Directive 8020

Directive 8020 imbues every interaction in trust and paranoia, delivering emotional turbulence and atmospheric dread that’s only overshadowed by inconsistent mechanics.

The Dark Pictures might be missing from the title screen, but Directive 8020 is a return to Supermassive Games' formulaic design with some new twists and frights.

Playing one of these games will always be an individual experience, and it’s always about what you personally find scary. I found Directive 8020 to be one of the stronger entries in the series, because space is terrifying to me. The game is well-paced, has interesting (if archetypal) characters, and includes some new mechanics that make for a less frustrating experience than previous entries. Was the plot groundbreaking? No. It was derivative, but I feel like that’s what these games are supposed to be – and it does try to make some interesting points with the themes it’s exploring, and that’s all I really ask for.

Directive 8020 isn’t a bad game, but it feels slow and repetitive. The universe is interesting, the atmosphere often works really well, and some sequences are genuinely effective, but I wish the game was more dynamic, more tense, and above all, scarier. It’s a survival horror experience that still lacks the polish and mastery needed to become a true standout in the genre.

Directive 8020 is that perfect short experience that can break up your gaming rut, with its eight episodes of intense storytelling, each around 1-2 hours in length. You can stop there or go back for more, exploring alternate pathways in a way I’m rarely drawn to, but I immediately felt compelled to do after reaching one of Directive 8020’s conclusions. You can play the game multiplayer if you wish, either in couch co-op or online, although the former is obviously the way to go for the ultimate communal horror experience. However you choose to play, please do, as you don’t want to be the one left behind on this doomed planet once the Cassiopea starts its voyage.

To sum up, Directive 8020 is a brilliant new step in the Dark Pictures Anthology. It is a chilling, haunting sci fi horror mystery, with great twist and turns. Refined and polished gameplay and awe inspiring visuals help make this title the best in the series to date. Supermassive are the kings of the interactive horror genre and despite the short length and lack of shared story, this is my favourite entry in the series.

Directive 8020 is not without a handful of recognizable flaws and quirks that have been present in Supermassive Games’ horror titles for a decade. But the shift into science fiction is one of the many necessary changes to the formula. By toying with player expectations, this involved, character-driven horror fest emerges as one of the strongest entries in the Dark Pictures Anthology, laying the ground for a potentially enthralling Season Two.

Directive 8020 falls into a gameplay loop that is frankly tedious and unsatisfying. While the narrative elements offer some light entertainment, the overall sense of progression is a major letdown.

Directive 8020 is the start of a new season for the Dark Pictures anthology, and it’s’s off to a good start. The massive leap from Earth to space effectively gives us a way to experience terror and mostly works. Still, it’s often undone by dreadful stealth sections that quickly scuttle the tension due to overreliance on staying quiet. However, for the things I don’t enjoy, Supermassive Games delivers a great game with a great sense of tension.

Directive 8020 is a near-perfect advancement of Supermassive Games’ tried and tested formula, with added stealth, puzzling, and adventure elements really boosting player agency. Outside of a couple of jump scares, the game’s narrative relies on tension and dread compared to The Dark Pictures franchise’s typical brand of horror, but the game is all the richer for this, rooting itself in tangibility and fears that plague us all. Decisions are difficult to make with thrilling consequences that are both a joy and devastating to watch play out. Add in great performances from the cast and impressive visuals, and it’s hard to see Directive 8020 as anything other than a hit.

Directive 8020 is by far one of the best games Supermassive has made, with an engaging story and characters and choices that carry a lot of weight.

Supermassive Games takes the Dark Pictures series into space with Directive 8020, and with the introduction of new gameplay elements such as stealth, you're more immersed in the action than ever before. Add in its brilliant presentation and gripping story and you have one of the best Dark Pictures games yet, and a must play for fans of space-horror.

Directive 8020 delivers entertaining sci-fi horror with strong atmosphere, improved gameplay flow and impressive presentation. However, its predictable story, simplistic mechanics and weak German voice acting prevent Supermassive Games from reaching the heights of its best interactive horror experiences.

Directive 8020 may not be the revolution some were hoping for, but it still stands out as an interesting evolution of The Dark Pictures formula. With this new title, Supermassive Games tries new things and experiments, offering us a narratively gripping adventure, though its gameplay unfortunately suffers from an approach that’s far too formulaic. It’s still a solid popcorn game, however, and will certainly appeal to fans of the genre and those who enjoy slightly goofy horror experiences.

