The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes (Xbox One/SX)

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.

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.