When Supermassive Games’ Directive 8020 arrives in 2025, it will have been three years since the studio released its most recent full entry in the horror anthology series The Dark Pictures. This upcoming sci-fi story—Supermassive’s first leap into the future setting—is positioned as the fifth major game in the franchise (or sixth, depending on whether you count the 2023 PlayStation VR spin-off). That longer gap, though, seems to have paid off, with Directive 8020 shaping up to offer plenty of compelling additions that give the series the feel of a fresh start.
This installment kicks off a new “season” for The Dark Pictures. The series identity feels a little less overwhelming this time, with the Directive 8020 name taking center stage. While every entry in the franchise has remained largely self-contained, it also feels like this game’s real breakthroughs deserve to stand out—rather than simply blending into a familiar template.
After a roughly thirty-minute look at Directive 8020 during Gamescom 2024, it’s evident Supermassive has been busy. The experience is still driven by story, with a group of playable characters—each one just a single wrong move away from disaster. At the same time, Directive 8020 has gained both visual and gameplay upgrades, positioning it as a more convincing survival horror experience. As you explore an infected spacecraft, it evokes the tension you’d associate with Dead Space and Alien: Isolation, as a dangerous presence lurks within.
In the portion I saw, Lashana Lynch—celebrated for her work in James Bond and Marvel films, another notable win for Supermassive’s casting team—examined damaged sections of her colony ship. The incident that puts the vessel in pieces also scatters the remaining crew after they’re forced awake from hypersleep too soon. Fans familiar with Supermassive’s earlier games will recognize some of the usual storytelling beats and quick-time moments, but the experience now mixes in stealth sections and a range of tools designed to help you move through threats more safely.
Among your resources is a scanner that can detect the game’s unsettling alien. It can copy the look of crew members, adding an especially tense psychological layer to the horror. You’ll also get a device similar in spirit to a Sonic Screwdriver that can power nearby electronics, letting you redirect threats. “It’s not a spoiler to say that the alien will infiltrate your crew and impersonate them, and in the more narrative-driven segments of the game, you’ll have to confront that and try to discern who is who,” the game’s creative director Will Doyle told me. “Who can you trust? There are some fascinating twists and turns in the plot regarding that aspect.”
Character control has been tuned for a smoother, more responsive feel—clearly improving beyond the core mechanics used in the original The Dark Pictures. While I didn’t get to witness much in the way of direct combat, Lynch’s character appears to use something akin to a sci-fi electric cattle prod as a defensive tool.
“We aim to expand the reach of The Dark Pictures to a broader audience,” Doyle told Eurogamer. “The gameplay now blends in stronger survival horror and action-adventure elements, which we hope will bring new fans into our world while still keeping our existing players.”
This plan is especially interesting for a franchise that previously relied heavily on its recognizable overall branding. Still, Doyle says players who want a more laid-back experience will be able to tweak the gameplay to match what they prefer, with additional details on those options expected soon. And even though this is a self-contained entry, there will be references for anyone who has been following The Dark Pictures from the beginning.
“For fans, you’ll find Easter eggs in this game that connect back to earlier releases; there are story threads that link with previous ones. Of course, you don’t need to have played any of those games to enjoy this entry,” Doyle says. It also looks like the franchise’s most recognizable figure, The Curator, will be shown in a new context this time. “He’s a mysterious character, and we will need to stay a bit unclear about him for now,” Doyle remarks when I ask where The Curator is heading. “More details will come.”
Upgrades to the game’s toolset are expected to carry forward into future The Dark Pictures titles, as Doyle confirms. He also suggests that each new release may increasingly feel like its own event. “There is a mythology here [with The Dark Pictures] that this game expands upon, but we don’t want to confine ourselves to it being strictly part five of the anthology,” Doyle says. “We don’t want to be forced into making a game every six months or on a yearly schedule. This title matters, and we want it to be treated that way.”
There’s still a lot more to learn about Directive 8020. We haven’t yet met more of the game’s characters, or seen additional areas you’ll explore as you play. But for long-time fans of The Dark Pictures, the next chapter is finally within reach. And just as importantly, for fans of sci-fi and survival horror, there’s something new to look forward to.