The Medium Reviews
Review: The Medium from Bloober Team on Xbox Series X | S and PC is a beautiful Silent Hill 2-inspired horror game with some annoyances.
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.
At its best times, The Medium channels Silent Hill, but the rough pacing and limited gameplay outside of puzzle-solving hold it back. Additionally, the unsatisfactory ending leaves a sour note that detracts from the overall experience.
The way that The Medium brings trauma to life in various ways is awe-inspiring. At the same time, it's not all that good of a video game.
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.
An engaging story set in a unique setting and interesting gameplay mechanic, only for the game to be literally slowed down with framerate issues.
With interesting themes, a compelling story, and a creeping sense of dread, The Medium is a mature and atmospheric experience that I really enjoyed playing. It’s a major evolution for Bloober Team, building on elements from their earlier games and making bold new strides in other areas. After Observer: System Redux, I was excited to play The Medium. Now I genuinely can’t wait for what they do next. Let’s see where it truly all ends.
There are a few writing and gameplay demons to exorcise, but that only keeps Bloober Team's latest from séance-sational horror game status.
The Medium is another proof that you should not stop at the first impression. I started a bit disappointed, but I ended up in awe of the very touching story and the innovative duality of the game. Although, it is only the first steps in a 3rd person world for Bloober Team, we can say that they succeeded implementing this new approach. I recommend you give it a shot as the more you will play it, the more you will want to uncover its mysteries.
Review in French | Read full review
The Medium is right on the edge of being a great horror game, in many ways being the closest we’ve got to a true Silent Hill successor. Returning to the classic camera angles seen years ago has been a treat, whilst the dual reality pushed the genre forward in clever ways. Sadly, uninspired puzzles and stealth encounters bogged the game down quite a notch.
Overall, The Medium is a great game, when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts the game is superb. It’s scary, it’s visceral, and it showcases how Bloober Team understands horror and how to execute concepts unrestricted by location. That said, its story is less than stellar, but at 8-10 hours of gameplay, with its fantastic cinematics, it’s a hurdle you can get over.
The Medium is Bloober Team's most ambitious game to date, and while certain aspects work better than others, the result is a decent horror romp that even the most horror-averse can enjoy.
Dual Sense in the PS5 edition does the job, but you could add a story addition for less than a year. Which does not change the fact that it is still an extremely atmospheric production.
Review in Polish | Read full review
If you love hearing a good story in a video game, then you're going to love The Medium. The blooper Teams latest game tries to be a horror experience close to the likes of Silent Hill but fails to do so since it lacks real tension required for the psychological horror it tries to be. Another issue with The Medium is that it has some really well designed puzzles, but spoils them by giving too much information. Overall, if you like a well developed story which is told in an eerie and beautiful world, The Medium is worth a try.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Medium is a very interesting proposal Bloober Team. Creators still do not come to the forefront and will not set new paths in the industry, but this is another very solid position that shows that the native studio is constantly developing.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Bloober Team's The Medium is an admirable effort to evoke a classical survival horror experience, but it's not without some caveats.
Despite an improved narrative when compared to Layers of Fear, The Medium does drag on a bit — especially near its climax — and resorts to a couple lazier puzzles at around that same point. On the whole though, The Medium is a rather enjoyable experience, especially for those who are fans of any of the myriad survival horror franchises I’ve already mentioned.
The Medium presents intelligent horror and innovative gameplay inspired by Silent Hill, but far overstays its welcome and fails to provide closure. The split screen mechanics work wonders for new kinds of puzzles, but a myriad of technical issues hinder immersion.
The Medium is at its best when you are exploring its remarkable, beautiful worlds, or enjoying the excellent composition and art direction. Unfortunately, the gameplay does not meet that high mark, and often detracts from what is otherwise a stellar aesthetic experience.
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
