Xbob42 Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 I was more talking about the reaction from actual gamers rather than review outlets. Going by the word around here you'd think Horizon was the greatest, most beautiful game of all time and that Ghosts did thing no open world game could ever conceive of. Did you know the WIND tells you where your next objective is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbob42 Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Also, my game crashed right when it was finally getting into what I assume was the meat of it. Let's see if it's got a good autosave system! Fuckin' Bloober, man. EDIT: Alright, only lost like 30 seconds worth of progress. Also forgot to download the game-ready driver. Let's see if it's a driver that makes everything better or one that makes it all worse! With nvidia you can never tell. Game seems pretty stuttery right now, and seems to bog down the rest of my system. It looks good, but not that good. Hm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy4000 Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 10 hours ago, Xbob42 said: I was more talking about the reaction from actual gamers rather than review outlets. Going by the word around here you'd think Horizon was the greatest, most beautiful game of all time and that Ghosts did thing no open world game could ever conceive of. Did you know the WIND tells you where your next objective is? I haven’t played them yet so I can’t speak from experience in hands-on, but this sounds a lot like you’re inventing strawmen. Horizon always came with the caveat of launching close to BotW and lacking its freedoms, and Ghost gets described as a beautiful ‘one of those’ pretty often from what I’ve seen. God of War is probably the Sony game last gen that people talk up the most. Its not everyone’s favorite though. I’m sure there’s gamers out there who are saying the things you’re implying, but is it a majority consensus? Haven’t seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury33 Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 11 hours ago, Xbob42 said: I was more talking about the reaction from actual gamers rather than review outlets. Going by the word around here you'd think Horizon was the greatest, most beautiful game of all time and that Ghosts did thing no open world game could ever conceive of. Did you know the WIND tells you where your next objective is? Lol moving them goal posts when someone pointed out you were wrong. I respect that. And if you remember overhyping universal praise for Horizon and Ghosts you aren’t remembering the reaction well at all. Horizon got slammed hard for its invisible boundaries and silly things like how the water doesn’t move a lot when you jump into it. Also people were pretty split on the combat. You had your typical “this combat sucks vs the combat is good when you into it” with the problem being you didn’t have to do all the extra cool combat stuff to get through each encounter. Ghosts got a lot of pushback on how generic everything outside of the story was as well as some annoying quality of life stuff. No one praised it as the second coming. Lets not forget, the 3 games at the top of a lot of places GotY awards are a Switch exclusive (Hades) a MS exclusive (Ori) and a PS exclusive (TLoU2). Obviously PC not withstanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 So I played it for around 2 hours, maybe more. I'm enjoying it. If you were unaware, which I sort of forgot, this is from the same guys (Bloober Team) who did Layers of Fear and Observer so not a huge team. Looking at the credits I'd say probably less than 50 people worked on this. That being said it looks solid, don't expect mind blowing graphics. Like the animations are a bit on the stiff side but then again if you go by their previous output I don't think they have done many games that required a ton of character animations. I'm running it on PC without much issue. So far only the beginning has most of the RTX goodies, the reflections on the floor and the pictures Spoiler The game play kind of reminds me of their other games but this is more like and adventure game. It's also kind of like old resident evil, there are somewhat mostly static camera angles, no tank controls though so you can breathe easy (wimps) - I'd say it is more atmospheric than scary but it does try to jump scare you in some parts. Also this won't be helpful for the console crowd but if you have some RGB fans this game will sync up with them which first caught my eye when I did one of the energy fountains to gather energy, the fans were bright white (like in the game) If you're in the regular world the fans are a light blue but if you're in the other world they are orange and when you're in both the light is split both ways. Anyway, just my quick and dry impressions. I know some people around here like to hear them. Did this Polish developer make a better game than CDPR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HardAct Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Love love love games like this. Only game on my Radar for 2021 is Resident Evil: Village so I'm so excited. Then after just about to buy it last night (It's in my Cdkeys shopping cart) I just read on IGN its launching strait into GAMEPASS!!!!! I KNOW IT probably not, but fingers crossed for it being on PC to on GPUltimate... --------------------------------- HOLY SHIT GUYS & Gals, It is on PC too Gamepass Ultimate! WOW! I literally was going to buy this, never once even thought it would launch on GPU day one. Presently surprised, I'm gonna be all over this this weekend. After I beat Resident Evil 3 Remake on Xbox One X because my Daughter dropped it off while she was visiting last weekend. Looking forward to that. 10/10 I give the RE2 Remake so amazing...