Table of Contents
amazon The Dark Pictures Anthology Man of Medan reviews
Atmosphere and Story
The story follows five characters embarking on a diving trip to find a sunken World War II airplane wreck. However, things are quickly switched into a darker direction when they stumble into a ghost ship with a sinister past. Heavy doses of classic horror inspirations mixed with psychological and supernatural horror ambiance create a heavy atmosphere. As the story progresses, players are forced to make moral decisions, QTEs, and choices that greatly affect the story’s direction and the characters’ survival.
Man of Medan creates a feeling of unease more than a conjuring freak-out moments. The abandoned ship makes an ideal horror game setting, what with cramped corridors, haunting sound effects, and dreadful visuals. Tension-building is timely and effective, with jump scares and shocking imagery in moderation. The cinematic feel is enhanced by camera angles akin to those of a horror flick, giving a palpable sense of dread.
Mechanics and Gameplay
“Man of Medan” Action is mostly about exploration, the making of decisions, and QTEs. Players control each of the five protagonists at various points throughout the narrative when they wander out and examine their surroundings, interacting with objects and making choices that affect the narrative. The branching story is very much one of the most interesting aspects of the game, with multiple endings and character fates dependent on player decision.
Decision-making is the heart of the gameplay. Every single choice, from what the player says to what he does in critical moments, influences immediate reactions or long-term effects. This system promotes thoughtful action on the part of players; a seemingly minor choice during the beginning part of the game may, later on, snowball into a major decision. This creates an additional layer of stress as the QTEs demand immediate input to either escape danger or ensure a favorable outcome.
But relying on QTEs can create a double-edged sword. They amplify moments of excitement and urgency, but they can also frustrate the unwary. Missing the proper response time creates consequence, which can feel particularly penalizing in cases where the control scheme did not respond as the player would’ve expected.
Graphics and Visuals
Man of Medan features sharp visuals comprising detailed character models and facial animations alongside beautifully crafted environments. Lights and shadows build the mood of tension via darkened corridors and flickering lights. The details of the ship’s decaying interiors almost come alive as a hostile visual experience.
As for graphical problems, players have commented about frame drops during heavy action and transitions from cutscenes to gameplay. The character models for the most part are epic, but there are instances when face animations appear anaemic, and thus the immersion is fractured.
Sound and Audio Design
Sound design is probably one of the most integral elements of any horror game, and Man of Medan definitely meets the criteria. The game provides an ominous soundtrack that perfectly fits the eerie ambience, with music that subtly hints for suspense. Metal creaks, distant echoes, and ghostly whispers immerse the players in isolation and potential danger.
The voice acting is generally good with fairly convincing performances throughout the cast. But there were a few instances when the dialogue sounded a little stiff or just plain cliché, which took away some from the overall experience of the narrative.
Man of Medan revolves around a group of 5 young men, Alex, Brad, Julia, Conrad, and Fliss. They went off the coast of Polynesia (French) intending to discover the remains of a US Army B-29 plane that was shot down and sunk on the seabed.
Exploring the ruins, they learned that the plane was searching for something called “Manchurian Gold”.
Believing this to be a treasure, the group of youths planned to come and try the recorded coordinates to find it.
An unfortunate thing happened when the boat of 5 people was attacked by pirates. While threatening the youth, the pirates discovered the plan to find the “Manchurian Gold” and forced the group of young men to sail there.
Upon arrival, it was discovered that the recorded coordinates were for a forgotten American warship and that the entire crew had died for unknown reasons.
The insecurity is even higher when it seems that some force is stalking everyone, waiting for the opportunity to take their lives.
Now, the group of young people will have to find a way to survive the hunt of the mysterious force, as well as the aggression of the pirates, as they gradually lose their temper and wield their weapons.
The first good point of Man of Medan is that the game has led to a creepy and uncomfortable atmosphere.
The narrow and dark corridors on the abandoned ship are a suitable setting for creating anxiety when the player does not know what lies behind every turn.
Complementing the above factor, it is that the corridors on the ship are designed similarly. In adventure games, this will be a “minus point” because of creating a boring scene, but with a horror game, it has created a feeling of insecurity, that the player is stuck in a maze without escape and just fall prey to the mysterious force.
Besides, the force that is haunting the player is also remarkable.
If in House of Ashes and The Quarry (the latest product of Supermassive Games), the force that haunts the player is tangible, and we can identify it, then the force in Man of Medan is more “invisible”.
Invisibility here is not the type that no one can see, but their shape is not fixed, changing depending on the situation, and the individual. This forces players to calm down and think about what they’re seeing, to be able to make the right decisions. Because if the decision is wrong, loss of life is quite possible.
The game’s conflict is the treasure called “Manchurian Gold” and the Man of Medan has done a great job in creating this mystery.
Through the clues scattered throughout the wreckage of the ship and the B-29, we will be able to gradually piece together the events, and find out what happened to the ill-fated crew, as well as the forces that are haunting us.
However, finding these clues must be done proactively, because if only interested in getting from point A to point B, the player can complete the game without knowing what the mystery is.
Knowing the truth of “Manchurian Gold” also affects the mechanics of the game, which is because when we understand it, we will be able to access new options.
As an “Interactive Drama” game, the main value of Man of Medan has reflected in the variety of choices and consequences it brings to the player.
Multiple selections can only be opened by possessing certain items. However, if we have used the item in this location, we cannot use it in another location.
Some choices will have immediate consequences, some seemingly unrelated, but not until the end of the game.
Because of the above factors, exploring all options has helped Man of Medan have a relatively high replay value.
Further reinforcing this is the free DLC download “Curator’s Cut”. This content pack adds new scenes, new perspectives, and, of course, new options.
The duration of Man of Medan is relatively short, just under 4 hours, so the existence of “Curator’s Cut” will partly help our playing time increase.
where can you get a The Dark Pictures Anthology Man of Medan online
The Dark Pictures Anthology – Man of Medan – PlayStation 4: Buy it now
The Dark Pictures: Little Hope – Xbox One & Anthology – Man of Medan – Xbox One: Buy it now
The Dark Pictures Anthology – Man of Medan (PS4) (PS4): Buy it now
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is a relatively strong entry in the horror genre, with a captivating narrative, atmospheric environments, and special multiplayer capabilities all on offer. Some of its weaknesses, such as occasional graphical hiccups and the sometimes infuriating presence of QTEs, are evils the game successfully trails behind in order to provide a tense horror experience that underscores player choice. The game is a real treat for fans of interactive horror gaming or anyone who had a good time with Supermassive’s previous title, Until Dawn. Replay value is very good because of branching narratives and multiple endings. This is a game definitely worth going back to a number of times for a different experience.