Summary
Over the past decade, Supermassive Games has earned praise for creating some of the most spine-tingling horror games in recent memory and has amassed an army of fans as a result. It’s thanks to this well-earned reputation for delivering some of the most thrilling experiences available in the genre that its upcoming game,Directive 8020, already has horror fans buzzing despite relatively little being revealed about the title. The latest entry in Supermassive’sThe Dark Pictures Anthologyseries, the sci-fi horror ofDirective 8020represents a massive and exciting tonal shift for the developer.
Directive 8020looks to be cut from the same cloth as previous entries inThe Dark Pictures Anthology, with the debut trailer establishing an appropriately ominous tone for the game, but its spaceborne setting is a radical departure from its predecessors. The shift to a sci-fi setting should allow for some unique twists on the series’ cinematic storytelling, but also leaves Supermassive with a problem. WhileThe Dark Pictures Anthologygamesprimarily take their cues from film, this could prove to be more difficult withDirective 8020.This is why, rather than Hollywood, Supermassive should look to gaming’s most horrifying hits for inspiration.
Supermassive Needs to Set Its Sights Beyond Hollywood
Initially teased in amid-credits scene inThe Devil In Me,Supermassive has remained relatively tight-lipped about its spooky sci-fi title following the reveal trailer forThe Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020in late 2022. The teaser showed off the same sort of cinematic styling that has madeThe Dark Pictures Anthologygames so well-loved along with some serious cosmic horror undertones. This opens the door to some frightening new gameplay possibilities, but also means Supermassive may have to move away from the Hollywood-inspired stories of previous games inThe Dark Pictures Anthology.
Supermassive Games has never shied away from acknowledgingThe Dark Pictures Anthology’s big-screen influences. The series’ second entry,Little Hope, curbed from films includingThe Blair Witch ProjectandSeason of the Witch, while 2022’sThe Devil In Meturned toSaw, The Shining, and other horror classics for inspiration. When it comes toDirective 8020’s cosmic horror, though, films offer little guidance. Apart from rare exceptions like 1997’sEvent Horizon, thecosmic horror genreis wildly underutilized in Hollywood. to make the most of its sci-fi setting,Directive 8020would be better served turning to gaming horror hits likeDead Spacefor inspiration.
Hollywood may have difficulty bringing cosmic horror to the big screen, but game developers have been doing spectacularly spooky work within the genre for years. This means that Supermassive can look to its contemporaries for inspiration rather than relying on movies. From the ominous undersea settings ofSomaand the indieIron Lungto the admittedly more cartoonishCarrion, gaming is awash withhigh-quality cosmic horror.
While other titles have offered their own take on the genre, when it comes to cosmic horror with a sci-fi spin few games can compare toDead SpaceandReturnal. With their ominously oppressive environments and strong focus on building psychological tension and dread, the pair provide a template thatDirective 8020should follow. While Supermassive is unlikely to makeDirective 8020a straight-up action game, this duo of horror hits shows that cosmic horror can have mass-market appeal. Taking cues fromgames likeDead Spacecould helpThe Dark Pictures Anthology,which has sometimes struggled to attract a wide audience, find a whole new fanbase withDirective 8020.
Directive 8020marks anew chapter forThe Dark Pictures Anthology, and its sci-fi setting means Supermassive Games can’t just follow its familiar formula. By turning to the world of gaming for inspiration rather than relying on Hollywood as it’s done so often before, Supermassive has the opportunity to makeDirective 8020its most impressive and terrifying title yet.
