The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is an impressive addition to the series that not only looks stunning on next gen, but also plays out in multiple player controlled scenarios, than can vary from triumphant, to downright heart breaking. It’s a dark journey through horror and blood, with only you (and maybe a friend in co-op) to determine who makes it out the other side.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes might not be very frightening, but it absolutely nails a tense atmosphere where every choice really does matter. With gorgeous visuals and a satisfying, well paced story, Supermassive has finally found their footing.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is a fantastic feat in the adventure narrative genre. There's a focus on character drama to make the cast more dynamic and a group of flesh-eating demons to keep your heart racing. Choices have a considerable impact, but there's room to play again and again, with accessible options to fine-tune the experience and a new camera system to enhance exploration. Alone or with friends, no matter how you play, a nightmare awaits.

The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes is the best entry in the series yet, packed with gripping storytelling, compelling characters, and solid performances. Your choices feel impactful, and seeing your relationships grow or fall apart based on your decisions carries a lot of weight. With tons of collectibles, an improved camera, and solid pacing, House of Ashes will keep you glued to the screen until the credits roll.

House of Ashes is the best Dark Picture yet, with an interesting setting, well-developed characters, some truly harrowing scenarios and the usual creativity in the deaths department. If you liked the other ones, you'll definitely love this.

A tense, action-packed tale that feels completely different from what you've come to expect from The Dark Pictures Anthology so far.

House of Ashes marks a change of pace from previous episodes of the Dark Pictures Anthology, offering a horror story that also focuses heavily on action. The plot, which incorporates elements of films such as Aliens, Predator and The Descent, does not shine for originality, but is overall enjoyable and sufficiently articulated. There is still some occasional uncertainty in the interactions between characters, but overall the dialogues are good and the narrative crossroads are numerous and lead to endings that have significant differences between them. The new gameplay features do not change the gaming experience, but improve it slightly, while graphics/sound remains on good standards.

The third installment of The Dark Pictures Anthology brings a more action-packed story and a different kind of twist. If you liked the first two, you will probably enjoy this one at least as much. Just make sure to sharpen your reflexes, because this game is really unforgiving. Yet those that endure it will be left with an unforgettable horror experience.

House of Ashes is the best iteration in the franchise yet. The horror feels more mature and the jumpscares are not as prominent as before. The animations are not always great and next-gen features are yet to be used fully, but suspense and scares are guaranteed. In a dark room on a stormy night, you are ensured to have a sleepless night or two.

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.

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. It might not be particularly fear-inducing, but its action set-pieces are fraught with peril for the fate of its characters, and the final act sticks the landing with a satisfying payoff. The series might still be stuck in the smothering shadow of Until Dawn, but House of Ashes is a step in the right direction.

House of Ashes is far from perfect, and the Dark Pictures system still shows room for improvement. But both mechanically and narratively this is its best outing yet – by far – and horror fans happy with an interactive narrative will find more to love here than ever before.

A good sequel with high replay value for this kind of games and with some minor technical advantages for users on PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. If you like the series, you need to play it. If not, House of Ashes won't change your mind about the series.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is far and away the best Dark Pictures game so far. It blends intriguing characters, compelling drama, and a killer twist to offer up what can only be described as the most honed experience Supermassive has put out in this series so far. It's got a few minor issues here and there – namely relating to the diversity of its cast and how much each of them plays into the overall story – but it's a horror experience that no fan should miss even if they weren't fans of Man of Medan or Little Hope.

In flicking back through my notes on House of Ashes, I find that I have been more negative on it in this review than I remember feeling from my time playing it. It is a highly enjoyable experience and hard to put down. It might not be as spooky as I’d like from a horror game, and it might not play the way I think it should given the type of horror the developers were aiming for, but ultimately, holding the lives of a bunch of delinquent characters in my hands and deliberately letting them fall to their proverbial (or perhaps literal) deaths will never fail to be a (ghoulishly) good time.

And while the graphics are better than the games made for prior generations, I believe that Supermassive has to do some major upgrades that eliminate latency, improve the movement, and still reach an even better level of graphics realism. I’m looking forward to more entries in this series. If I think of The Dark Pictures Anthology by itself, I believe this series is getting better with time.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is Supermassive's best horror game since Until Dawn made it famous.

An intriguing premise backed by refined gameplay and an immersive atmosphere makes House of Ashes the best entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology yet.

Supermassive has an incredible talent for creating gripping narratives of a horror persuasion, and despite some technical bumps in the sand, my retrospective opinion on House of Ashes still remains the same: It’s a bloody good creature feature.

House of Ashes is undoubtedly the best chapter in the Dark Pictures Anthology. The fascinating setting, a varied cast and the usual gameplay made up of tearing moral dilemmas and inevitable QTEs support an authentic descent into hell to discover an ancestral horror buried under the sands of the Iraqi desert.

