The Medium

 Xbox Series X
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1388 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 962 out of 1388
  2. Mixed: 137 out of 1388
  3. Negative: 289 out of 1388

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  1. red_shining
    Jul 14, 2023
    7
    Medium is a great game, for the most part I really enjoyed it.

    The downsides were that it was very slow paced - for a lot of it the character was slowly walking through the coridors. There was a run option but it wasn't much faster than the slow paced walking. The game only leads you one way and locks you in the areas so you don't get a lot of freedom in that sense. The puzzles were    Medium is a great game, for the most part I really enjoyed it.

    The downsides were that it was very slow paced - for a lot of it the character was slowly walking through the coridors. There was a run option but it wasn't much faster than the slow paced walking.

    The game only leads you one way and locks you in the areas so you don't get a lot of freedom in that sense. The puzzles were quite simple and I wish there was more to explore and find.

    The video bits were quite long as well, sometimes I wasn't sure if I was playing a game or watching a movie. I think the the proportions there are 50/50.

    Back to focusing on positives - the storyline is great and the graphics are amazing. The feel of the whole place was fantastic. I would love another Medium game from the creators - maybe the characters could move a tiny bit faster though? :)    … Expand
  2. Rul00
    Feb 8, 2023
    6
    Lo esperé con mucha ansia hasta que salió en el Game Pass. Tenía mucho hype, pero al acabarlo me quedé a medias. Aunque gráficamente llama la atención, las mecánicas son muy simples y la historia es mediocre.
  3. tom974
    Dec 2, 2022
    7
    This is a must try game at least, much more with the Gamepass availability. Magnificient settings, beautiful scenery, heartbreaking story, and the dual screen mechanic is clever though underexploited. the overall game could have gone further than its globally basic gameplay and that's what keeps it from a higher rating. The lack of chapter selection when there's so many collectibles to getThis is a must try game at least, much more with the Gamepass availability. Magnificient settings, beautiful scenery, heartbreaking story, and the dual screen mechanic is clever though underexploited. the overall game could have gone further than its globally basic gameplay and that's what keeps it from a higher rating. The lack of chapter selection when there's so many collectibles to get is a shame also. The ground is solid there for a sequel.… Expand
  4. TheRaisk
    Nov 17, 2022
    6
    Multidimensional horror and deep storytelling merge into a fixed-camera third person adventure called The Medium. The dual-world idea is interesting the first two times, but it get monotonous over time. Graphically and technically it meets the current gen expectations but fails to shine in any aspect. The atmosphere the game creates is remarkable and really immersive, but the gameplayMultidimensional horror and deep storytelling merge into a fixed-camera third person adventure called The Medium. The dual-world idea is interesting the first two times, but it get monotonous over time. Graphically and technically it meets the current gen expectations but fails to shine in any aspect. The atmosphere the game creates is remarkable and really immersive, but the gameplay feels a little bit clunky. If you enjoyed horror games, do not hesitate to give it a try!… Expand
  5. Jherra
    Nov 1, 2022
    6
    The game is worth a try if you are into these kind of games. Graphics and Gameplay both pretty good.
  6. d3uzZ
    May 28, 2022
    5
    Единственное, что есть в этой игре - это искусство и атмосфера. Картинка была великолепна с первой минуты и до самого конца.

    Двойной мир - отличная идея, которая просто не работала. Через час разработчики отправляют вас в "другой мир" без этого разделенного экрана и полностью уничтожают свою собственную функцию. Головоломки? Нет, просто идем вперед, никаких секретных мест. Вообще    Единственное, что есть в этой игре - это искусство и атмосфера. Картинка была великолепна с первой минуты и до самого конца.

    Двойной мир - отличная идея, которая просто не работала. Через час разработчики отправляют вас в "другой мир" без этого разделенного экрана и полностью уничтожают свою собственную функцию.

    Головоломки? Нет, просто идем вперед, никаких секретных мест.

