The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me are varied. Several critics praise the premise and execution of the storytelling. COGconnected commends the game for delving into psychological fears and telling terrifying tales, while Comicbook.com describes it as an intriguing plot that combines true crime and horror movie inspirations. Game Rant also highlights the game's ability to bring the first season of the Dark Pictures Anthology to a powerful end. These positive opinions suggest that the story successfully engages players with its psychological horror elements and captivating narrative. However, there are also critics who express disappointment with certain aspects of the story. Digitally Downloaded criticizes the game for not feeling meaningfully different from other games in the series and failing as an anthology concept. They mention that the narrative is uneven and immersion-breaking at times. Push Square mentions that the potential of the premise is wasted, as the game doesn't explore the moving walls and deadly traps as much as expected. These negative opinions indicate that some critics found the story to be lacking in originality and failing to fully utilize its intriguing premise. Overall, the consensus among the critics is mixed. While some critics, such as GameByte and GamersRD, find the story interesting and horrifying, others, like Digitally Downloaded and Push Square, express disappointment with its execution and lack of originality. However, there are also critics, such as Game Rant and Screen Rant, who praise the game for its entertaining and satisfactory narrative. The opinions of the critics suggest that while The Devil in Me has its strengths in terms of premise and execution, it falls short in some areas, leaving room for improvement.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me are mixed, with both positive and negative aspects highlighted. Several critics, such as COGconnected and Impulsegamer, praise the game for its improved traversal system, puzzles, and unique gameplay tools for each character. These additions provide a new and engaging element for series fans, adding depth and variety to the gameplay experience. The inclusion of a morality system in dialogue options and actions, as mentioned by GameByte, also adds a new layer of decision-making for players. Additionally, the game is commended for its choice-based narrative adventure, quick-time events, and puzzles, which, according to Game Rant, add a fun factor to the overall gameplay. However, there are also criticisms raised by several critics regarding the gameplay mechanics. App Trigger mentions that the game suffers from unresponsive buttons, poor character navigation, and characters with dead, glassy eyes during action sequences. Comicbook.com criticizes the choppy movements, lack of eye contact, and immersion-breaking interactions of the characters. Screen Rant and Siliconera mention that some mechanics, such as hiding and using tools, feel underused, and the puzzles lack variation. KeenGamer also highlights the presence of numerous bugs that affect the overall experience. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me introduces some positive gameplay elements, such as improved traversal, unique character tools, and a morality system. The game offers a mix of choice-based narrative adventure, puzzles, and quick-time events, providing an entertaining and engaging experience for players. However, there are also negative aspects, such as unresponsive controls, immersion-breaking interactions, underused mechanics, and the presence of bugs. While the gameplay improvements are highlighted by some critics, the negative aspects mentioned by others indicate that there is room for further refinement in future installments of the series.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me has received a mix of positive and negative opinions from critics regarding its graphics and visual design. Several critics praised the game for its attention to detail and atmospheric settings. App Trigger commends the beautiful and eerie environmental graphics of the mansion, while Digitally Downloaded praises the expertly-rendered recreation of the infamous World's Hair Hotel, which builds a sense of claustrophobia and unease. CGMagazine also highlights the captivating graphics, impressive lighting, shading, and cinematic shots, particularly in the claustrophobic hotel setting. These positive opinions indicate that the game successfully creates a discomforting and chilling atmosphere through its visual design. However, there are also several criticisms regarding the graphics and visual design of The Devil in Me. Comicbook.com points out immersion-breaking issues, such as characters not looking at each other during conversations. Game Rant mentions inconsistencies in character details and visual quality, with some cutscenes looking incredibly detailed while others look subpar. Push Square highlights strange and awkward transitions between scenes, resulting in texture and animation issues. These negative opinions indicate that the game suffers from technical flaws and inconsistencies in its visual presentation. Overall, the consensus among critics is mixed regarding the graphics and visual design of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me. While there are positive aspects, such as the attention to detail, atmospheric settings, and impressive lighting, there are also noticeable flaws, including immersion-breaking issues, inconsistencies in visual quality, and technical glitches. Critics like Impulsegamer and Xbox Achievements appreciate the detailed character models and facial animations, while others, like Hooked Gamers and Siliconera, criticize the stilted animations and wooden facial expressions. The overall sentiment suggests that while the game has its visual strengths, it falls short in certain areas, resulting in an inconsistent and flawed visual experience.

The majority of the critics praised the sound design and music of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, considering it to be very good. COGconnected commends the voice acting for its authenticity and the use of silence for creating tension. Cubed3 describes the sound design as dripping with eerie ambience and praises the excellent voice work. Game Rant acknowledges the presence of strange audio bugs but still appreciates how the sound design supports the horror atmosphere of the game. GamersRD finds the audio design tense and impressive, contributing to the overall atmosphere. CGMagazine highlights the standout feature of Erin's mini boom microphone and the heightened immersion achieved through the use of headphones. GamingTrend also recognizes the excellent sound design that effectively builds tension throughout the game. TheXboxHub compliments the amazing soundtrack, spooky effects, and good voice work. Xbox Achievements mentions the great music and unsettling noises that contribute to the atmospheric build-up. Xbox Tavern appreciates the immersive sound design that adds to the horror experience. XboxEra praises the well-thought-out sound design, creepy animatronic mannequins, and top-class atmospherics that create tension and a sense of malice. While the majority of the critics had positive opinions about the sound design and music, there were a few criticisms mentioned. KeenGamer feels that the music can sometimes feel too obvious and that the sound design is not as effective in creating scares as the level design. GameByte, on the other hand, focuses on the fantastic sound design in sections where the player navigates as the sound engineer character, but does not provide any negative feedback. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me are very good. The positive aspects highlighted include fantastic voice acting, eerie ambience, excellent voice work, tense and impressive audio design, standout features such as Erin's mini boom microphone, and the ability to effectively build tension throughout the game. The atmospheric audio, stunning environmental sounds, varied soundtrack, spooky effects, and immersive sound design were also praised. While there were a few criticisms regarding the music feeling too obvious and the sound design not being as effective in creating scares compared to the level design, these were overshadowed by the overall positive reception of the sound design and music.

