The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan

Lore & Background

Man of Medan was developed by Supermassive Games following the success of Until Dawn (2015). The developers drew primary inspiration from the urban legend of the SS Ourang Medan, a fabled ghost ship, and looked to films including The Shining, Ghost Ship, Triangle, and Insidious to establish psychological tension. The game was built on Unreal Engine 4 to facilitate multi-platform release and expanded the branching narrative scope relative to Until Dawn. Shawn Ashmore, who plays Conrad, was marketed as the game's leading actor, and Jason Graves composed the soundtrack to reflect the swaying waves of the sea.

Reader's Guide

Man of Medan received mixed reviews upon release. Critics commended the cooperative multiplayer modes and the adaptable branching narrative, but directed criticism towards its technical shortcomings, controls, and plot developments. The game introduced two multiplayer modes: Shared Story, for online cooperative play, and Movie Night, a local mode for up to five players. Its narrative adapts to character deaths, allowing the story to continue regardless of how many protagonists survive. The game's collectable pictures grant premonitions of possible future events, categorized by frame color. Man of Medan established the anthology format, with a teaser for the second game, Little Hope, revealed at its end. Versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S were released in September 2022, followed by a Nintendo Switch version in May 2023.

Did You Know?

• The soundtrack was composed by Jason Graves, designed to reflect the swaying waves of the sea.
• The game features a Curator character who breaks the fourth wall to discuss the player's choices.
• Man of Medan was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on 30 August 2019.