    Вообще ничего нового, перенятый опыт из Resident Evil или Silent Hill, выглядит максимально не к месту.    … Expand
  7. Gam1ngH3ro15
    May 21, 2022
    7
    7 for me. Good graphics and mediocre story. But that's about it. Decent pickup.
  8. Ewerton_World
    Mar 4, 2022
    7
    O jogo é legal, mas combina mais com quem curte jogos focado em história e narrativas, esse jogo tem uma jogabilidade simples, não tem combates, tem muitos puzzles e possúi alguns problemas de otimização mas nada que atrapalhe
  9. ProfAmateur
    Feb 16, 2022
    6
    German first, English below.
    Das Spiel ist ähnlich wie Resident Evil oder Control, aber ohne Waffen. Man muss deshalb auch nicht auf das Ressourcenmanagement achten. Die Kamera-Winkel/Ansicht ist stets fixiert. Es gibt diverse Rätsel, welche aber nicht so schwer zu lösen sind (ausser am Schluss).
    + Idee mit der Parallelwelt gefällt mir + Gruselige Momente mit einigen Jump Scares -    German first, English below.
    Das Spiel ist ähnlich wie Resident Evil oder Control, aber ohne Waffen. Man muss deshalb auch nicht auf das Ressourcenmanagement achten. Die Kamera-Winkel/Ansicht ist stets fixiert. Es gibt diverse Rätsel, welche aber nicht so schwer zu lösen sind (ausser am Schluss).
    + Idee mit der Parallelwelt gefällt mir
    + Gruselige Momente mit einigen Jump Scares
    - hochauflösende Objekte werden nachgeladen
    - Übergange Cutscenes zu Gameplay zu hackelig (im Gameplay sind die Charakter-Animationen ziemlich steif).
    - Einige Momente der Unklarheit, z. B. muss man Sekundenbruchteile nach der Cutscene von einem Gegner fliehen und stirbt gleich. Das passiert mehrmals bis man versteht, was das Spiel von einem will.
    Fazit: Das Spiel eignet sich gut für den Einstieg ins Horror-Genre. Wer mit einigen technischen und spielerischen Schwächen leben kann, ist damit gut bedient.

    The game is similar to Resident Evil or Control, but without weapons. Therefore, you don't have to pay attention to resource management. The camera angle/view is always fixed. There are several puzzles, but they are not that hard to solve (except at the end).
    + I like the idea with the parallel world
    + Scary moments with some jump scares
    - high resolution objects are reloaded
    - Transitions cutscenes to gameplay too choppy (ingame character animations are pretty stiff).
    - Some moments of ambiguity, for example you have to flee from an enemy a split second after the cutscene and you die right away. This happens several times until you understand what the game wants from you.
    Conclusion: The game is well suited for an entry into the horror genre. If you can live with some technical and gameplay weaknesses, you will be well served.    … Expand
  10. Szymon1111
    Feb 8, 2022
    7
    Uwielbiam tą grę za jej wspaniała fabułę i za to jak jest opowiedziana i dzięki bardzo dużej immersji można się dobrze wczuć a z sekwencjami z potworem gra utrzymuje napięcie. Gra nie jest może najstraszniejszą grą ale są momenty w których można nieźle się wystraszyć no i klimat tego miejsca i jego historia coś wspaniałego. Gra ma dużo dobrych aspektów ale są też wady czyli np praca kameryUwielbiam tą grę za jej wspaniała fabułę i za to jak jest opowiedziana i dzięki bardzo dużej immersji można się dobrze wczuć a z sekwencjami z potworem gra utrzymuje napięcie. Gra nie jest może najstraszniejszą grą ale są momenty w których można nieźle się wystraszyć no i klimat tego miejsca i jego historia coś wspaniałego. Gra ma dużo dobrych aspektów ale są też wady czyli np praca kamery która ustawia się w koncie i tam pozostaje aż nie przejdziemy dalej i gra potrafi być nudna w pewnych momentach kiedy nic się nie dzieje a my szukamy jakiegoś przedmiotu no i też nieraz trzeba lizać ściany żeby znaleśc jakieś przedmiot ale gra broni się dobrymi sekwencjami zawierającymi akcje.… Expand
  11. DrZomboid
    Feb 8, 2022
    7
    Good looking game, reminds me od Syberia, Silent Hill and Resident Evil.
    Not so great but solid 7
  12. gusmaciel
    Sep 11, 2021
    7
    História muito boa e ótimos gráficos, porém a jogabilidade precisa melhorar.
  13. mtkf
    Sep 3, 2021
    5
    Looks great but the gameplay is basically a heavy rain meets code veronica but not as good. Story starts off a little creepy but just ends up becoming tedius. Played it free on gamepass and I still don't recommend.
  14. DANTESFENIX2
    Aug 1, 2021
    7
    Que mal aprovechado está el juego, es una buena propuesta y es muy interesante pero está muy mal ejecutado, la cámara es horrible, el gameplay aburre, es curioso que lo que más entretiene son las cinemáticas, puzzles horribles que cansan mucho el juego, pudo ser mucho mejor
  15. Astralniy
    Jul 13, 2021
    7
    Это пусть и хорошая, но пустая игра донельзя. И не страшная совсем и совершенно, да и просто иногда скучная. История действительно интересная, но она наверное единственное, что вытягивает эту игру.
  16. IamChris8
    Jun 3, 2021
    7
    Das Spiel war von der Atmosphäre absolut großartig und das ist auch die Stärke des Spiels. Das Gameplay wiederum ist eher "langweilig".