Directive 8020 had some serious potential, but it fails to conjure up anything of any real substance. There are little sparks of enjoyment in there, and I liked the Cassiopeia’s gradual descent into a gloopy, fleshy hell. But a dull setting, uninteresting characters, and overly simplistic gameplay segments left me fairly uninterested in seeing how else I could play out this branching narrative experience.

The Dark Pictures Anthology resumes its journey grounded in certain constants—its horror roots, its focus on plot and character, and its narrative branching—but also introduces significant new elements, chief among them a fresh setting and revamped gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, this ambition to innovate was not fully realized; the stealth mechanics in *Directive 8020* prove too rudimentary to sustain the sheer volume of sequences that rely on them, while the sci-fi setting remains anchored to stylistic conventions so ordinary that they prevent the title from standing out from the crowd. The narrative fails to build the sense of gravity that ought to define a mission to save the entire human race, though it recovers slightly thanks to a body-horror-infused finale and an intriguing concluding twist. The new map system, based on "Turning Points," is a godsend for completionists, who can finally explore every nook and cranny of the story without having to needlessly replay entire chapters; meanwhile, on the graphics and performance front, Supermassive has done a solid job, despite the lackluster nature of the art design.

Directive 8020 also gives us the ability to rewind time and make different choices, or to replay these sessions, in order to ensure that more survivors make it to the end of the game.

Directive 8020 is the game Supermassive fans have been waiting for since Until Dawn redefined what this format could achieve. The Cassiopeia works as a setting precisely because it holds together elements that usually cancel each other out: pristine aesthetics and visceral body horror, late-nineties sci-fi optimism and deep cosmic dread, television-quality acting and the sudden brutality of a game that does not warn you before it hurts you.

A new chapter in The Dark Pictures series attempts to remain anchored to its roots while simultaneously seeking to distance itself by offering something new. Mission accomplished? Not exactly. Although it is an enjoyable and well-crafted experience, the balance between gameplay and cinematic elements once again tips excessively in favor of the latter, and the freedom granted to the player seems even more limited than in previous installments. A game structure that is a bit too fragmented and permissive diminishes the sense of tension and immersion in the story—a narrative that, in turn, leaves itself open to criticism due to its heavy "inspiration" drawn from certain classics of the sci-fi horror genre.

I really wanted to love this game and there are elements about Directive 8020 that I thoroughly adored. It could have been up there with the greats, sitting alongside House of Ashes for best Dark Picture. Sadly, Directive 8020 fails from a narrative and gameplay standpoint, and while it does redeem itself from an overbearing saggy middle, it doesn't do enough for me to ignore its glaring flaws. If you don't mind the repetitive gameplay that flatlines any built momentum and tension, then Directive 8020 may hit like Until Dawn did back in 2015. It had huge potential, but may have needed more time in cryosleep.

Directive 8020 marks the return of The Dark Pictures Anthology, showcasing Supermassive Games' drive to evolve both structurally and mechanically. Set aboard the starship Cassiopeia, the narrative premise delivers a space adventure with a distinct horror twist, deliberately drawing inspiration from cult classics like The Thing and Alien to plunge the player into a nightmare of paranoia and moral ambiguity. The game departs from the studio’s typical productions to embrace a survival horror approach over the standard interactive movie formula, offering the most evolved gameplay system in the developer's history. The classic branching choices and Butterfly Effect are now bolstered by stealth sections, environmental puzzles, and third-person exploration that maintain constant tension, making it significantly harder to keep every crew member alive. Technically, this is the team’s most accomplished work to date: the use of Unreal Engine 5 combined with fantastic lighting elevates the ship’s claustrophobic atmosphere, while the non-linear, fragmented direction keeps the player’s attention firmly gripped. Ultimately, Directive 8020 is the most ambitious and complete title ever developed by Supermassive; a cinematic cosmic horror that feels both fresh and familiar, marking the anthology's return in the best possible way.

A tense and atmospheric sci-fi horror story that starts familiar but grows into something distinctly its own, powered by strong characters, smart branching structure, and a chilling sense of distrust.

With Directive 8020, Supermassive comes out of the gate strong: a compelling story with a solid, diverse cast that makes for a horror adventure that slowly unfolds. The formula of making choices and living with consequences is somewhat undermined by the Rewind feature. Given the claustrophobic and tense nature of this story, the emphasis on stealth gameplay is a very smart decision. By constantly shaking up its gameplay elements, Directive 8020 never grows stale – helped in no small part by the fact that the game can be completed in six to eight hours. If you're a fan of Event Horizon or The Thing, this game is a must-play. All other horror fans will find a capable game, where the developers take their time building towards something truly impressive.

