The Medium Reviews
The Medium will scratch the horror itch for some for a while but fails to live up to its potential in a number of significant ways.
The Medium on PS5 is as good as it was on Xbox Series X, however, with DualSense support it becomes a much more immersive game.
Bloober Team has summoned a rich atmosphere, under all that writing, and one or two sequences offer glimpses of a purer game.
The Medium is a gorgeous next-gen horror game with a haunting game world anchored by old-school survival-horror style puzzles and exploration.
With creepy puzzle moments throughout, The Medium pulls off a dual-reality puzzler with precision. The game looks magnificent, with impressive lighting and shadows courtesy of RTX, though the Xbox Series X version suffers from occasional stutters and hitches, as well as level of detail pops. More classic dread than jump scares, it delivers on its promise of horror served two ways, making it unique and a must-have for horror fans, even if it's a little lighter fare.
The Medium proves to be an interesting look into the human psyche, one that attempts to figure out why individuals are the way they are, while still stating that your past does not excuse your current actions. I greatly enjoyed my time in Marianne's shoes, and found myself constantly impressed with the incredible graphics and unique mechanics. Bloober Team has made an impressive product, even more so on the PS5 with their willingness to make use of the PS5's controller's special features.
The Medium is one of the most gorgeous horror games I've ever played. Its detailed environments, compelling characters, and unique setting make it a must-play for psychological horror fans.
The Medium itself never hits a flat note. I beat the game in two long sittings, and there was never a point during either that I felt like the game dragged, or could’ve used a little more polish, or left too many loose ends hanging. It’s a lean, compelling experience that says what it has to say, then leaves you to grapple with the specifics afterwards. There are images, lines, and ideas from The Medium that I’ll likely take to my grave thanks to this approach, as it puts the onus on the player to piece everything together. You have to wrap your brain around the spirit world’s twisted logic so much that it becomes a part of you, as you live through Marianne’s pain with her and help to navigate her trauma.
Bloober Team's beautiful-looking exploration of intergenerational trauma is ripe ground for innovative storytelling, but fumbles its big themes
Bloober Team provides the Xbox Series X/S with its first console exclusive in this psychological horror with a technological twist
Marianne might be able to jump between two realities, but The Medium is trapped somewhere between being a worthy Silent Hill successor and another mediocre hide and seek horror game.
As a whole package The Medium is very much a story of compromise. For all its successes in visual storytelling and interesting setting, it’s collared by poor pacing and dated game design. Still, it’s well worth a look for history buffs and those fascinated by the unknown. So what lies beyond? It’s still up for debate. In the present, The Medium offers an intriguing possibility to puzzle on.
The Medium is full of deep and intertwined narrative, moreso than many other games from recent years. If you love The Longest Journey, Silent Hill and The Evil Within for the overall atmosphere and tone, but also prefer something less action-oriented, then The Medium is something you don't want to miss.
Review in Russian | Read full review
The Medium is an interesting and enjoyable game, but one let down by some awkward animations that constantly threaten to break the immersion created by an otherwise captivating game world, and those weak stealth sections that Bloober Team can't seem to leave behind. It's very much a one-and-done game — you can easily see everything it has to offer inside of ten hours, so the pricing might be a little questionable for both the quality and quantity of what you get here.
The Medium is a strong outing for the team at Bloober. It is easily my favorite game they have released to date. The eerie soundtrack and locales set the mood nicely. The story is interesting, and I loved the duality in the puzzle-solving. This is a strong first game for Series X in 2021 and I hope their slate only improves as the year goes on. I wish this had been available at launch, and I am sure Microsoft does as well. It would have been a great showpiece for the console. Still it makes a nice early year title for owners of the new Xbox to dive into.
The latest horror from Bloober Team is a great bridge between the new generation of consoles and the old classics of the genre, with an intriguing story, a surreal setting and a road full of puzzles to decipher.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Although it has demanding system requirements, The Medium is still a marvelous offering when it comes to its visuals and gameplay. Its locations will haunt and horrify you, and its dual-reality system will provide refreshing ways to complete your objectives. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a few technical hiccups, and its bizarrely abrupt conclusion leaves a lot to be desired.
The Medium is in line with previous studio productions. Namely a nice game with good ideas, but that suffers from some heaviness and a technique a bit below what the competition offers. On the other hand, even if the game takes its time in its first part, it offers a gripping story carried by strong subjects and strewn with twist. The Medium remains an atypical and convincing game despite its few shortcomings.
Review in French | Read full review
While there are some slight technical issues, The Medium is undeniably a fantastic horror game. For fans of the genre, this game gets an easy recommendation.
The Medium shines when it's letting you soak in its beautifully crafted dual worlds and melancholic soundtrack, but early promise of a quietly effective ghost story unravels as the story staggers clumsily to a point where it becomes almost unbearable in its attempt to tackle a tough subject.