“The Dark Pictures: Little Hope” is the next iteration in the “Dark Pictures” anthology and delivers a tense kind of narrative horror that no other game series can claim to utilize. The anthology is a set of shorter games that plan to release every year, with the first game, “Man of Medan,” being noteworthy for its wonky controls, poor acting, and glitches.
Game Name: The Dark Pictures: Little Hope
Platform(s): PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Publisher(s): Bandai Namco
Developer(s): Supermassive Games
Release Date: October 30’th, 2020
Price: $30
“Little Hope” has improved on this formula tremendously, using its current framework to tighten up the visual errors and get much more experimental in the writing. Some small errors hold it back, but the leap in quality between this and “Man of Medan” makes me excited to see what the anthology makes next.
The game is balanced in its plot, a major upstep from “Man of Medan” in several departments. Little Hopes acting is superior, scene transitions are much more fluid, and feels incredibly suspenseful.
After a bus crash, four college students and their professor find themselves stranded in the small town of “Little Hope.” The place has notably been abandoned for years and seems to have a vested interest in the students, as an impenetrable fog refuses to let them leave. Worse still, the town was known for some gruesome Witch Trials and the victims of those events seemingly never left. It begs itself to be contemplated as you find more details.
That said, it’s not a perfect story. Some of the cast members feel a bit more wooden than others; one in particular never seems to live up to the “jerk jock” archetype he’s thrown into, leaving him feeling flat. That said, the setup is particularly creative and leads to a ton of great death scenes.
The game is able to bridge the line between story and gameplay, as all choices made are permanent. Each situation has two choices to make; while it can feel somewhat limited, the tension of knowing that you only have one try is what makes it. If a demon wraps its chains around your elderly classmate, don’t expect to see her surviving to the end of the night. Action sections are the only things that have been downgraded. Quick time events are rampant, they can be excusable in most circumstances, but it feels like your ability to press buttons quickly is what really runs the story.
Rather than the decisions you’ve been painstakingly making since the game started. The game warns you that these quick-time events are coming. It is not a big issue by itself (especially in terms of accessibility), but it makes it incredibly easy to land them. Something that makes bolsters the players’ confidence, playing against the game’s spooky intentions. I would recommend that the next game makes these warnings optional (or to rework the system entirely).
A few might find themselves let down by “Little Hope,” especially at its ending, but Supermassive Games currently have a monopoly on these choice-based horror games. Any horror buff would be remiss to lose out on “The Dark Pictures.” Even if it’s not perfect, it’s one of a kind.
One Of A Kind
Little Hope should be checked out by all horror buffs, but those with stronger stomachs might find it’s quick-time events to bog down the experience.
Pros
- Impressive narrative structure.
- Horrifying setting.
- Interesting choice-based gameplay.
Cons
- Lackluster and overused quick-time events
- Flat characters