    Grafik: 6/10
    Atmosphäre: 10/10
    Story: 7/10
    Gameplay: 4/10

    Wer den Game Pass besitzt sollte es mal ausprobieren oder warten bis es im Angebot ist.
  17. Bato
    May 31, 2021
    7
    Story: 9/10
    Gameplay: 6/10
    Graphics: 8/10
    Enjoyability: 8/10
    Overall: 7/10
  18. Hacc
    May 29, 2021
    5
    To be honest I don't expect anything from Microsoft (The quality of the games has gone down a lot) The first hours starts well, but then you start to get bored a lot. The soundtrack I loved, the game mechanics are limited, the camera is very problematic, level of detail (Basic), Graphics (Basic) and History (Boring). I DO NOT RECOMMEND
  19. HajHashem13
    May 16, 2021
    5
    I think this game is a cool game and the angle of this game is very interesting (:
  20. JJDoom
    May 9, 2021
    7
    A great game which unfortunately quickly runs out of ideas in terms of gameplay. Carried by the story and vocal performances.
  21. Eckleburg
    May 6, 2021
    6
    The Medium presents the player with a neat concept of 2 worlds being rendered simultaneously. However, the devs could have done more to make the game more engaging (a higher volume of puzzles for instance).

    The graphics and world rendering are excellent, the story is quite interesting and the audio is fitting. The Medium ticks a lot of the boxes but the whole is lesser than the sum of    The Medium presents the player with a neat concept of 2 worlds being rendered simultaneously. However, the devs could have done more to make the game more engaging (a higher volume of puzzles for instance).

    The graphics and world rendering are excellent, the story is quite interesting and the audio is fitting. The Medium ticks a lot of the boxes but the whole is lesser than the sum of its parts because of 2 main gripes:

