The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me Reviews
The unique touch this time around came in the form of character-specific items that related to their job, some of which were more creative but very short-lived. Mark was able to take photos as evidence and his light source was the flash of the camera. Jamie was able to use her electrical equipment to work the circuit breakers for environmental puzzles. Erin had a fantastic addition of using a powerful microphone to source out sound sources behind walls, which was criminally underutilised, and instead, the focus was on her need for an inhaler as the main item she would or would not interact with. Charlie was able to use a card to jimmy open a locked drawer, which was mainly used for collectables, and this left Kate with nothing more than a small touch, and it felt strange to have one character be arguably less useful than the rest.
Sluggish pacing and stripped-back character interactions dull the charm, but there are still scares to be found
The Devil in Me doesn’t rank particularly high on my personal Dark Pictures ranking — it comes in just under House of Ashes and Man of Medan, which are great for different reasons. But what the game does do very right is take a famous true-crime case and explore it in a manner that comes across as more interesting than exploitative, even while fitting in jump scares and relationship drama. Supermassive could probably have carved a good two or three hours out of this game and ended up with a much stronger product — just as long as it left all of the Holmes-related stuff untouched, please, because that’s where it shines.
Supermassive Games’ The Devil in Me lays some new ideas for the Dark Pictures franchise’s future. While well-intentioned, the implementation of these new gameplay ideas isn’t quite there yet. Lacklustre new mechanics and a bloated runtime do more harm than good. The Devil in Me would’ve been better off as a shorter, more refined experience. Great visuals, a solid cast, and a fun slasher premise can only take it so far.
In the fourth part of the Dark Anthology saga, we visit an old hotel filled with mystery and deadly traps. Updated game mechanics we also get, but as the control is still uncut, it overturns rather than helps. Even the sometimes strange cut remains. With that said; The cinematic concept of many story-crucial decisions still holds up and creates a wonderfully nerve-wracking experience.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
In conclusion, without a doubt, this is the best Dark Anthology game so far and a true climax to season one. Not only fans of the series but fans of the genre will love playing this. The acting, visual detail, sound design and writing could not be bettered here. Series mechanics have not only been improved but also extended delivering an extra level of depth to a fantastic experience. In short developer, Supermassive Games has delivered a horror classic that will keep players on the edge of their seats for hours. Who Lives and who dies? You can try to decide!
I would praise the concept of a copycat killer, especially in an era where many seem to revere such figures, but would not do the same for the gameplay changes that have caused this title to deviate from the anthology. The story, as is always the case with the anthology’s entries, is definitely unqiue and I would be lying if I said that I did not enjoy my experience with it.
Although the title offers an engaging story and a repertoire of novelties, the flaws present are glaring and unjustifiable to say the least, making The Devil in Me one of the most ''near-perfect'' chapters in the entire saga.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Compared with the previous episodes, The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me doesn't seem so special, old problems are still there. what's more, its selections and plot are bad, which may greatly affect players' experience. Therefore, I think it is the worst episode of the series so far, and it's not a good end to the first season.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Overall, The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is a decent installment that provides the most in terms of gameplay compared to other games in the series. While I found it much more engaging than the previous installment and with a better premise than most, it didn't do much else to distinguish itself from other installments narratively.
The Devil in Me could have been a decent detective story with unexpected twists. It could have been a dissection of the mind of a perverted killer or a social commentary on the obsession with serial killers. Supermassive Games could have played mind games with players in the tradition of The Dark Pictures anthology. And yet, they chose to create a bland mixture of horror tropes in an otherwise intriguing setting and with a pretty good atmosphere.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The Devil In Me is a highly enjoyable thrill ride down a madman’s castle of horrors with impressive-looking visuals that elevates the subtle yet effective atmosphere. If you can tolerate a lackluster cast and a choppy first act, this is one horror experience that’s worth having.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, the fourth installment of the series and the conclusion of the first season, uses a serial killer to tell a story in which death has value.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Devil in Me is certainly the best game of The Dark Pictures Anthology thanks to its antagonist, to this hotel full of traps and a scarier experience than before. At the same time, this episode has the same flaws than its predecessors.
Review in French | Read full review
The Devil in Me is a longer game than the previous titles from the anthology and therefore offers much more depth that was lacking previously. Like always, the devil is in the details.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The Devil In Me is an intriguing concept on paper, and the developers have attempted to implement several interesting gameplay changes, but the game suffers from abrupt pacing and inadequate character development, which limit its potential.
The Devil In Me is another solid entry and a fitting season finale to The Dark Pictures Anthology. It’s focus on real world inspirations helps it feel more twisted and scary and it’s supported well by a small but diverse cast of characters. It does take a little while to get going and does contain a few technical bugs, but once you hit the peak of the drama, the game offers a near non-stop horror experience to the end. Due to the nature of it’s design you can jump back in and replay it to experience different choices and outcomes in the wait for season 2 to kick off, hopefully next year.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is a good game to close the first season. Even with changes that are not so significant, the title shines in the graphics aspect by bringing more natural expressions, improved effects, and a disturbing narrative.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Devil In Me, the last installment in this anthology, tries to innovate the tired formula but doesn’t really succeed. The developers have experimented with new features such as adding an inventory system and improving their existing QuickTime events, but at the same time, they shoot themselves in the foot by overdoing certain aspects that could have made for a better horror game. The Devil In Me works as part of the complete set. However, as the season-ender that would collectively blow our minds, it definitely could’ve done more to push the envelope.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is scary, but not for the reasons you might think.