs, if missed, can lead to dire consequences for the characters, adding a sense of urgency and tension to the gameplay. The game’s focus is on storytelling and decision-making, with combat serving as a means to an end rather than the primary gameplay mechanic.

Character progression in Man of Medan is tied to the choices players make throughout the game. These choices affect the characters’ personality traits, their relationships with each other, and ultimately, their survival. The game features multiple endings and scenarios based on the decisions players make, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore all possible outcomes.

UI and Innovative Systems

The game’s user interface is clean and intuitive, with a minimalist design that doesn’t detract from the immersive experience. The “moral compass” system, which stylizes the selection of options as a compass, is both representative of the characters’ moral compass and reflective of the game’s nautical themes. This innovative system adds a layer of depth to the decision-making process, making players more invested in the characters’ fates.

Multiplayer Modes

Man of Medan features two multiplayer modes: “Shared Story” and “Movie Night.” Shared Story allows two players to play cooperatively online, each controlling one character and making independent decisions that can affect each other. Movie Night allows up to five players to select their own characters and pass the controller at each turn, creating a shared narrative experience.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Setting and Atmosphere

Man of Medan is set on the SS Ourang Medan, a ghost ship adrift in the South Pacific Ocean. The game’s setting is a character unto itself, with its eerie atmosphere and mysterious past adding to the sense of dread and uncertainty. The ship’s design, with its narrow corridors and dimly lit rooms, creates a claustrophobic and oppressive environment, amplifying the characters’ struggles and fears.

Visual Direction

The game’s visual direction is stunning, with a dark and moody color palette that enhances the horror elements. The ship’s design is intricate and detailed, with each room telling a story of its own. The character models are well-designed, with expressive faces and realistic movements that bring the characters to life. The game’s use of lighting and shadows is particularly effective, creating a sense of unease and tension that permeates the entire experience.

Sound Design

The sound design in Man of Medan is exceptional, with a haunting soundtrack that complements the game’s atmospheric visuals. The use of ambient sounds, such as the creaking of the ship and the distant echoes of unknown threats, adds to the sense of isolation and despair. The voice acting is top-notch, with each character delivering a compelling performance that brings the story to life.

Reception & Legacy

Critical and Commercial Reception

Man of Medan received generally favorable reviews upon its release, with critics praising its innovative gameplay mechanics, atmospheric world-building, and compelling narrative. The game’s multilinear storytelling and multiple endings were particularly well-received, with critics noting the high replayability value. However, some critics noted that the game’s pacing could be slow at times, and the lack of combat could be a turn-off for some players.

Commercially, Man of Medan was a success, selling over a million copies worldwide. The game’s critical and commercial success paved the way for subsequent entries in The Dark Pictures Anthology, with each game building on the foundation established by Man of Medan.

Influence on Subsequent Games and the Industry

Man of Medan’s influence on subsequent games and the industry as a whole is undeniable. The game’s innovative use of interactive storytelling and multilinear narratives has inspired other developers to explore similar concepts, leading to a resurgence in narrative-driven horror games. The Dark Pictures Anthology has become a staple of the horror genre, with each entry pushing the boundaries of what is possible in interactive storytelling.

Conclusion

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is a standout entry in the horror genre, offering a compelling blend of interactive storytelling, atmospheric world-building, and innovative gameplay mechanics. Its multilinear narrative and multiple endings encourage multiple playthroughs, making it a game that rewards exploration and experimentation. The game’s critical and commercial success has paved the way for subsequent entries in the anthology series, solidifying its place in video game history. For fans of horror and interactive storytelling, Man of Medan is a must-play experience that sets a high bar for the genre.