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 On 1/29/2021 at 9:09 AM, Keyser_Soze said: So I played it for around 2 hours, maybe more. I'm enjoying it. If you were unaware, which I sort of forgot, this is from the same guys (Bloober Team) who did Layers of Fear and Observer so not a huge team. Looking at the credits I'd say probably less than 50 people worked on this. That being said it looks solid, don't expect mind blowing graphics. Like the animations are a bit on the stiff side but then again if you go by their previous output I don't think they have done many games that required a ton of character animations. I'm running it on PC without much issue. So far only the beginning has most of the RTX goodies, the reflections on the floor and the pictures Reveal hidden contents The game play kind of reminds me of their other games but this is more like and adventure game. It's also kind of like old resident evil, there are somewhat mostly static camera angles, no tank controls though so you can breathe easy (wimps) - I'd say it is more atmospheric than scary but it does try to jump scare you in some parts. Also this won't be helpful for the console crowd but if you have some RGB fans this game will sync up with them which first caught my eye when I did one of the energy fountains to gather energy, the fans were bright white (like in the game) If you're in the regular world the fans are a light blue but if you're in the other world they are orange and when you're in both the light is split both ways. Anyway, just my quick and dry impressions. I know some people around here like to hear them. Did this Polish developer make a better game than CDPR? So would you say it's more horror or like more eerie and weird? I never been a huge fan of horror games but I love eerie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skillzdadirecta Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 1 hour ago, The Dude said: So would you say it's more horror or like more eerie and weird? I never been a huge fan of horror games but I love eerie. Definitely more eerie than horror from what I've played so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 1 hour ago, The Dude said: So would you say it's more horror or like more eerie and weird? I never been a huge fan of horror games but I love eerie. I would say it leans way into eerie. I would say imagine like an HR Giger type of world, but this is more like twisted porcelain people and such or dreary environments. Without spoiling anything later, there is a horrorish element but it's just like unsettling more than anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 That's pretty cool to hear, I may check it out after all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 And I know everyone was dying to see what the RGB looks like so here it is (not great pics but you get the idea) When you're in normal world it's blue like this But when you go to the other world it looks like this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 5 minutes ago, The Dude said: That's pretty cool to hear, I may check it out after all . If you have game pass, best deal in gaming, then there's no reason to not check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 11 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said: If you have game pass, best deal in gaming, then there's no reason to not check it out! Yea I did that 1 dollar deal for it , so yea ill definitely give it a peek 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best3444 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepee Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 The dual view mode definitely is just going to tank anything and I don’t quite get why to that extent. I get what they are doing that’s causing it but I question the efficiency of their method. Anyway yeah dlss makes everything nice and 60fps but then it still knocks down to like low 40’s for me in dual view. Besides the first one because I think that was CG. It’s at least sectioned off and takes 2 seconds to flip on the 30fps lock when it switches and since it’s this weird thing anyway it’s kinda whatever. Its weird though because there is barely any gain suddenly in dual view mode when I switch dlss on and off. Which sort of makes sense, the gpu has to draw these pixels and effects filling out the screen either way, but then I look at my cpu usage and it’s at 7% lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepee Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 