    1) the fixed camera angle which makes the movement feel clunky
    2) the lack of player input which hurts the immersion    … Expand
  22. axis1798
    May 1, 2021
    7
    Gran juego sobre todo por su historia, ambientación y personajes aun así creo que bloober team es aun novato en juegos de tercera persona y falla en el control y jugabilidad aun así la música es de 10 y pese a no ser muy re jugable y desperdiciar algunas oportunidades con jefes es un muy buen juego para ser una nueva ip me encantó.
    Punto positivos: Música, historia, personajes,    Gran juego sobre todo por su historia, ambientación y personajes aun así creo que bloober team es aun novato en juegos de tercera persona y falla en el control y jugabilidad aun así la música es de 10 y pese a no ser muy re jugable y desperdiciar algunas oportunidades con jefes es un muy buen juego para ser una nueva ip me encantó.
    Punto positivos: Música, historia, personajes, ambientación, dos mundos al mismo tiempo y originalidad.
    Negativos: jugabilidad, controles toscos, caídas de fps y carga de texturas a veces era muy lenta.    … Expand
  23. Mitchewix
    Apr 30, 2021
    7
    Great game! The story was fun and the audio us great! The gameplay is kinda bland but still fun. The visuals are great for environment but not for characters as much.
  24. thegamer105
    Apr 21, 2021
    7
    This game has soo much potential that just wasn't tapped into. There's no action sequences which makes the game very full after a long period of time and the graphics are overall just meh. The story was a masterpiece on the other hand and carries the game big time. Gameplay 5 gets very boring over a long period of time.
    Graphics 7 the graphics are very good when you're not up close    This game has soo much potential that just wasn't tapped into. There's no action sequences which makes the game very full after a long period of time and the graphics are overall just meh. The story was a masterpiece on the other hand and carries the game big time. Gameplay 5 gets very boring over a long period of time.
    Graphics 7 the graphics are very good when you're not up close otherwise they aren't that good for a next gen game. Story 10 this game had a story that was amazing and had me Finnish the game which says alot.
    Overall this game is a 7 and it feels like there just wasn't enough love put into it.    … Expand
  25. Arturoramos77
    Apr 20, 2021
    5
    Daaa i thought it would be a little creepy but no, the most part of the game it,s really boring with a really good music ant atmosphere, a 5 it,s a good grade to me.
  26. churros
    Mar 24, 2021
    7
    Pros:
    + beautiful graphics
    + atmospheric soundtrack
    + interesting plot
    + creative storytelling
    + don't rely on jumpscares

    Cons:
    - bad stealh sections
    - heavy story themes without warning
    - walking simulator
  27. Voodoo123
    Mar 3, 2021
    7
    +fantastic visual style
    +excellent writing
    +great voice cast -controls feel clunky -serviceable gameplay never felt good to play I was very impressed by this experience having been a fan of the spooky genre since watching shows like the x files, millennium and films like the shining and ghost I've always been fascinated by the idea of crossing the ethereal plane and seeing spirits and    +fantastic visual style
    +excellent writing
    +great voice cast
    -controls feel clunky
    -serviceable gameplay never felt good to play

    I was very impressed by this experience having been a fan of the spooky genre since watching shows like the x files, millennium and films like the shining and ghost I've always been fascinated by the idea of crossing the ethereal plane and seeing spirits and this game perfectly captures that using it's split screen neatly throughout. Sadly the gameplay is the weak element with its clunky movement feel, basic puzzles and repeated use of stealth sections brought the pacing down at times.    … Expand
  28. enriverd
    Feb 27, 2021
    7
    The first true next generation game, only playable on XBox SX or SS because running its two worlds on older hardware is not possible. On paper, it had enough ingredients to impress, however, the developers have made a few design choices that do not let the game shine as it should.

    Before I comment them, let me say that graphically, the game is very nice, specially the real world. The    The first true next generation game, only playable on XBox SX or SS because running its two worlds on older hardware is not possible. On paper, it had enough ingredients to impress, however, the developers have made a few design choices that do not let the game shine as it should.

    Before I comment them, let me say that graphically, the game is very nice, specially the real world. The characters movement could be improved, but are ok. And the voices volume is not properly levelled, so some are too loud and other too low.

    Getting back to the poor design choices:

    The first one is the perspective used. Using fixed camera views, which do not allow the player to properly see the objects and details of the scenes that far is really annoying and has brought me the same clunky feeling of the first 3D games, like when playing the first Alone in the dark. I thought that 20 years of 3D video games had taught us some lessons, but they insist in making the same mistakes again.

    On the other hand, when you interact with an object, the game kind of opens a new space, zooming in the object but limiting the pan you can make. Sometimes interacting with a object requires opening two of those spaces. When done, you have to exit those spaces with a button press. All this makes exploring the areas very frustrating.

    Although the idea of having two worlds is very interesting, the design of the alternate reality does not make much sense. For instance, at some point in the game you find a corridor with a huge hole in the ground that does no let you pass. Switching to the alternate reality, you see that the hole is not that big in that reality and you can cross. Really? The alternate reality is supposed to be the spiritual world, but the physical objects should be the same (and generally are, and just have different appearance). That is not playing fair.

