The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes Reviews
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is a well-crafted story game with a dark and mythological touch. Your decisions really affect the survival or death of individual characters and the plot of the story. This adventure lasts around six hours, and you'll have to replay the story a few times if you want to explore other storylines. You can play through the game solo or with your friends, in both local and online co-op.
Review in Czech | Read full review
House of Ashes has a lot to offer fans of narrative-driven games who desire to be immersed in a good story.
House Of Ashes is the grandest yet of the Dark Pictures Anthology. It's technically audacious, with big storytelling and compelling character design. And while it's a relatively short game, there's plenty of fun to be had by trying to engineer different outcomes.
I really enjoyed my time with House of Ashes, as I have done with the Dark Pictures titles thus far. Much like horror movies, they won’t be for everyone and there are certainly characters here too that fall into many of the known tropes we come to expect from the genre, but it’s setting, character choice, technical improvements and replayabilty makes it all a fun horror experience. I’m still aboard the Dark Pictures train and I can’t wait for the next entry that will hopefully hit us around the same time next year.
Thanks to a likeable cast of fleshed-out characters, an immersive atmosphere drenched in evil and a gripping story with a sinister setting, it exceeds expectations and trumps the highs of Man of Medan, Little Hope and in some cases, even Until Dawn.
House of Ashes belts out some decent cinematic horror, but at the same time, the whole adventure is rather forgettable. The characters are quite fun to watch and the variety of death animations are certainly amusing. Although since the story itself isn’t very memorable, it’s hard to stay invested.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes lands as the best in the series so far by going in a different direction with its take on horror and improving upon many past gameplay elements.
The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes as the third work in the Dark Pictures series, along with some narrative and characterization problems, has a lot to say and can be a scary and memorable night for you and your friends. If you are a fan of the horror genre, do not miss this game.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The best part of the game is the abandonment of “war roles”; with Salim, the reluctant Iraqi soldier, and Jason Kolchek (Paul Zinno) – an almost stereotypical, Iraqi hating U.S. soldier armed with a gun, a southern drawl and a “hooah” to complete the look – able to forge quite the admirable bromance, should you make the right choices and keep them alive. Together, they come to understand that there is more that unites them than divides them. Yes, one is a white American Christian and yes, the other is a devout Islamic Iraqi, but in the face of adversity – in the form of vampiric space aliens – they live the same and they die the same. This is a message for life: we are all human. In spite of being the third in an anthology of horror games, the underlying message is one of positive, unifying forces, despite all of the dangers present in this world we inhabit. This message, combined with the design, structure, acting and story of the game, makes it the best in the series so far. If you are looking for a fun way to spend a few hours with friends – complete with teamwork, panic and a tremendous amount of scares, then you should give House of Ashes a go. Though it will be a lesser experience, you can still enjoy this game on its own.
House of Ashes presented a wonderful story and civilization that combined action and horror and was of a different nature from the usual parts of the series, followed by beautiful representation and expressions of the characters, but the beauty of the experience was hindered by its voice acting, I personally enjoyed it.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
House of Ashes has a distinct setting with themes and twists that give it more meaning and style when compared to its other Dark Pictures brethren. It is unequivocally the best thing Supermassive has made since Until Dawn. But that bar is pathetically low as the five console horror games following that unexpected 2015 hit have been all mediocre or downright terrible. House of Ashes is getting close enough to the surface to see sunlight beaming through the cracked bits of earth above, but it’s still stuck underground.
Supermassive Games is back again for yet another horror-filled adventure. When I reviewed Little Hope, their last game in The Dark Pictures Anthology, while I thought it was a good game and an improvement over Man of Medan, I still acknowledged that it would be a divisive entry for players, particularly the story. You can read my full review for that game here. But how does the newest entry, House of Ashes, fare compared to the rest?
For fans of the Anthology, or for fans of horror in general, House of Ashes is definitely a must-play considering its relatively short playtime. Here’s to hoping that the next instalment in the series, The Devil In Me, brings along some characters that are a little more developed and likeable. The Until Dawn shaped hole inside me hasn’t been filled yet, but I have faith it will be soon.
This is a solid, well-written entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology, typified by excellent characterization for Jason and Salim. It may not be the best game of the year, but like an old acquaintance who drops by around the holidays, this is a welcome distraction and a fun way to pass some time.
Actually, there's not much left to say. You don't play House of Ashes because it looks good or because of its innovative game mechanics - you play it if you like well-paced stories with minimal self-involvement and a bit of horror (in the broadest sense). If you're looking for something between cinematic and classic gameplay principles and consider yourself a fan of the genre, the third chapter of Dark Pictures Anthology is worth checking out. Undecided fans of cultivated horror will probably not be completely convinced by the title, though, as there are still too many problems at once.
Review in German | Read full review
It’s clear that Supermassive’s Dark Pictures Anthology is improving with every new release. House of Ashes is the best of the bunch so far. Everything clicks, everything works. It’s a damn fine game and worth every penny even at full price. I’m now excited for the future of this series and will be pouncing on the next game. Of course, I’m not done with this one yet. Still got to try to kill them all off because what’s video games without an occasional slice of sadism.
House of Ashes is the best iteration in the franchise yet. The horror feels more mature and the jumpscares are not as prominent as before. The animations are not always great and next-gen features are yet to be used fully, but suspense and scares are guaranteed. In a dark room on a stormy night, you are ensured to have a sleepless night or two.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
House of Ashes maintains the line of the previous installments of The Dark Pictures Anthology saga. The guys from Supermassive Games bet on a deeper story, both in personal conflicts and in the past of the supernatural threat. A real pleasure to play in company.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
House of Ashes is one of the most fun games I’ve played this year and a dreadful delight for horror enthusiasts.
House of Ashes is an enjoyable interactive movie full of action and exciting twists. If you're looking for a short, yet well paced adventure, you won't go wrong here.
Review in Slovak | Read full review