The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me: PS5 Review

Developed by Supermassive Games
Published by Bandai Namco
Platform: PS5

The fourth and final installment of the Dark Pictures Season 1 franchise takes the foot off the horror elements a little and heads to true crime territory.

Attracting once again another stellar vocal cast, including the likes of Paul Kaye and Jesse Buckley, the game centres on a more intimate setting as a group of media hacks who end up in a murder hotel recreation.

But soon things turn deadly as those doing the investigating become the targets.

H.H.Holmes is the target of the game's recreation, but the historical edges of the story and their inclusion into the game's run time makes it feel like it's a little more based in reality and therefore, a little scarier than prior entrants into the franchise.

There is a bit of an issue with dialogue and its delivery in this latest, with some of the more human edges of the game falling a little more flat, but The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me: PS5 shows Supermassive Games are keen on reinventing the franchise as it continues its trajectory of annual releases.

It may be that the franchise could do with a bit of a break, as it's hard to see where else it could go next, but the idea they're considering mixing things up shows it's not content to sit on its laurels. The franchise as a whole has been an interesting experiment in exploration of the horrors and the genre itself. 

The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me offers a spooky edge, but don't be surprised if you're a little divided in some of its mechanics and characterisation. There's work to be done, but the Dark Pictures franchise offers some hope the series can continue and evolution is the way forward, even if revolution of the elements hasn't quite come to fruition in this latest.