The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
Third game of The Dark Pictures Anthology, set during the 2003 Iraq War.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes, the third installment in Supermassive Games’ horror series, puts players in control of five soldiers trapped beneath the Iraqi desert during the 2003 invasion. Four are American military personnel, while the fifth is a member of the Iraqi Republican Guard. Their mission turns into a fight for survival when they discover an ancient Akkadian temple crawling with vampiric monsters. The story branches based on player choices, which can permanently kill off protagonists or alter their relationships. Ashley Tisdale, playing CIA operative Rachel King, was the game’s headliner. Composer Jason Graves, a longtime series collaborator, wrote the score from home during UK COVID-19 lockdowns.
The game keeps the anthology’s staple mechanics: quick time events (QTEs), two single-player and two multiplayer modes, and collectible “pictures” that show glimpses of future events. New additions include a more flexible camera system, a handheld light source for navigating dark tunnels, and three difficulty settings that adjust QTE timing. Players can choose to hold buttons instead of mashing them, and the game warns them before a QTE begins. Choices are accompanied by a brain-and-heart diagram, letting players decide whether their character acts rationally or emotionally. These decisions affect personality traits, which can change how characters behave when not directly controlled. A “bearings” menu lets players review their past choices and see how the story got to its current point. The Curator, an omnipresent figure voiced by Pip Torrens, returns to comment on decisions and hint at what’s ahead.
The game’s influences include the films *Aliens*, *Predator*, and *The Descent*, H.P. Lovecraft’s *At the Mountains of Madness*, and the myth of the Curse of Akkad. Creatures were built using motion capture and hand animation, while the temple’s look drew from ancient Mesopotamian architecture. The developers consulted military experts and Arabic speakers to keep the war setting authentic.
Released on 22 October 2021 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, House of Ashes received mixed reviews. Critics often called it an improvement over the first two anthology games, praising its replay value, intense QTEs, cinematography, multiplayer modes, and the Iraqi character’s likability.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
- Developer
- Supermassive Games
- Publisher
- Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Director
- Will Doyle
- Producer
- Dom Ireland
- Artist
- David Hirst
- Writer
- Khurrum Rahman
- Composer
- Jason Graves
- Series
- The Dark Pictures Anthology
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Windows / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- 22 October 2021
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
House of Ashes was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on 22 October 2021, to mixed reviews. Several critics deemed it an improvement from the previous two instalments in the anthology, with points of praise including the replay value, QTE intensity, cinematography, multiplayer modes, and likeability of the Iraqi character. Critiques were directed towards the game's pacing, scare factor, facial animations, texture and animation glitches, and handling of the Iraq War. The fourth game in the series, The Devil in Me, was revealed in a teaser trailer at the end of House of Ashes and released on 18 November 2022.
The game features a multilinear plot where player decisions affect character relationships and survival. It includes staple mechanics of The Dark Pictures Anthology such as quick time events (QTEs), two single-player and two multiplayer modes, and collectibles that allow players to see visions of possible future events. New features include a more interactive camera system, a handheld light source for easier navigation, and three difficulty levels to manage QTEs. The films Aliens, Predator, and The Descent, as well as the H. P. Lovecraft novella At the Mountains of Madness and the myth of the Curse of Akkad were the main influences for the game. The creatures were made using motion capture and hand animation, and the temple's design was inspired by ancient Mesopotamian architecture. Military specialists and Arabic speakers were consulted to ensure a faithful depiction of the war.
Reader's Guide
House of Ashes represents a notable entry in the interactive drama genre, particularly for its attempt to address the Iraq War through a horror lens. Its significance lies in being the first game in The Dark Pictures Anthology to introduce difficulty levels, which affect QTEs, and in expanding the series' multiplayer options with both online and couch co-op modes. The game's legacy is mixed: while critics praised its improved replay value, intense QTEs, and the character of Salim Othman, they criticized its pacing, scare factor, and technical glitches. The inclusion of an Iraqi protagonist and consultation with military specialists and Arabic speakers marked an effort toward cultural authenticity, though the handling of the Iraq War itself drew critique. The game's narrative structure, with its 'bearings' system for tracking choices and the Curator's interludes, continued the anthology's signature style. Its release set the stage for the fourth game, The Devil in Me, which was teased at the end of House of Ashes.
Did You Know?
- Ashley Tisdale, who plays CIA operative Rachel King, was marketed as the game's leading actress.
- Jason Graves composed the soundtrack during COVID-19 lockdowns in the United Kingdom.
- The prologue takes place in 2231 BC, during a Gutian invasion of Akkad.
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