The Medium Reviews
After playing through certain games, I get all emotional and dazed because the experience, even with some issues along the way, has been so exceptionally strong. The Medium is one of those games. Its distinctive art and sound design, bare-bones gameplay, Marianne’s tender persona, and stripped-down story create a poignant tale.
The Medium is a modern horror masterpiece that wants to take players to explore two nightmares at the same time. In doing so it brings a unique experience while building on the foundation established by the classics that came before it.
It might seem a little early in the year for some horror, but after playing through the entirety of the psychological horror game, The Medium, I found it to be so much more. The Medium places you in the shoes of Marianne, a young woman able to commune with the dead and lost souls looking for a way to pass on. After the death of her adopted father, Marianne receives an ominous phone call. This leads her to the long-abandoned Niwa workers’ resort. Here she must face new threats in her pursuit of finding the truth about her past. What follows is a disturbing journey littered with secrets, revelations, and a horrific danger that will hunt you in this world, and the next.
The game’s arrival on the PlayStation 5 has been a long time coming. But thankfully, it was well worth the wait. With its unique dual-world gameplay mechanics and gripping narrative, The Medium is yet another macabre masterpiece from the talent at Bloober Team. If you have even a passing interest in horror games or are looking for a powerful supernatural story to experience that isn’t afraid to touch on uncomfortable subjects, this is one game that demands a spot in your PS5 library.
Overall, The Medium is a superb horror game. It’s a game that fully utilizes the capabilities of the PS5. It’s a game that even the bravest of players will get scared unexpectedly. It’s a nice addition to the ever growing library of the PS5.
Definitely. Bloober Team was right and this is without a doubt the best project of the Krakow studio. An engaging plot, a story told in an excellent way in both worlds, a wonderful audiovisual setting and a constant sense of horror and anxiety are a recipe for a very successful horror.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The story is very compelling and it draws you in. As you progress there is more and more horror revealed about what exactly went on at the Niwa hotel. Marianne is an interesting protagonist and you want to figure out what is going on with her. The puzzles had just the right amount of complexity, using a uniquely dark world/ light world thinking style to solve many of them. It was different and refreshing. I enjoyed every minute of The Medium.
The Medium is large in ambition and pulls it off with ease.
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
The Medium holds a lot of potential of becoming a great franchise and it's worth playing right now, especially for horror fans.
Don't expect a horror game but a paranormal adventure, one that will intrigue and surprise you with some of its mechanics. A noteworthy and attractive experience that, maybe because of that, feels a little too short.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Medium will not be the best psychological horror game in the world, but it engages like few others. Bloober Team once again raises a bar that dropped somewhat after Blair Witch and presents us at times two games in one, with quite effective mechanics despite its simplicity. A great gift for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, who will enjoy it from day one.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Medium is without a doubt Bloober Team's biggest game to date, and it is easily one of its best. The story is captivating as are its characters, and the uneasy journey you take through it feels much like if Stranger Things was set in the Alan Wake universe.
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.
Literally straddling the line between supernatural and real-world horror, The Medium is satisfying, sleek, and sophisticated in every department. While it makes only limited use of its signature simultaneous reality mechanic, and features some of the same gameplay frustrations as earlier Bloober Team games, it's easy to overlook such stumbles. The Medium sidesteps scare gimmicks to deliver a masterclass in mature horror, one rooted in atmosphere, all-round restraint and an enthralling region-specific story. Note: On Xbox we scored the game 8.0 for some intermittent performance issues.
I’ve been waiting a long time for Bloober to finally nail down true horror, and The Medium is a wonderful example of how to do scary without relying on cheap tricks. If you’re a fan of Silent Hill, Clock Tower, Haunting Ground or even if you just want to test out the capabilities of the latest Xbox consoles, The Medium is a must-play.
Overall, The Medium is able to evoke the same kind of feelings you might expect from a game like Silent Hill. There are tense scenes and an eerie atmosphere that is engaging from start to finish. Naturally, there are some flaws, such as difficult puzzles, clunky controls or subpar stealth mechanics, but the deep story through the two worlds more than makes up for it, making it start as a strong showing for Xbox this year.
Despite its linearity, I'd argue that The Medium is a genuinely chilling ghost story that's sure to leave a lasting impression. The splitscreen effects make for quite a few memorable moments, and there's no denying the growing sense of accomplishment as you solve difficult puzzles and make your way through the cursed resort. It may not be on the same level as some of its inspirations, but I'd definitely recommend The Medium to any fan of classic survival horror.
The Medium is one of the best quality horror games in recent years.This game learns many essences of "Silent Hill", and tells a suspenseful story with its own pace.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
The psychological horror elements are not as present in The Medium as you think they may be, but they are well implemented. The story is intriguing and the world is immersive. It is a great selection for fans of classical horror.
Review in Arabic | Read full review