If you already enjoyed Until Dawn and want more games like it, then there is an offer in the current Halloween Sale on Steam that should be worth it for you. There you can get 4 of them for the price of one.
What games are we talking about? We are referring to the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology, which consists of four games. In the order of their release, they are: Man of Medan, Little Hope, House of Ashes, and The Devil in Me.
Each part of the Dark Pictures Anthology tells a stand-alone story. However, through the mysterious curator and some Easter eggs in the game, they become part of a larger whole.
Interactive horror films for up to 5 players
What kind of games are these? The games can best be described as interactive horror films. Most of the action takes place in animated cutscenes with quick-time events (QTEs). In between, there are sequences where you can explore your surroundings freely. Along the way, you discover some useful items and important puzzle pieces for the story that might save your life later.
While the Dark Pictures Anthology can be played well alone, it can be more fun with up to 4 friends in local co-op. Since you are not the only one influencing the events, you quickly find yourselves in situations that you might never have seen alone – for example, because you fail less often at QTEs or would never make a certain decision.
In these games, you cannot fail, which in this case is a good thing. If a character dies, you are not sent back to a previous point. The story continues, even without that character. You will reach the end of the game, no matter how badly you mess up your QTEs or what decisions you make: it just may not necessarily be a happy ending.
Short and entertaining experiences with high replay value
How long will I be occupied with the games? You are occupied with each game for about 5 to 7 hours. That’s about 25 to 28 hours in total if you play each part only once. While that is quite short, it works well if you’re playing the game with friends anyway.
Since the games are shorter, you don’t need to plan a whole day for couch co-op or set aside three evenings for the same game. And since your decisions strongly impact the story, you will always experience something new during replaying.
How much does The Dark Pictures Anthology: Season One cost? Since it is on sale on Steam until November 4th, you can get 4 games for the price of one there. The Devil in Me, the latest installment in the series, costs €39.99 without a discount – the entire anthology is available for €44.46.
If nearly €45 still seems like too much of an investment for you, you can also start with one of the games. They are currently also heavily discounted.
- Man of Medan on Steam for €6.59
- Little Hope on Steam for €7.99
- House of Ashes on Steam for €9.89
- The Devil in Me on Steam for €19.99
Of the four games, House of Ashes is the best-rated part with 88% positive reviews. Man of Medan, as the first part of the anthology, and with 74% positive ratings, is also a good entry into the series.
The Dark Pictures Anthology was developed by Supermassive Games, the studio behind Until Dawn. The game received a remake in Unreal Engine 5 in early October 2024 but did not launch well. More about this can be found here: Sony makes a remake of a 9-year-old game on PS5 and Steam – received worse than the major flop Concord
