The Dark Pictures Anthology by Supermassive Games is now an iconic series of interactive survival horror games, currently spanning four unique tales. For me, my favourite, and the pinnacle of the series is the flagship title, Man of Medan, released on consoles in 2019.
Now available to play on the Nintendo Switch, you can dive into the horrors of the ghost ship, the Medan, in the comfort of your own home or on the go.
While this review will look at how it holds up on our little handheld friend, the Nintendo Switch, for a fully comprehensive review of the Man of Medan title on Xbox, including its story, gameplay, and general feelings follow the LINK HERE.
Once you embark on this twisting and shocking tale, the first comparison you will notice is the graphics. Running on an original version 1 Switch on a 4K TV, the Switch is really pushed to its limits with its 1080p TV and 720p handheld caps.
Man Of Medan relies on cutscenes and crispy in-game visuals to build tension and eeriness in its atmosphere to fully immerse its players.
On the Switch, however, it feels muddy and just downright grisly at times, especially when it comes to the environments. This can be quite jarring at first, at least until you get used to it, and you will, as the characters are fabulously developed. I found playing in handheld mode on a downscaled screen less distracting and sharper, but nothing beats playing Dark Pictures games in the dark on a big screen.
Obviously, there is a change in controlling style, with the Joy-Cons taken into consideration. While using the Joy-Con layout was fine and mapped out decently for comfortable use, using a Pro Controller is, in general, a better experience, especially when aiming and quick time events are involved in the general gameplay.
Overall, The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is still a gripping and nail-biting horror experience story-wise, but the lacklustre power of the Nintendo Switch really holds it back.
If you would like to experience this series of amazing titles for the first time, I highly recommend reaching for a next-gen console or PC.