House of Ashes is by far the best entry into The Dark Pictures Anthology yet. Supermassive Games has outdone itself in terms of visual design, storytelling and pacing, and the result is a game that's absolutely dripping with foreboding atmosphere. The story, playing out over six thrilling hours, keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish – and with so many possible outcomes, chances are you're going to want to jump straight back in. For horror fans, this is an absolute must-play.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is yet another excellent offering from the masters of horror at Supermassive Games. While not every facet of its choose-your-own-adventure style narrative works, its compelling cast of characters and immense replayability will keep you coming back for more. I’ve played through the game twice in the past week, and I’m already dying to return to the underground with four friends to experience Movie Night mode. If that’s not a testament to the game’s lasting power, then I don’t know what is.

House of Ashes adds little to the Dark Pictures formula, and doesn't seem to progress the 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.

All in all, House of Ashes is a solid new entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology. While I ultimately found it to be a less engaging and frightening experience than its immediate predecessor, it’s still an enjoyable adventure title with some impressive animation work on display. And while I wasn’t in love with some of the changes, I respect that Supermassive Games is listening to fan feedback and attempting to innovate with each successive title. We’re due for at least one more of these games, so I’ll be very curious to see what the Curator has in store for us next time.

House of Ashes, the third installment of The Dark Pictures Anthology, is an entertaining game with high production values, yet it wastes its potential. It is an interactive movie that could be profound, but strives to be superficial in both its narrative and gameplay. It touches on sensitive historical issues, mainly the US invasion of Iraq. It is interesting to see how the war has shaped the personality of the protagonists, how it has affected their interpersonal relationships, and how they justify their role in the invasion. All these nuances, which could present a profound discourse on human logic in the context of war, are buried under a superficial story about a curse in ancient ruins. If someone is a fan of cinematic experiences, this is a game worth trying; It is a good game to pass the time, however it had the potential to be more memorable.

House of Ashes is a decent step forward for a series that also requires adjustments to hit the target. The third chapter of the Dark Pictures Anthology grows better narratively and in the writing of dialogues.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is a unique tale from the crypt of Supermassive Games. The intriguing premise and methodical pacing help to build an overwhelming sense of trepidation, making you question what lies in the myriad of breathing shadows. Although the final third lacks the ambition and ingenuity of its early segments, it’s another great example and celebration of the horror genre.

House of Ashes does not distort the philosophy of Supermassive Games. While retaining the cinematic staging of The Dark Pictures saga, this third episode now offers a 360 ° camera and better integrated QTEs. Thanks to its controlled rhythm, its claustrophobic atmosphere and its interesting plot, it surpasses its predecessors despite its flaws (uneven writing, cartoonish characters, frozen shooting phases…). For anyone who enjoys interactive experiences of the genre, this latest iteration of the anthology is worthy of curiosity.

House of Ashes will not be remembered as a horror masterpiece in video games, but it is a good excuse to gather friends or family for a different night; already almost traditional. And thanks to that, the experience earns many points.

In the end, House of Ashes doesn’t offer a new unique tale that I found with Little Hope or Man of Medan. I did enjoy my time playing through another The Dark Pictures Anthology tale, but it hasn’t left an impact on me as a player as Little Hope did. Choices often felt inconsequential, and few and far between. Character development for all of the characters outside of Salim was underwhelming and disappointing, even though the backdrop of the Iraq War in 2003 was ripe for compelling character development.

Now in its third act, The Dark Pictures Anthology shows the first signs of a perhaps inevitable fatigue. Wisely trying to involve and amaze the player with unprecedented stylistic ideas, Supermassive Games chooses to adopt a more impactful pace, and thus creates another type of horror where violence takes precedence over restlessness. Between slight additions and repeated defects, House of Ashes is, without too many surprises, at the same qualitative level as its predecessors, with a small downward or upward decline based on the preferences of individual users, who may or may not like the cinematic sub-genre. staged by the studio. We do not yet fully know what the future of the series will hold for us, although the game - as always - provides us with some clues in the form of a premonition: what is certain is that the horror will change its aspect again.

House of Ashes never came close to terrifying or surprising me, but I still found it a respectable thriller that should make for an entertaining night alone or with up to four friends passing the controller. If you’ve enjoyed the Anthology up to this point, you’ll likely get a kick out of this too. But if you’ve been waiting for The Dark Pictures to reach the heights of Until Dawn, don’t get your hopes up for another year.

You can now say that The Dark Pictures Anthology offers a constant quality, where predictability is largely prevented by enough variety in setting and type of monsters. Unfortunately, the trick of five protagonists and player choices that determine the course of the story is starting to become somewhat transparent, so don't expect plot twists that will blow you off your seat.

Supermassive is back with an enjoyable adventure that we recommend playing with friends, although we also feel the core of the experience –the story– isn’t strong enough.

