PLATFORM: PC, PS4/5 (REVIEWED), XBOX ONE/SERIES | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
If you had the opportunity to visit a replica of the hotel that America’s first serial killer used to torment his victims, just for an exclusive scoop – would you do it? That’s exactly what a team of documentary filmmakers do in the final installment of Season One of Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures Anthology titled The Devil in Me.
As with the previous games in this horror series, players are presented with five characters who, over the course of the story, can interact with each other, build or destroy relationships through dialogue and actions and can all die in varying fashion. In The Devil in Me, the story is set against the backdrop of a real serial killer, H.H. Holmes, who in fact was America’s first documented serial killer in the late 1800s. Holmes used his “Murder Castle” hotel to lure guests in and pick them off in a horrific fashion. The documentary team, led by presenter Kate Wilder (portrayed by Award-Nominated Actress Jessie Buckley), heads to a private island where someone has invited them to visit an inch-perfect replica of the “Murder Castle” to film their latest episode. However, once the team gets there, they are forced into a game where losing will mean death.
Compared to its predecessor in this series of interactive horror experiences, The Devil in Me doesn’t strictly produce any new or invigorating gameplay mechanics (although the overall player experience is better due to slight advancements in technology and learning from the tech issues from the previous titles) – but what makes it stand out and, in our opinion, the best game of the first season is the setting of the narrative and the set of characters. Having the story revolve around a copycat killer of a real-life serial killer instantly draws the audience in rather than making things supernatural and unbelievable as copycat killers do exist. Couple that with stereotypical but well realized members of a filmmaking team and you have a great recipe for a fun horror tale.
