TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Centered around the mythos that has developed over the decades regarding notorious serial killer H.H. Holmes, "The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me" is a choice-driven narrative adventure game geared to tingle the spines of even the bravest gamers.
A story of mayhem, murder and misdirection unfolds through the lens of a film crew intent on delving into a mystery that seems to be connected to Holmes' crimes in the 1880s and 90s.
Phil Villarreal: I'm usually a fan of games of this ilk. The past "Dark Pictures" games may have been a mixed bag, but in general they have impressed me. I'm also a fan of the true crime book "Devil in the White City," which catalogues Holmes' horrific crimes and audacious deception.
I was more of a fan of the way this game opens than the way it plays out. An entire game centered around Holmes in his despicable prime would have been fascinating. But the shift to modern-era is a little jarring, and although the storytelling is solid it loses something along the way.
What did you think, Sean?
Sean Newgent: I agree with the "Devil in the White City" comparison. H.H. Holmes is not just America's first known serial killer but the setting of the World's Fair offers a tantalizing piece of history to explore in video game format. The cold open does a good job of establishing the time period and Holmes as this soft-spoken, polite creep (though the script is cringe-worthy) but then we get tossed into the present day where we are introduced to a band of bland ghost hunters, none of whom you will feel anything for in the six-hour story. They take a trip to a scary mansion on a scary island in Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island fashion and are slowly picked off by the machinations of a serial murderer with a lot of scary robots and elaborate death traps.
This is a dull game. Graphically the characters are in that uncanny valley where I was often laughing at their expressions, reminded of "Mass Effect: Andromeda" at its worse. The dullness extends to a script that is, as mentioned, pedestrian, and gameplay that has way too much padding between the exciting moments. And the majority of the scares come down to the worst kind — something popping into frame or unexpectedly moving accompanied by a loud noise. To me, jumpscares are cheap and not scary so much as startling. Building atmosphere, tension, and excitement are routes to true horror and this game does none of that.
How did the scares work for you Phil?
Phil Villarreal: There were definitely some slow moments, as well as plenty of nagging issues that robbed the game of its senses of suspense and dread.
The characters were so annoying that it was hard to glean much attachment to them, making it somewhat satisfying on some level when I screwed up and led one to an untimely depth.
But as I said, I am a sucker for this format, and I found that "The Devil in Me" managed to do more to draw me in than drive me away. I particularly tensed up during the stress-inducing QTEs, which force you to keep your cool in a tense scenario by, say, tapping out buttons in rhythm to your heartbeat.
I am too desensitized to films to be scared, but games can occasionally give me chills. "The Devil in Me" managed the task on occasion, and I credit the devs for conjuring some spooky magic.
Final thoughts, Sean?
Sean Newgent: Obviously this is a format that works for someone because we are four games in and "The Dark Pictures" roll on. As my first foray into the series I wasn't impressed. There's a Crypt Keeper type character who guides you into the story but he's just as boring as the rest of the game, reminding me heavily of a British version of the evil Marine guy in "Avatar." Add to that a middling story, gameplay that feels outdated, and character models that are scarier than any moment of this tepid terror, and you have a game I wouldn't recommend to anyone.
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Phil Villarreal is the senior real-time editor for KGUN 9. He is also a digital producer and host of "Phil on Film" seen weekly on Good Morning Tucson, Phil moved to KGUN after 17 years with the Arizona Daily Star. He is married and has four children. Share your story ideas and important issues with Phil by emailing phil.villarreal@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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Sean Newgent has been with KGUN9 since January of 2020 and is Good Morning Tucson's executive producer. He graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in broadcast journalism. He is a critic and cultural commentator. Share your story ideas and important issues with Sean by emailing sean.newgent@kgun9.com.
Publisher provided review codes. Phil played on Xbox Series X. Sean played on PS5.
Past game reviews by Sean and Phil:
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
Diablo II Resurrected
NEO: The World Ends with You
Rainbow Six: Extraction
King of Fighters XV
WWE 2K22
Weird West
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge
Capcom Fighting Collection
Capcom Arcade: 2nd Stadium
Stray
Digimon Survive
Cult of the Lamb
TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection
NBA 2K23
Lego Bricktales
Gotham Knights
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Star Ocean: The Divine Force
Sonic Frontiers
