The Dark Pictures Anthology Volume 2 (Xbox One/SX)

Noch immer nicht mehr als ein guter B-Movie um eine nicht besonders gruselige, aber sehr stimmungsvolle und erstaunlich grausige Horrorgeschichte.

Mit einem realistischen Setting schafft es The Devil in Me, ein würdiges Staffelfinale abzuliefern. Grund hierfür ist der authentische Cast, welcher sich in einem herausfordernden Überlebenskampf im Stile von Saw widerfindet. Trotz erfrischend neuen Gameplaymechaniken zeigt man sich auch diesmal technisch leider nicht von seiner besten Seite, vor allem was den Sound betrifft. Das ist umso bedauerlicher, denn so hätte man Until Dawn eventuell sogar vom narrativen Horror-Thron gestoßen.

Nach Man of Medan und Little Hope schafft es Supermassive Games auch mit House of Ashes nicht, an Until Dawn heranzukommen. Schuld daran ist nicht das ungewohnte Setting, sondern die darin befindlichen Charaktere. Völlig überzeichnet und klischeebehaftet ist man zu Beginn eher froh, wenn man sie unabsichtlich losgeworden ist.

If you are a fan of the anthology and do not want to miss out on this installment, be sure to pick it up. Otherwise, start with another title from the first season that has been more well-received such as House of Ashes or Man of Medan.

The Devil in Me is the best game in the series. Supermassive delivered a great script this time out, and while it's more straightforward than some others that tend to lean on a mid-game twist, it's not without surprises. I strongly feel the second season of The Dark Pictures both needs and deserves a technical overhaul, and I think if that can align with another story as fun as this one, The Dark Pictures will have finally achieved its full potential. For now, it's still climbing toward that peak, but it's going in the right direction.

At the end of the day, if you already liked The Dark Pictures games, you should really enjoy House of Ashes. Its story is unique, complex, interesting, and suspenseful without relying on cheap scares. If you didn’t like Little Hope or Man of Medan, but are still open to enjoying the series, House of Ashes is worth giving a shot.

Despite these continued missteps, House of Ashes represents the peak of the Dark Pictures Anthology so far. Its setting and characters offer a fresh perspective for the series, while Supermassive's penchant for creating tension through something as simple as a QTE is as masterful as ever.

As much as I feel like this series is stuck in the shadow of Until Dawn for a large part of the audience, collectively, The Dark Pictures Anthology is becoming something memorable in its own right. I’ll keep enjoying these games as long as I can, House of Ashes included.

House of Ashes' storytelling doesn't always land, and its scares feel shallow, but it can be a tense and enjoyable monster thriller.

House of Ashes adds little to the Dark Pictures formula, and doesn't seem to progress anthology's overarching plot. That said, it's still a great adventure with some jaw dropping visuals and action-packed set pieces. A solid addition to the franchise.