The game seems cool though, I will certainly play more at some point, I had no idea it was going to be this kind of fixed angle third person sorta thing. It’s kind of a nice throwback to that style while at the same time it does look quite stunning. Though it also really makes me want a Murdered Soul Suspect 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phaseknox Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 On 1/28/2021 at 7:18 PM, Xbob42 said: Going by the word around here you'd think Horizon was the greatest, most beautiful game of all time and that Ghosts did thing no open world game could ever conceive of. Did you know the WIND tells you where your next objective is? As much as I like Horizon Zero Dawn, I do feel that it’s a tad bit overrated. The story, characters and world are all great, but it leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to actual gameplay especially combat. There’s too much of an emphasis on being stealthy/strategic using gadgets and traps which I personally find dull, I want to actually engage in combat with cool weapons, blocks, parries, dodges, etc. And that’s why I like Ghost of Tsushima so much, because the combat is really good. It might not reinvent the wheel when it comes to open world action adventure games, but everything that it does it does well. It deserves the praise that it gets IMO. Not for its gimmicky wind guide, but for how good of a game that it is in general including its story, characters, world and gameplay. 5 hours ago, stepee said: The game seems cool though, I will certainly play more at some point, I had no idea it was going to be this kind of fixed angle third person sorta thing. It’s kind of a nice throwback to that style while at the same time it does look quite stunning. Though it also really makes me want a Murdered Soul Suspect 2. I really liked Murdered: Soul Suspect (I thought that I was the only one ), and I would like a sequel too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury33 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Lol I liked Soul Suspect as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 9 hours ago, stepee said: The dual view mode definitely is just going to tank anything and I don’t quite get why to that extent. I get what they are doing that’s causing it but I question the efficiency of their method. This is an explanation by one of the devs Quote “We render the two worlds using screen percentage and then upsample,” Szaflik says. “So this gives you that pixelated look. This can be conquered by going into the custom graphics options and setting anti-aliasing to DLSS and everything else to low. This way, the upsampling will use DLSS (assuming you have capable card) instead of a simple bilinear and sharpen combination.” https://www.pcgamesn.com/the-medium/best-pc-settings-60fps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Now I can see why they put a trigger warning at the start of the game 😧 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Game Information Game Title: The Medium Platforms: Xbox Series X/S (Jan 28, 2021) PC (Jan 28, 2021) OpenCritic - 75 average - 63% recommended Critic Reviews TheGamer - 5 / 5 stars Quote The Medium itself never hits a flat note. I beat the game in two long sittings, and there was never a point during either that I felt like the game dragged, or could’ve used a little more polish, or left too many loose ends hanging. It’s a lean, compelling experience that says what it has to say, then leaves you to grapple with the specifics afterwards. There are images, lines, and ideas from The Medium that I’ll likely take to my grave thanks to this approach, as it puts the onus on the player to piece everything together. You have to wrap your brain around the spirit world’s twisted logic so much that it becomes a part of you, as you live through Marianne’s pain with her and help to navigate her trauma. PowerUp! - 9.7 / 10 Quote Not for the faint of heart, nor those susceptible to trauma, The Medium is an intensely disturbing masterclass in storytelling, dripping with atmosphere and loaded with enough dread to make you question the very nature of your existence when you're finished with it. Gamers Heroes - 95 / 100 Quote Bloober Team has long established itself as a purveyor of innovative and frightening horror experiences, but it will be tough to outdo this one. The Medium is a terrifying and disturbing look into the darkest recesses of human behavior, wrapped in an immersive, atmospheric, and beautiful looking game world. Gamerheadquarters - 9.3 / 10 Quote The Medium is an incredible narrative driven psychological thriller that balances a really neat split between reality, and an eerie spirit world. SomosXbox - Spanish - 9.3 / 10 Quote The Medium is Bloober Team's next big step and a tremendous cover letter for the next generation. With simple yet accomplished gameplay, captivating design and overwhelming storytelling, likely to rip off some tears, it quickly becomes one of the games you need for this new generation and one of those you have to try if you have Xbox Game Pass. With The Medium, Bloober