Directive 8020

Directive 8020 rockets Supermassive’s horror anthology into the stars with a homage to Ridley Scott, John Carpenter, and all things body horror, while delivering a stellar narrative twist that’s out of this world.

Creepy, cruel—it goes down like a ride on a ghost train. The Dark Pictures Anthology opens its first science fiction chapter. Fans of the anthology series should definitely climb aboard the spaceship for Directive 8020.

Directive 8020 is the studio’s first sci-fi horror game, and it delivers on the genre’s expectations with new gameplay mechanics, a wide range of difficulty options, and a bleak story full of surprises. Its slow start and gradual build-up of pace are another plus. However, the repetitive nature of the stealth mechanics, the studio’s persistent performance issues, and the repetitive enemy types slightly undermine the project. Still, it’s a must-play for fans of the genre—a dark space and human ethics nightmare.

Directive 8020 marks a noticeable technical leap for The Dark Pictures Anthology, with impressive visual fidelity and a chapter based structure that fits the experience well. The new Turning Points system also makes it much easier to track branching paths and piece together the story. Unfortunately, the same long standing issues still hold it back: the script falls apart under scrutiny, the new interactive mechanics feel shallow, and the "something among us" premise never becomes more than a surface level hook.

This isn’t the series most standout storyline, but there’s a lot to appreciate between the traditional gameplay loop we all crave and various new features. As always, given the nature of the game, to truly appreciate it and fully unearth the plot and fine details, you’ll need to replay and delve into those other possible branches. Good luck staying alive.