House of Ashes gives the impression of playing the same Supermassive game with a new story. The passage to next-gen systems looks irrelevant to a series that doesn't know how to evolve its formula. It has a better story than Little Hope, but presents the same issues already seen in the other two chapters.

House of Ashes is limited, but oh so entertaining. It's a bit sad that the focus on action overtakes some of the horror elements, but at the same time we appreciate that the story and the environments differ a lot from the anthology's previous titles.

House of Ashes is the most ambitious episode in Supermassive Games' The Dark Pictures Anthology yet. But having a well crafted story and great characters is not enough when many elements of the game -like the new, free camera or the many technical issues- are problematic thus keeping it from achieving greatness.

House of Ashes is a fun horror romp. There's nothing subtle to be found here and the game is all the better for it, with exciting set pieces and a fast-paced story. It has its issues, both technically and with not really having anything interesting to build into its Iraq War setting, but it's still a hoot to play.

House of Ashes, while not perfect, (or even scary truth be told) is a good installment in the series as it provides gorgeous graphics along with its interesting premise.

After the crummy Man of Medan and the better-but-not-quite-there Little Hope, The Dark Pictures Anthology has finally started hitting its stride with House of Ashes.

That basically sums up The Dark Pictures: Episode 3 - House of Ashes. It's a cheesy action-horror movie, except you can help characters survive (or die) with your button presses. It's not my favorite of the lot, but I was relatively engaged. It's an enjoyable enough B movie and feels like it would thrive the best as a multiplayer party game. If you've enjoyed the rest of the franchise so far, you'll enjoy House of Ashes because aside from some quality of life changes, it's largely in the same mold.

The formula works and is fun, even if it begs for a little more interaction. One of the best installments of the anthology so far.

House of Ashes can be, at times, a rewarding experience; however, the developers, in order to achieve a remarkable result in graphics, have neglected too much the pace and the interaction with the player.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is the perfect game to curl up with this Halloween if you are looking for a scary game to play alone or with friends. However, there are too many stretches where you can put the controller down and forget it is a game at all. For anyone who enjoyed previous titles from Supermassive Games, House of Ashes is more of the same.

House of Ashes is not a bad game but it will not mark the spirits despite a neat universe and a beautiful atmosphere. Like the previous chapters the game is too short, especially since it takes time to get started, and it suffers from inequalities. The movements are too rigid, the camera angles suffocating and especially the choices seem illusory which removes salt to the experience. In the end we come out with the impression of not having had an impact on the story, even worse of not having really played... Pity!

With House of Ashes, Supermassive Games takes a more action oriented that some may regret. It is also less horrific, but still relies on effective dilemmas to guide its story. As for the graphics, they can be beautiful as well as a bit overdone and suffer from a sometimes strange facial animation. And although it still needs to be improved, we welcome the switch to free camera, as well as the 3 difficulty levels proposed for the QTEs. Still as cinematic as ever, the title offers us an adventure around a Sumerian legend with an undeniable replayability and which is perfectly suited to multiplayer games with friends.

The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes certainly changes things up for the anthology, with a cliché over the top story and a new tone that returning fans may not enjoy. But the strong cast and some interesting choices help prod the adventure along, even as its awkward new camera and dated visuals try to get in the way.

The promise of the Dark Pictures series remains fresh, then, but the systems supporting it are staring to creak with age. [Issue#366, p.119]

It does look nice on PS5. Keeping the squad alive is a tense affair and the creature design is a highlight in the face of so much else that turns out to be toothless. [Issue#8, p.86]

The best location in the series and an improved camera do not hide the sometimes blatant weaknesses of House of Ashes.

There's a lot to like in House of Ashes. It can look great (but also a bit ropey at points), the acting is largely excellent, and your actions (or lack of) can really impact the story. Yet, the game element is lacking, which in turn makes the gameplay sequences where you're in proper control end up lacking in scares. This is a fun time, especially if played in a group or online with a friend, but I was more afraid of button prompts than the monsters.

At the end of House Of Ashes’ seven or so hour run time, I felt similar to if I’d just watched a low-budget action film - something more akin to Dog Soldiers than the game’s intended influences. It was a good time but I don’t really feel like I need to play it again in order to get everything I’m going to get from it. The game ranks firmly above Man Of Medan, but below Little Hope, and I hope that the next chapter in the series leans back towards the horror aspects rather than the action.

A lackluster military versus monsters soap opera that just about redeems itself with an extravagant final third and unmatched co-op mechanics.

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.

I feel torn about House of Ashes. I’ve been overly negative here, but it isn’t by any means a bad game, it just didn’t gel with me in the way that Little Hope, for example, did.

House of Ashes is the third and the worst installment of The Dark Pictures, which makes us think that the whole anthology will end prematurely.