Team proves there will always be room for the big well-told stories. So don't hesitate and listen carefully to Marianne's story, because you won't be the same. PC Gamer - 92 / 100 Quote A third-person horror game that's elevated by some of the sharpest writing and acting in the genre. Generación Xbox - Spanish - 9.1 / 10 Quote The Medium is an incredible journey, a necessary game that stands as one of the exponents of the genre. A dramatic story that you won't want to miss. Lords Of Gaming - 9.1 / 10 Quote I could not help but feel that The Medium took inspiration from many beloved franchises before it. The camera angle style, notes and puzzles to keep the player focused, and music that makes your skin crawl all combine to make The Medium feel like a worthy newcomer in a genre with a long legacy. In an era where first-person perspective and jump scares with mediocre psychological horror reign, it is nice to see The Medium take a different approach while utilizing many of the psychological horror tactics of old and new age audio tricks. I cannot help but love the new psychologically induced horror game Bloober Team made The Medium. Chalgyr's Game Room - 9 / 10 Quote While I don’t generally sit down to horror, or horror like experiences, the Bloober Team with their atmospheric and psychological horror The Medium had me hooked from start to finish. With a very well paced story and solid mechanics that let you explore the run down resort that Marianne finds herself in, it was really hard to put down the controller as the secrets that often lay right around the corner just begged to be answered. Checkpoint Gaming - 9 / 10 Quote The Medium feels like a culmination of everything Bloober Team have learned from their previous titles, pushing the envelope creatively while still heavily referencing classic horror games as their inspiration. The adventure does an excellent job of immersing you in its dark and twisted world, full of tortured souls and dark secrets begging to be uncovered. The dual-reality gameplay adds a fantastic riff to proceedings, a mechanic that has been cleverly injected into the gameplay and story in a really compelling way. While it could stand to leave some of its old-school sensibilities behind, its heartfelt story and creepy setting demands your attention right up until the credits roll. GRYOnline.pl - Polish - 9 / 10 Quote The Medium is not only the best game from the Bloober Team but also one of the greatest virtual psychological horrors out there. It’s on the same level as the masterpiece I consider What Remains of Edith Finch to be. And if you accept the lack of survival and action elements in the gameplay, you’ll get a great heir to the Silent Hill series. If you prefer story and atmosphere over typical action – it’s a game for you! GameSpace - 9 / 10 Quote With a fairly direct narrative, this might not be the sort of game that you’ll head back to replay often but this is an experience worth picking up. Bloober Team’s latest story manages to be both unsettling and engaging in equal measure. The presentation is fantastic, the characterization and voice acting is great, and the nods to other horror tropes is knowing rather than sloppy. This team from Krakow clearly know their chosen genre inside out and while it might be hard to fully discuss this new horror title without ruining the twists in the tale, I can be certain that The Medium will make you think twice about your next vacation. GameSpot - 9 / 10 Quote The Medium is a terrifying but compelling exploration of duality that uses the horror of personal trauma to craft a memorable tale. MonsterVine - 4.5 / 5 Quote The Medium is a dark horror game with a compelling story and a unique twist on playing in two worlds thanks to its dual-reality presentation. SECTOR.sk - Slovak - 9 / 10 Quote Abandoned communist resort is great place for scary game. The Medium will attract you and guide you. The Digital Fix - 9 / 10 Quote While The Medium does not look truly next-gen, the excellent dual-reality mechanics and storytelling prowess of Bloober Team ensure it is one of the most technically and narratively sophisticated horror games to come out in years, recalling the best of games like Silent Hill. TheXboxHub - 4.5 / 5 stars Quote The Medium on Xbox is the game fans have been waiting for. A dark, mature, scary, visually appetizing next-gen delight with a gripping story, it is one to not miss if you are a fan of psychological horror. NoobFeed - 88 / 100 Quote The Medium holds a lot of potential of becoming a great franchise and it's worth playing right now, especially for horror fans. The Games Machine - Italian - 8.8 / 10 Quote The latest horror from Bloober Team is a great bridge between the new generation of consoles and the old classics of the genre, with an intriguing story, a surreal setting and a road full of puzzles to decipher. Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 87 / 100 Quote Don't expect a horror game but a paranormal adventure, one that will intrigue and surprise you with some of its mechanics. A noteworthy and attractive experience that, maybe because of that, feels a little too short. Critical Hit - 8.5 / 10 Quote Literally straddling the line between supernatural and real-world horror, The Medium is satisfying, sleek, and sophisticated in every department. While it makes only limited use of its signature simultaneous reality mechanic, and features some of the same gameplay frustrations as earlier Bloober Team games, it's easy to overlook such stumbles. The Medium sidesteps scare gimmicks to deliver a masterclass in mature horror, one rooted in atmosphere, all-round restraint and an enthralling region-specific story. Note: On Xbox we scored the game 8.0 for some intermittent performance issues. Enternity.gr - Greek - 8.5 / 10 Quote Those who want an excellent horror experience will not be disappointed while Silent Hill fans will certainly appreciate the atmosphere, aesthetics and plot but will probably not be covered by the gameplay mechanics. GameByte - 8.5 / 10 Quote I’ve been waiting a long time for Bloober to finally nail down true horror, and The Medium is a wonderful example of how to do scary without relying on cheap tricks. If you’re a fan of Silent Hill, Clock Tower, Haunting Ground or even if you just want to test out the capabilities of the latest Xbox consoles, The Medium is a must-play. GameGrin - 8.5 / 10 Quote A deeply thought-provoking and mature psychological horror game that honours its influences without relying entirely on nostalgia. GameWatcher - 8.5 / 10 Quote Despite its linearity, I'd argue that The Medium is a genuinely chilling ghost story that's sure to leave a lasting impression. The splitscreen effects make for quite a few memorable moments, and there's no denying the growing sense of accomplishment as you solve difficult puzzles and make your way through the cursed resort. It may not be on the same level as some of its inspirations, but I'd definitely recommend The Medium to any fan of classic survival horror. Gamersky - Chinese - 8.5 / 10 Quote The Medium is one of the best quality horror games in recent years.This game learns many essences of "Silent Hill", and tells a suspenseful story with its own pace. God is a Geek - 8.5 / 10 Quote The Medium is without a doubt Bloober Team's biggest game to date, and it is easily one of its best. The story is captivating as are its characters, and the uneasy journey you take through it feels much like if Stranger Things was set in the Alan Wake universe. IGN Spain - Spanish - 8.5 / 10 Quote The Medium will not be the best psychological horror game in the world, but it engages like few others. Bloober Team once again raises a bar that dropped somewhat after Blair Witch and presents us at times two games in one, with quite effective mechanics despite its simplicity. A great gift for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, who will enjoy it from day one. Just Push Start - 4.25 / 5 Quote Overall, The Medium is able to evoke the same kind of feelings you might expect from a game like Silent Hill. There are tense scenes and an eerie atmosphere that is engaging from start to finish. Naturally, there are some flaws, such as difficult puzzles, clunky controls or subpar stealth mechanics, but the deep story through the two worlds more than makes up for it, making it start as a strong showing for Xbox this year. ThisGenGaming - 8.5 / 10 Quote The Medium’s dual reality gameplay is a fine showcase of what we can come to expect from the new generation of consoles. It starts off somewhat slow, but once the story gets going, its grip on you will not loosen until you see the credits roll. TrueGaming - Arabic - 8.5 / 10 Quote The psychological horror elements are not as present in The Medium as you think they may be, but they are well implemented. The story is intriguing and the world is immersive. It is a great selection for fans of classical horror. GamePro - German - 83 / 100 Quote The Medium scores especially with story and gripping atmosphere, but does not reach its class in a playful way. Use a Potion - 8.2 / 10 Quote The Medium is another thoroughly enjoyable psychological horror romp from the experts at Bloober Team, even if it could have done with a little bit of tweaking here and there. Exploration could be a little cumbersome thanks to the fixed camera angles for example, whilst the stealth sections felt like they broke the pace of the game as opposed to adding to the excitement. Everything else though? It was of the same high quality you’d expect from Bloober Team. With its harrowing yet engaging narrative, fantastic visuals, and great sound design, The Medium really has all of the most important pieces in place to offer a memorable horror experience. Atomix - Spanish - 80 / 100 Quote The Medium is a pretty fun horror game, but it lacks must of the values of series like Silent Hill. EGM - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium builds upon a lot of gameplay gimmicks and ideas that aren't always used to their full potential, but when they do work, they work incredibly well. Controlling main character Marianne as she jumps between worlds is both engrossing and exciting in practice, and the game's main location serves its job as a setting for horror masterfully most of the time. This