Directive 8020 kicks off this new season of The Dark Pictures Anthology in style with a well-executed sci-fi horror journey, featuring revamped gameplay that pulls the player out of the role of spectator and turns them into a full-fledged participant. Can we talk about a Supermassive 2.0 formula? In any case, Directive 8020 is clearly heading in that direction.

Directive 8020 builds on the formula established in 2015, adding several gameplay layers (some more successful than others) to its narrative-driven core and butterfly effect mechanics. However, its greatest strength lies in the freedom it gives players to explore its complex tree of decisions and consequences. It is Supermassive Games’ most complete and enjoyable adventure since Until Dawn.

Directive 8020 attempts to channel the claustrophobic paranoia of The Thing into deep space, but ultimately crashes under the weight of poor writing. Supermassive Games delivers a weak narrative lacking proper foundational context, populated by an unlikable and inconsistently written cast that makes it nearly impossible to care about their survival. The game's trademark branching choices are frustratingly executed, often resulting in illogical, delayed consequences without adequate narrative support. Coupled with an overreliance on tedious stealth sequences and surprisingly tame body horror, this sci-fi nightmare is a thoroughly missed opportunity.

While the developers don't make his mind about making a "classic" Dark Pictures game or something completely new, this games offers some interesting ideas and a classic sci-fi horror setting. Some twists in the story are a little bit too risky, but it's worth the journey.

Although enjoyable, especially in local multiplayer, Directive 2080's science fiction story feels too familiar. Mechanically, Supermassive Games is stuck in the same formulas.

The second season of The Dark Pictures Anthology begins with a strong premise, sending players into space with clear inspirations from The Thing and Alien. Directive 8020 is yet another example of Supermassive Games reaching the limits of what this anthology format can offer, with the production’s budget constraints becoming increasingly apparent. Despite that, it delivers an effective horror story with well-written characters and impressive lighting effects. However, it stays a little too close to its inspirations and struggles to establish a truly unique identity. The stealth segments also feel overused and would have benefited from being shortened or replaced with interactive cutscenes.

Directive 8020 is another solid entry from Supermassive Games, even if it falls short of the studio’s best horror experiences. The decision-making mechanics remain as tense and entertaining as ever, especially when playing alongside friends. While uneven pacing, cheesy dialogue, and technical hiccups hold it back from greatness, the game still delivers an engaging sci-fi horror adventure filled with memorable choices and strong atmosphere. Fans of Until Dawn and previous Dark Pictures titles will likely find plenty to enjoy here. It may not be the standout entry in the franchise, but it’s still an enjoyable and highly replayable horror game.

Directive 8020 continues the trend of the earlier Dark Anthology games: entertaining B-horror where you constantly make decisions (sometimes under pressure) that determine whether your characters live or die. At its core, this is still a successful game, with plenty of fun moments, while the clear timeline and the option to rewind to earlier scenes are welcome additions. Yet for me, this is the least memorable entry in the series, as weak dialogue, mediocre performances, and overly frequent stealth sections often undermined the tension and made the formula start to feel worn out.

There’s a lot to like about Directive 8020, as the sci-fi horror video game is a nice departure from Supermassive’s previous titles. With smoother gameplay and some genuine chills, the extra time in development has definitely helped it. However, some longtime fans of the Dark Pictures series will be disappointed by the lack of exploration and no true co-op play, which had been staples of the franchise. It also feels less enjoyable to replay because of its many stealth sections and solo focus, even though it’s a better experience the first time through.

Were it structured like a Dark Pictures game of old, Directive 8020, through its derivative but fun riff on 'The Thing', would be seen as something of a return to form. Sadly, their attempt to evolve the product has resulted in a poorly paced gameplay experience that, by the end of its run, is little more than a sadly stagnant monster closet.

Supermassive Games has brought the Dark Pictures Anthology back with style and panache. Directive 8020 suffers from being a little too generic in concept and letting itself down with gameplay elements that are at odds with the cinematic quality, but the game does work as popcorn horror and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

The makers of Until Dawn unleash a new interactive sci-fi horror, whose polish and narrative twists are undermined by under-informed choices and an awful lot of walking about in dimly lit corridors.

It's dingy and it's not without some mutations, but Directive 8020 is definitely worth exploring - just expect the mundane along the way.

Directive 8020 is a welcome evolution of Supermassive’s The Dark Pictures Anthology survival horror series, offering a more forgiving gameplay experience, improved visuals, and new stealth elements. While the core of the gameplay remains, fans may feel divided on these new additions, as the game leans into more traditional survival horror elements than previous titles, but doesn’t quite hit the mark when weighed up against other heavyweights in the sci-fi genre.

