The Medium

The game's arrival on the PlayStation 5 has been a long time coming. But thankfully, it was well worth the wait. With its unique dual-world gameplay mechanics and gripping narrative, The Medium is yet another macabre masterpiece from the talent at Bloober Team. If you have even a passing interest in horror games or are looking for a powerful supernatural story to experience that isn't afraid to touch on sensitive subjects, this is one game that demands a spot in your PS5 library.

The Medium proves to be an interesting look into the human psyche, one that attempts to figure out why individuals are the way they are, while still stating that your past does not excuse your current actions. I greatly enjoyed my time in Marianne’s shoes, and found myself constantly impressed with the incredible graphics and unique mechanics. Bloober Team has made an impressive product, even more so on the PS5 with their willingness to make use of the PS5’s controller’s special features.

The Medium on PS5 is pretty much as good as it was on Xbox Series X, despite some graphic flaws and loading issues. Luckily, the DualSense features manage to fill the gap.

The Medium on PlayStation 5 feels like the best version of the game and one worth trying if you have yet to experience it elsewhere. While its unique dual-reality perspective lifted the game up, players expecting an outrageously different spin on psychological horror may have seen these scares before. But it’s hard to deny that Blooper Team aimed for the fences with The Medium and payed homage to the classics while crafting a new universe that they may wish to refine further down the line.

The Medium tells an interesting paranormal story and allows you to explore an environment that’s as creepy as it is fascinating. On top of that, it looks and sounds great. However, you’ll have to endure the sometimes clunky camera angles.

Bloober Team meshes all of these elements together to draw players further into The Medium's world than the Xbox/PC versions were capable of, elevating an already enjoyable experience to new heights. It stands to reason that the PS5 version of The Medium is the ideal way to experience Marianne's dual-reality adventures, and PlayStation 5 owners that enjoy horror games should definitely check the game out.

Now on PS5, The Medium is the same game players could have experienced on Xbox and PC. A strong narrative and the concept of twin worlds make it a pleasure to discover, even if it feels a bit simplistic. DualSense make it a little bit more immersive, even though technical hiccups can be a bit frustrating.

The Medium surprised me with its psychologically twisted, complex and intricate story that had me enthralled from the moment the intrigue turned into something more sinister and personable. Even with its simplistic gameplay design and clunky encounter mechanics, the atmosphere of the world and enjoyable tale should carry you through even its darkest corners. In the real world, The Medium would be basic, but in the spirit realm, it comes to life and will show you the disturbing but enchanting fabric of its reality.

It could very well be the best psychological horror experience on the console.

The Medium lands on PlayStation 5 after seven months after its launch on Xbox and PC ready to take advantage of all the technology of the new Sony console to bring its peculiarities to this horror adventure that will keep you at the controls for a good handful of hours.

With each game they release, Bloober Team continues to make strides, and The Medium is another such step. It has an intriguing story with intriguing characters. The game also has a nifty mix of old and new gameplaying elements.

This is the same experience that we know, now with a correct implementation of the DualSense that doesn’t really add anything too exciting.

Bloober Team is no stranger to making games that feature concepts with immense potential, like Blair Witch or Observer. The Medium is probably my favorite of theirs to date. It's got a couple of warts, but it's easy to get lost in its world (both of them), even with its pitch-black narrative overtones. It makes it feel important, though perhaps not something you'll feel compelled to play on repeat.

The Medium is an admirable horror experience from a developer that has been making a lot of huge strides for itself in the world of horror game development. It’s not something that is going to change the world of horror games, but it does enough unique things with the simultaneous dual-world mechanic to stand out. Like many horror games before it, it fails to balance its tension with certain gameplay mechanics that can turn from fear to frustration pretty quickly, but these are spaced out enough that it never ruined the experience wholesale. For any horror fans looking for a Silent Hill-esque game to fill that ominous void, The Medium will at least scratch that itch.

The way that The Medium brings trauma to life in various ways is awe-inspiring. At the same time, it's not all that good of a video game.

All in all, The Medium is a good game, but not revolutionary and certainly not the new king of the genre. The story and atmosphere will stay with you long after finishing it, but the gameplay has a lot of room for improvement. If you prioritize a good story and a masterfully crafted atmosphere The Medium will not disappoint.

The Medium is a game with great potential and bad execution, as its issues and problems such as limited gameplay, easy puzzles and bad camera work eventually overtake its great story telling and engaging atmosphere.

This edition of The Medium is suitable for those who have not had, in the past, the chance of recovering the title in the Microsoft or PC ecosystem. This is perhaps not the best of the ports, but the new features related to DualSense and the generic good quality of the product can fully justify the purchase.

Also on PS5 The Medium confirms the strengths and weaknesses of a production that is at times also genuinely intriguing, but unable to distinguish itself and to sanction that consecration of the Polish studio that many would have expected (even more so with what seemed to be the project of maturity definitive). The experience is essentially identical to that which lived seven months ago on the Xbox Series X, with a big difference, indeed in practice two. Even without epochal revolutions, on PlayStation 5 the DualSense adds something in terms of interaction compared to the original version, but on the Microsoft console the inclusion of the game in the Game Pass catalog since day one weighs a lot: a download to The Medium yes can and if you are a fan of the genre you must give it without reservations, while the investment of 49.99 € must be taken less lightly.

Mechanically and in terms of storytelling you get the same experience on PS5 like on the other platforms. The newly added DualSense functionality feels out of place, though.

Despite some impressive DualSense implementation, the blemishes embedded into The Medium's gameplay and narrative still show on PS5. While The Medium is an intriguing horror game, it certainly isn't a great one.

With a story that’s just okay and controls that make you want to pull your hair out, the great audio and voice acting are overshadowed. Watching someone else play it would be the more satisfying route to experience The Medium.

The Medium is a linear experience with an interesting if underutilised split dimension mechanic. The story is complex but can also be predictable whilst not providing enough in the way of intrigue. Temper your expectations and you may just get something out of it.