is a game that definitely could have been better-but which is also better than a lot of other horror games that don't take such daring risks. GBAtemp - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium doesn't revolutionize the horror genre, but it's a compelling entry that's worth checking out. Game Rant - 4 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is a gorgeous next-gen horror game with a haunting game world anchored by old-school survival-horror style puzzles and exploration. GameMAG - Russian - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium is full of deep and intertwined narrative, moreso than many other games from recent years. If you love The Longest Journey, Silent Hill and The Evil Within for the overall atmosphere and tone, but also prefer something less action-oriented, then The Medium is something you don't want to miss. Gameblog - French - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium is a very good horror narrative game, despites somes riddles that may be too simple, and the dual reality mechanics may not be as original as expected... GamingTrend - 80 / 100 Quote With creepy puzzle moments throughout, The Medium pulls off a dual-reality puzzler with precision. The game looks magnificent, with impressive lighting and shadows courtesy of RTX, though the Xbox Series X version suffers from occasional stutters and hitches, as well as level of detail pops. More classic dread than jump scares, it delivers on its promise of horror served two ways, making it unique and a must-have for horror fans, even if it's a little lighter fare. Hardcore Gamer - 4 / 5 Quote One could argue that outside of its creative double-world approach, The Medium isn't the sort of revolutionary horror game that one might hope for from the start of a new generation in gaming. Hey Poor Player - 4 / 5 Quote I think I’ve hit my legal limit on flowery language in this review already, so I’ll keep it plain and simple in the end; The Medium is a fun, unsettling atmospheric horror game that is guaranteed to knock your socks off if you even remotely appreciate artistic design. It’s not a “traditional horror game,” but, then again, none of the Bloober Team games I’ve ever played have been traditional horror games. If you have a day to spare and want to spend it with a game guaranteed to draw you in (even if it takes a few hours to do so), then I don’t think you’ll regret taking The Medium out for a spin. IGN - 8 / 10 Quote Brilliantly paced and palpably tense, The Medium is a psychological horror adventure that's all thriller and no filler. Impulsegamer - 4 / 5 Quote The Medium boasts an engaging narrative plus clever gaming dynamics and while it starts slow, the ending builds to an impressive crescendo of unexpected surprises. So if you like to be surprised, don't keep reading the reviews or watching Youtube videos because this is one game that must be experienced without coming in with any prior knowledge as you twist your way through of both the land of the living and… the dead! Kakuchopurei - 80 / 100 Quote I honestly want to see more Bloober Team horror games of this nature, because it seems this big ambitious project is the best direction to go. In short, The Medium is a great start to bigger and better things. Niche Gamer - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium is a tightly designed horror-puzzle game. There may not be much survival at all, but presentation of the spirit plane is captivating and the driving mystery of the story will leave enough bread crumbs to allow players to piece the answer themselves. Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 8 / 10 Quote The medium introduce an excellent story with interesting characters and a world that will take into an unforgettable journey. The first Xbox Series X/S exclusive well delivers. Seasoned Gaming - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium has very few jump scares and it's not about killing a bunch of monsters and then moving on to the next. It's deeper and more intimate, with notable imagery and symbolism subtly presented to the player along the way. Spaziogames - Italian - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium is a step forward for Bloober Team, mature enough to propose a compelling, twisted dark thriller with an astonishing visual art. Without run&hide sessions and with a more complex level design. it could be a more enjoyable game. TheSixthAxis - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium is a really good horror adventure with some stand out ideas and excellent presentation. It makes the most of its influences to create an atmospheric and involving narrative, but its wider context as a next-gen exclusive may lead many to expect it to be a grander step forward than it is. Taken on its own merits, and particularly for genre fans, this is a genuinely great game and I look forward to replaying it to take in all the amazing details and touches that I may have missed first time through. With some questions left unanswered, I hope it does well and develops into a franchise. Twinfinite - 4 / 5 Quote The Medium isn’t perfect. Bloober Team’s most