I played single-player exclusively, but that said, I struggle to see how groups will find this as enjoyable as other Dark Pictures titles. There are less big, dangerous choices to be made and far more opportunities to die because you’re not good at stealth, or stealth and management of scanning and puzzles at the same time. Fans of Supermassive will find enough here to justify a purchase, though I’m in that camp myself and finished things up hoping for a tighter experience.

Now that Supermassive has taken these giant leaps forward, it’ll be very interesting to see where the Dark Pictures series goes next.

The narrative’s final fumble feels representative of Directive 8020 as a whole. I’m glad to see Supermassive giving itself time to experiment and adapt. Pivotal choices and interactions feel relevant, and reward you for paying attention. There are modes and mechanics here I’d love to see taken forward or even ported back into older entries. But many of those additions don’t quite yet feel finalized, and their inclusion comes at the reduction of other, enjoyable elements. For fans of the Dark Pictures series, the cast and setting make Directive 8020 well worth enlisting with the Cassiopeia. But sadly, it doesn’t quite reach the stellar heights I was hoping for.

The game delivers believable virtual actors and a sci-fi horror that's at once familiar and fresh, but Directive 8020's focus on lacklustre survival-horror gameplay over a meaningful, choice-driven narrative dilutes what originally made the studio's brand of cinematic horror stand out.

Directive 8020 is by far the best Dark Pictures game, embracing more stealth gameplay, making the branching story feel seamless, and setting a new bar for the genre.

Directive 8020 feels like Supermassive Games has finally rejuvenated after the disappointing The Devil In Me. With this being the start of season two, this is a great showing, and I can’t wait to see what horrors they bring us next

I was too busy questioning character decisions (theirs, not mine), rolling my eyes, and grappling with an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu to ever enjoyably engage in Directive 8020.

Directive 8020 is an exciting journey where half the battle is keeping the crew of a doomed spaceship alive. Great acting and hard choices makes this a memorable experience.

I'm tempted to call Directive 8020 Supermassive's best game. It probably doesn't surpass the blast that I thought Until Dawn was, as in many ways, it was far more kitschy and downright cheesy, but it worked well as a sort of party horror game. Directive 8020 is a serious sci-fi story. It doesn't surpass its sources of inspiration, but it doesn't pale in comparison either. All the gameplay mechanics Supermassive has worked with before work better here than ever. It's also undoubtedly the game in the series with the most traditional stealth gameplay, and fortunately, the developers show that they know how to do it here too, even if they aren't taking any big risks.

Directive 8020 is a major step forward for The Dark Pictures Anthology. The story is engaging, the production values are excellent, and the added gameplay mechanics make this the most interactive entry in the series so far. The stealth sections can become a bit repetitive, but they never get in the way of what is still a tense and highly entertaining sci-fi horror survival adventure.

Directive 8020 reinvents The Dark Pictures with tense sci-fi horror and meaningful choices. Despite technical flaws, it’s the anthology’s strongest entry yet.

Directive 8020 explores enthralling themes and serves up some aesthetically pleasing scares, but its overreliance on bland stealth sections and janky pacing hold the game back. I’m certainly interested in seeing more of the story routes thanks to the cohesive and quick rewind mechanic, but I think I’ll wait a bit before diving back into all those stealth sections.

With its revamped stealth mechanics and refined aesthetics, Directive 8020 offers a clear evolution of the genre, but continues to reaffirm some of the limitations, particularly in terms of interaction, inherited from the first season of the anthology. With excellent references, the story (along with the excellent work of the cast) remains its best quality, with good pacing, great development, and important turning points that, while not escaping old cliches, still work very well.

Directive 8020 is a generally fun romp through a sci-fi horror flick with predictable jump scares and familiar plot beats, though it's often bogged down by utterly torturous gameplay segments that can ruin the pacing of the story. Sometimes, less gameplay really is better.

Directive 8020 represents a significant leap forward not only for Supermassive Games and the Dark Pictures Anthology, but for horror adventure games in general. The story follows the terrifying events of a catastrophic mission to colonize a new planet. The player has complete freedom to shape the characters' personalities and destinies: the "Turning Points" mechanic allows you to change your choices and rewind the plot at any time, exploring its many twists and turns. The gameplay is more varied and engaging, with a focus on direction and a cinematic experience. The story isn't particularly original, and the stealth sections disrupt the idyll, but overall it's a solid adventure that didn't disappoint.