A group of documentary film makers receive a mysterious call inviting them to a modern-day replica of serial killer H.H. Holmes’ ‘Murder Castle’. It is an opportunity that is too good to pass up and could be just the thing they are looking for to win some much-needed public interest. The creepy hotel is the perfect set for their new episode, but things are not quite as they seem. The crew discover they are being watched, and even manipulated, and suddenly there’s much more at stake than just their ratings...

The game opens during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair

The Devil in Me is the fourth game in The Dark Pictures Anthology series and marks the Season One finale. If you played the previous releases, then The Devil in Me offers more of the same. We reviewed Little Hope and the mechanics are pretty much identical. The Dark Pictures games are more interactive psychological horror movies than they are your standard game. And this may disappoint some gamers.

The game opens during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, when a newlywed couple checks into the World's Fair Hotel to celebrate their honeymoon, only to be murdered by the hotel's proprietor, Henry Howard Holmes.

Skip forward to the modern day and a small film crew, who have been recording a series on serial killers, are contacted by a mysterious individual who claims to have built a working life size replica of Holmes's World Fair Hotel which will be used as a tourist attraction thrill experience. This is fortuitous as their latest episode is set to focus on Holmes who, when finally caught for his crimes, had killed over 200 individuals. The group set off, hoping to use the location in order to give an authentic feel to their episode. The location is remote, but their host seems friendly enough, a little mysterious and cagey, but amiable nonetheless.

You are trapped in a mansion where the internal structure changes

It's not long before things start to unravel and the team are fighting for their lives. Trapped in a mansion where the internal structure changes on the whim of its owner, miles from civilisation... what chance, if any, do the crew have of survival? That's where you come in.

Personally I love these releases. It really is like engaging with a horror film. While in truth none of your actions really seem to matter that much to the game's conclusion, it does alter little story points and it's interesting to see how your characters react if you're mean or friendly in your interactions... Oh, and of course you can save each and every character... if you are skilled or are lucky., but the odds are against you.

On occasion the game heads over to the mysterious Curator, who appears as the guardian to all of the series's games. He is there simply to observe the player's progress. He can neither intervene or help, merely watch and take notes. However, that doesn't stop him from offering up cryptic advice.

Who is the mysterious owner of the hotel?

As far as gameplay is concerned, you'll get to play various characters at various parts of the game. You can move around the environment and interact with items. The truth is that you're handheld throughout. The developers do a good job at trying to hide it, but you can't progress to the next part of the game without completing your current goal. The puzzles are never too taxing and you never feel like anything is much of a challenge. Again, this isn't really a game. The puzzles are there to merely stretch out the tension and lead you to the next confrontation with the mysterious killer.

You can play alone, but it's best enjoyed via multiplayer. You can share your story online with a friend or aim for safety in numbers through the offline 5-player pass-the-controller mode.

As in previous games there are a handful of jump scares, all cleverly distributed far enough apart that they got me every single time (I'm embarrassed to admit). Overall another engaging and challenging game that you'll want to replay once you've finished to see if you can save everyone.

10

Darren Rea