ambitious ideas aren’t realized to their full potential, but it’s a step in an exciting new direction. The pacing stumbles in the middle, but that’s where the enticing narrative picks up the slack to drive you through. The dual-reality mechanic goes just about far enough to keep its slowest gameplay moments interesting, and paired with a fantastic narrative and exceptionally eerie atmosphere, it’s an easy recommendation for fans of Bloober Team’s work in the past and the horror genre in general. Washington Post - 80 / 100 Quote Although “The Medium” is billed as a psychological horror game, I found it to be consistently unsettling rather than scary. There is a vengeful monster that Marianne must deal with intermittently, but except for one breathtaking scene where he chases her through different realities — resulting in shifts in perspective that strike like tidal waves — I didn’t think much of him. Nothing robs a creepy game of its power as forcing a player to confront the same monster too many times so, thankfully, the monster encounters are nicely spread out. “The Medium” might not have the most nightmarish adversary but its blanketing, foreboding atmosphere and uncompromising ending amply makes up for it. Windows Central - 4 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is one of the most gorgeous horror games I've ever played. Its detailed environments, compelling characters, and unique setting make it a must-play for psychological horror fans. Worth Playing - 8 / 10 Quote Like many of Bloober Team's titles, The Medium isn't a horror game made for all horror fans. The lack of jump-scares can be refreshing, but some will be turned off by the lack of combat and danger. The game's relaxed pace, its linear nature, and the ease of its puzzles can erode the tension of the mystery. The strong atmosphere, grounded characters, and solid storyline will attract horror fans who are looking for something other than grotesque monsters to hunt down or run away from. For those who value plot over punch, The Medium is a journey worth taking. Xbox Achievements - 80 / 100 Quote Layers of Fear showed early promise, Blair Witch demonstrated that Bloober could resurrect a dormant movie license to great effect, and Observer saw the studio successfully turn its hand to cyberpunk horror. The Medium is a similarly excellent game, serving as further proof of the developer's horror expertise and its credentials as an exciting creative outfit. ZTGD - 8 / 10 Quote The Medium is a strong outing for the team at Bloober. It is easily my favorite game they have released to date. The eerie soundtrack and locales set the mood nicely. The story is interesting, and I loved the duality in the puzzle-solving. This is a strong first game for Series X in 2021 and I hope their slate only improves as the year goes on. I wish this had been available at launch, and I am sure Microsoft does as well. It would have been a great showpiece for the console. Still it makes a nice early year title for owners of the new Xbox to dive into. IGN Italy - Italian - 7.6 / 10 Quote An artistically inspired and technically interesting horror, based almost entirely on narration. Those who expected an adventure with a wider scope could be very disappointed. But Why Tho? - 7.5 / 10 Quote Overall, The Medium is a great game, when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts the game is superb. It’s scary, it’s visceral, and it showcases how Bloober Team understands horror and how to execute concepts unrestricted by location. That said, its story is less than stellar, but at 8-10 hours of gameplay, with its fantastic cinematics, it’s a hurdle you can get over. COGconnected - 75 / 100 Quote As a whole package The Medium is very much a story of compromise. For all its successes in visual storytelling and interesting setting, it’s collared by poor pacing and dated game design. Still, it’s well worth a look for history buffs and those fascinated by the unknown. So what lies beyond? It’s still up for debate. In the present, The Medium offers an intriguing possibility to puzzle on. Cultured Vultures - 7.5 / 10 Quote The Medium is Bloober Team's most ambitious game to date, and while certain aspects work better than others, the result is a decent horror romp that even the most horror-averse can enjoy. GameCrate - 7.5 / 10 Quote The Medium is at its best when you are exploring its remarkable, beautiful worlds, or enjoying the excellent composition and art direction. Unfortunately, the gameplay does not meet that high mark, and often detracts from what is otherwise a stellar aesthetic experience. PC Invasion - 7.5 / 10 Quote Although it has demanding system requirements, The Medium is still a marvelous offering when it comes to its visuals and gameplay. Its locations will haunt and horrify you, and its dual-reality system will provide refreshing ways to complete your objectives. