The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 Reviews
Directive 8020 isn’t the scariest game I have ever played, but it has an astonishing handle on atmospheric tension. You don’t really know what’s coming next or what will hurt you. As an evolution of what Supermassive has done up to this point, it might be the most complete version of a choose-your-own-adventure. When you are eager to explore different routes and find the option at the tip of your fingers, it matters.
Directive 8020 isn’t a failure, but it’s also not the comeback that some were hoping for from Supermassive Games. The game offers a few notable improvements, particularly in terms of narrative structure and replayability. However, these strengths are constantly undermined by uneven execution, a plot that lacks restraint, and gameplay that struggles to justify its existence. More broadly, the title confirms a worrying trend for the studio, which seems to be finding it increasingly difficult to match the quality of its best productions.
Review in French | Read full review
Directive 8020 delivers a tense and entertaining sci-fi horror packed with tough choices and enough creepy moments to keep pushing to the end.
Directive 8020 is Supermassive's boldest step yet — the paranoia mechanic delivers genuine psychological pressure, and the story twists in the final act are the best the Dark Pictures anthology has ever produced.
Review in German | Read full review
Directive 8020 is frustrating because all the right ingredients are in place, but they never fully come together. The paranoia, mistrust, unsettling body horror and occasional bursts of genuine tension all hint at something special. When the game commits to its identity, it delivers some of the strongest moments Supermassive has produced in the series. However, the central setting lacks personality, and some characters rarely leave a lasting impression, holding the experience back. The stealth mechanics also fail to develop, limiting the overall tension they are meant to create. There is still plenty here for Supermassive fans to enjoy. The branching choices lead to entertaining moments of panic, and the latter half of the game does show flashes of the tense sci-fi horror experience it is aiming for. Directive 8020 is a solid sci-fi horror adventure built on strong ideas. These ideas never fully evolve into something exceptional. Despite this, it delivers enough tension, intrigue and cinematic spectacle to comfortably earn the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
In space no one can hear you groan.
Supermassive Games is back with another title that closely resembles the studio's previous works.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Combined with a strong cast led by Lashana Lynch, a sharp script makes Directive 8020 all the more compelling to replay in pursuit of the best possible outcome.
Much like Supermassive Games’ recent efforts in Little Nightmares III and The Casting of Frank Stone, this latest entry in The Dark Pictures is somewhat forgettable in both its safe competence and repetitiveness. In this way, Directive 8020 feels like the least loved Alien films. At its best, the game is reminiscent of a Twilight Zone or Black Mirror episode where the player anticipates the other shoe dropping with a jaw-dropping reveal. Ultimately, however, Directive 8020 is a haunted house without consequence.
Directive 8020 is the latest entry into both the interactive movie style of game and also Supermassive Games’ Dark Anthology. The space setting aligns to film more so than game, especially in the stealth and decision-making focus.
Directive 8020 gives the impression that the developers were eager to bring new ideas to the game, but only at the expense of restricting the familiar mechanics that players had come to know and enjoy.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Directive 8020 is a major improvement on what we already saw in The Dark Pictures Anthology. This time with its own story and therefore also new game elements. These are elements that feel quite repetitive, such as having to sneak past people every time. That works really well the first few times, but after that it feels very annoying. Nevertheless, the jump scares make up for a lot, as well as the many ramifications in terms of story.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Directive 8020 is a decent experience in a series struggling with an identity crisis. Supermassive itself doesn’t seem to know quite where it’s heading with The Dark Pictures, and it shows. Alongside a clever story with some very strong final hours, you also get monotonous stealth sections and at least five too many ventilation shafts to crawl through. The strong acting and a well-paced narrative are offset by the loss of some rock-solid signature elements and the current lack of an online co-op mode. It’s also a bit of a nail-biter for the future of this franchise.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The game that kicks off Season 2 of The Dark Pictures Anthology released with high fan expectations, but ultimately delivers the exact same familiar flavor. If you're looking for that comfortingly unchanged taste, you'll definitely enjoy it—otherwise, it’s bound to leave you wanting more.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Is a genuinely good Dark Pictures game wearing the costume of a different game entirely. The Turning Points system is a series-best addition. The story pays off. The presentation is outstanding. But the wholesale replacement of the series’ established tension mechanics with repetitive stealth, the absence of the Curator, and the missing online co-op at a significantly higher price point all conspire to make this feel less than the sum of its parts for the franchise faithful. If you’re new to Supermassive’s work, Directive 8020 is a strong entry point into cinematic horror gaming — atmospheric, well-acted, and narratively satisfying. If you’ve played every previous entry and loved what made them distinct, temper expectations and perhaps wait for a sale and the post-launch co-op update. For more horror and adventure game coverage, check out our full reviews section.
Directive 8020 is Supermassive Games at its most ambitious and its most inconsistent. The space setting and corporate paranoia themes work, the stealth has its moments, and the back half delivers genuine tension. But a slow start, rough voice acting, and a stealth system that never reaches its potential hold it back from being the leap forward the series needed. A solid 10 hours for Dark Pictures fans, a frustrating one for everyone else.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The strengths of past games - a gripping story, excellent acting and interesting decision paths - are enhanced by useful mechanics like the direct rewind function and I really enjoyed the division into series-style chapters. Directive 8020 builds on the successful experiences of its predecessors, resulting in a genuinely entertaining horror experience. However not every new idea hits: the stealth sections are a bit too slow-paced, especially towards the end. I would have preferred fewer camera cuts and I really missed the online coop mode.
Review in German | Read full review
Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game features a "strong" storyline and promises a solid survival horror experience
Review in Greek | Read full review
Directive 8020 is a strong interactive narrative with some less-than-exciting gameplay. Quick-time events and impactful decisions maintain a solid element of player interactivity, but the title would be better off ditching its weak stealth segments and walking-simulator gameplay in favor of a more direct, cinematic approach. Despite this, fans of the genre and those looking for a good narrative experience with some player influence are bound to enjoy what this latest entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology has to offer.
The positive aspects, however, aren't enough to make you want to start it again and endure those stealth sections and cheesy dialogue all over again.
Review in Italian | Read full review