    The puzzles presented often do not make much sense, for example, you are in a room with the exit door closed, and for the door to open you have to reproduce a tape which has no relation to the door. It does not make any sense and reduces your decision making in the game to having to try everything to advance.

    Despite all this flaws, the game is fun and is half as scary as it could have been, something I also appreciate.    … Expand
  29. DonnieDraco
    Feb 20, 2021
    5
    The game suffers greatly from absence of meaningful gameplay mechanics which most of the time made me feel like I just press buttons to advance the story. I would much rather just watch the story than be forced to “play it” in this way. The mechanics in this game are shallow and very... “mechanic”. Seem to be put into game just to slow the progession or generate play time - I can’tThe game suffers greatly from absence of meaningful gameplay mechanics which most of the time made me feel like I just press buttons to advance the story. I would much rather just watch the story than be forced to “play it” in this way. The mechanics in this game are shallow and very... “mechanic”. Seem to be put into game just to slow the progession or generate play time - I can’t emphasize this enough. Few good puzzles, most extremely simple or uninteresting which makes them feel lengthy. One example of a good puzzle is the room in the bunker where player needs to initiate an out of body experience as a decoy to clear the path and then quickly return to body. This could be used a lot more, especially with envirommental puzzle, imagine time sensitive dual reality Portal-like puzzle. Also there needs to be at least a basic form of combat, character advancement, etc. The story just plays itself out, player does not matter, has no choice, no influence and it looks as if the game does not even try to immerse the player. The story itself, i quite like it. Although there are too many names thrown around without faces to associate them with, so it can be confusing. Environmental storytelling is great. Graphically the game is fine-ish, but could use a bit of polish in certain areas and most certainly not what I expect from next gen AAA title. Many animations are jaggedy a.f. and glitchy, what I often notice in Unreal Engine games, however some cutscenes are great. Some camera angles and frequent switching of them when navigating environment is very annoying and makes it hard to realize where in a room you actually are. What I like about this game is its *great concept a its great potential*. I like what this game could be, not what it is. I often found myself thinking of new mechanics that could be introduced, it’s almost as if the game invites you to add something to its world, make your own little version of it in your head, which I find fascinating. While dual-reality gameplay is a great technical showcase, I actually think the quality of the content suffered because of it. By essentially making the environments twice and spending resources on it, I imagine a lot of content had to be cut. If this had another 2 years of development it would be a terrific game. Ultimately I will gladly give Bloober another chance, but they need to hold their ground and do not succumb to pressures from publisher. It was a mistake rushing this and advertising it as a AAA launch title, when clearly, it wasn’t even finished. If only it was less ambitious.… Expand
  30. Thejodjeremie
    Feb 19, 2021
    7
    A very interesting horror/thriller story game with fun but slow type gameplay. I enjoyed the game even though it's not perfect. A good first Xbox next gen title.
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Awards & Rankings

61
#61 Best Xbox Series X Game of 2021
4
#4 Most Discussed Xbox Series X Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 81 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 81
  3. Negative: 3 out of 81
  1. CD-Action
    Sep 1, 2021
    80
    Despite clunky animations, repetitive gameplay and some technical issues with the Xbox Series X version, I completed The Medium twice. Its dual-reality design, art direction and brilliant soundtrack often made me stop to take in a view or relish the music. Its mature story and atmosphere reminiscent of Silent Hill helped a lot too. [03/2021, p.40]
  2. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Apr 9, 2021
    76
    The Medium didn’t manage to become a spiritual successor to Silent Hill, but it’s still a significant step forward for Bloober Team. [Issue#252, p.50]
  3. IGN Portugal
    Mar 18, 2021
    80
    The exclusive Microsoft - The Medium is yet another significant milestone in the catalogue of psychological horror games from Bloober Team, which is increasingly becoming one of the best studios in this area. Without hiding where it comes from, it's an experience horror fans won't want to miss, no matter how short. The duality approach is interesting and has enormous potential. I hope that the Bloober Team will get to work on it again and develop it more in-depth.
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