The voice acting in The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the critics. Many reviewers praised the performances of the cast, with specific mentions of standout actors such as Paul Kaye, Jessie Buckley, and Gloria Obianyo. COGconnected describes the voice acting as fantastic, emphasizing that it helps make the characters feel authentic. Comicbook.com also highlights Paul Kaye as a standout performer, while Cubed3 notes that some cast members from previous games in the anthology deliver excellent performances. GamersRD and CGMagazine both describe the voice acting as excellent and effective in conveying emotions. PlayStation Universe and Push Square specifically mention the strong performances of Jessie Buckley and Paul Kaye. These positive opinions indicate that the voice acting in The Devil in Me successfully brings the characters to life and adds depth to the overall experience. While the majority of critics praised the voice acting, there were a few negative opinions regarding certain aspects. Digitally Downloaded criticizes the scripting for being immersion-breaking, suggesting that it may have affected the overall impact of the voice performances. Hooked Gamers also expresses disappointment, mentioning poor acting and line reads recorded out of context. These negative remarks suggest that there may be inconsistencies or issues with the execution of the voice acting in certain parts of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is strong and enhances the overall experience. The performances are generally praised for being authentic, engaging, and effectively conveying emotions. The standout performances of actors such as Paul Kaye, Jessie Buckley, and Gloria Obianyo are frequently mentioned as highlights. While there are some negative remarks regarding scripting and execution, the positive opinions outweigh the negatives. The voice acting in The Devil in Me is generally regarded as a significant positive aspect of the game, contributing to the likability of the characters and the believability of their interactions.

In terms of the technical performance on the PS5, there are mixed opinions among the critics. Cubed3 praises the solid feel of the game, despite a few slight hiccups with loading scenes and visual stuttering. GamersRD also notes that the game runs well with good loading times, but suggests that it could be improved. However, Game Rant, PlayStation Universe, and Push Square express concerns about technical issues such as visual and audio bugs, inconsistent character behavior, odd camera angles, and scene loading problems. These criticisms indicate that while the game shows some mastery of software and runs smoothly for some reviewers, it falls short of expectations in terms of polish and technical benchmark set by previous Dark Pictures titles. On the PC platform, the technical performance of The Devil in Me receives more negative feedback from the critics. CGMagazine highlights the laggy loading times between scenes, while GameCritics specifically mentions technical errors in the multiplayer mode, including teleporting characters, visual glitches, and failure to register responses. GamingTrend and KeenGamer both point out distracting technical issues such as audio artifacts, animation glitches, texture loading problems, cutscenes getting abruptly cut, unmovable camera, broken character models, and broken puzzles. These criticisms indicate that the PC version of the game suffers from various bugs and technical errors, significantly impacting the overall experience. On the Xbox Series X, the technical performance of The Devil in Me receives more positive feedback. TheXboxHub mentions minor stutters and pops but nothing major, while ZTGD states that the game is stable with no bugs or crashes. However, Xbox Tavern highlights issues with the online co-op mode, including character flickering and laggy connections, which negatively affect the overall experience. These mixed opinions suggest that while the Xbox Series X version of the game generally performs well, there are still some technical issues that need to be addressed, particularly in the online multiplayer aspect. Overall, the critics' opinions regarding the technical performance of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me vary across different gaming platforms. While some reviewers on the PS5 praise the solid feel and good loading times, others express concerns about technical issues and lack of polish. The PC version receives more negative feedback, with multiple critics highlighting various bugs, glitches, and technical errors. On the Xbox Series X, the game generally performs well, but there are still some technical issues, particularly in the online co-op mode. Taking into account the overall consensus of the critics, it can be concluded that the technical performance of The Devil in Me is a mixed bag, with room for improvement on all gaming platforms.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me are generally positive. COGconnected highlights that the game encourages multiple playthroughs to experience different paths and variations of scenarios, with collectibles and premonitions adding to the replay value. Game Rant also mentions the game's multiple endings, secrets, and the desire to save everyone as factors that encourage replayability. GamersRD and PlayStation Universe both emphasize the high replay value of the game, with GamersRD specifically mentioning the different outcomes as a reason to replay. Siliconera and Movies Games and Tech both note the opportunity to achieve different endings and multiple storylines, providing replay value and longevity. However, there are also some negative opinions regarding the replay value of the game. Comicbook.com mentions that while there is a temptation to replay the game to explore alternate decisions, the overall experience was not particularly enjoyable. Xbox Tavern expresses a preference for shorter runtimes in previous games, suggesting that the longer runtime of The Devil in Me may limit its replayability. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me offers a good amount of replay value. The game's multiple endings, branching storylines, and the ability to change the fates of the characters are seen as positive factors that encourage players to replay. The inclusion of collectibles, premonitions, and secrets also adds to the replay value. The availability of online multiplayer and the anticipation for future seasons of Dark Pictures games, as mentioned by Metro GameCentral, further contribute to the overall positive sentiment towards the game's replayability. However, there are some mixed opinions, with Comicbook.com and Xbox Tavern expressing some reservations about the overall enjoyment and runtime of the game. Nonetheless, the majority of critics acknowledge the replay value of The Devil in Me, making it an appealing choice for players looking for a game that offers multiple playthroughs and variations.