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a few technical hiccups, and its bizarrely abrupt conclusion leaves a lot to be desired. PPE.pl - Polish - 7.5 / 10 Quote Medium is a very interesting proposal Bloober Team. Creators still do not come to the forefront and will not set new paths in the industry, but this is another very solid position that shows that the native studio is constantly developing. Rely On Horror - 7.5 / 10 Quote Bloober Team's The Medium is an admirable effort to evoke a classical survival horror experience, but it's not without some caveats. Stevivor - 7.5 / 10 Quote Despite an improved narrative when compared to Layers of Fear, The Medium does drag on a bit — especially near its climax — and resorts to a couple lazier puzzles at around that same point. On the whole though, The Medium is a rather enjoyable experience, especially for those who are fans of any of the myriad survival horror franchises I’ve already mentioned. TechRaptor - 7.5 / 10 Quote The Medium presents intelligent horror and innovative gameplay inspired by Silent Hill, but far overstays its welcome and fails to provide closure. The split screen mechanics work wonders for new kinds of puzzles, but a myriad of technical issues hinder immersion. WayTooManyGames - 7.5 / 10 Quote The Medium is right on the edge of being a great horror game, in many ways being the closest we’ve got to a true Silent Hill successor. Returning to the classic camera angles seen years ago has been a treat, whilst the dual reality pushed the genre forward in clever ways. Sadly, uninspired puzzles and stealth encounters bogged the game down quite a notch. Wccftech - 7.3 / 10 Quote Marianne might be able to jump between two realities, but The Medium is trapped somewhere between being a worthy Silent Hill successor and another mediocre hide and seek horror game. Everyeye.it - Italian - 7 / 10 Quote The Medium is a horror with fascinating potential, but translated into an experience never really ambitious, and indeed paradoxically rather limited, restrained and shallow. Filmweb - Polish - 7 / 10 stars Quote The Medium is, for better or worse, old-school at its core. The split screen mechanics aren't revolutionary at all and action sequences may leave you a bit confused, but the wholesome plot and well executed narration make Bloober Team's latest effort a compelling horror story imbued with some cool sociohistorical references. Game Revolution - 7 / 10 stars Quote At its best times, The Medium channels Silent Hill, but the rough pacing and limited gameplay outside of puzzle-solving hold it back. Additionally, the unsatisfactory ending leaves a sour note that detracts from the overall experience. GameSkinny - 7 / 10 stars Quote The Medium is less survival-horror and more adventure-horror like the studio's past games, but so long as Bloober Team is still refining this style, the team is clearly getting better. GamingBolt - 7 / 10 Quote The Medium is a decent horror game that has some really good ideas, but ultimately fails to live up to its potential. Glitched Africa - 7 / 10 Quote The Medium is a good game that lasts just around 10 hours. After completing it I so wanted it to be more than it is. Its story and uncomfortable themes its touches on does a great job carrying the repetitive gameplay to the end. I so wanted it to be more. I wanted more challenging puzzles and gameplay elements to expand the “dual reality” mechanics. However, it never happened. I hope The Bloober Team use this as a start to something new. The game’s general premise is an interesting one and can really be expanded on. Unfortunately, it gives me Order 1886 vibes – Just playing it too safe. Merlin'in Kazanı - Turkish - 70 / 100 Quote If you like the horror, thriller genre, I can say that The Medium is a game where you can get a nostalgic taste. Screen Rant - 3.5 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is a psychological horror game that is set across two worlds, but it doesn't quite live up to the potential of its gameplay features. TrueAchievements - 3.5 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is an interesting and enjoyable game, but one let down by some awkward animations that constantly threaten to break the immersion created by an otherwise captivating game world, and those weak stealth sections that Bloober Team can't seem to leave behind. It's very much a one-and-done game — you can easily see everything it has to offer inside of ten hours, so the pricing might be a little questionable for both the quality and quantity of what you get here. XboxEra - 7 / 10 Quote The Medium has a lot of good ideas that come together in a mixed bag of a game. I found the story to be involving and well written; the atmosphere and ambience unnerving. The environments are often hauntingly beautiful to look at, and the soundtrack is a genuine highlight. The good in this game is forced to carry you through the bad, which in some ways, is the gameplay itself, where a lack of challenging puzzles, a shallow yet innovative dual reality mechanic, and an over reliance on exposition pull you out of the detailed and interesting story Bloober are trying to tell. The Medium is then, perhaps, a victim of its own gimmick – a game of two halves, one full of detail and intrigue, the other somewhat lost in the gloom of the veil. Cerealkillerz - German - 6.8 / 10 Quote The Medium falls short of expectations and repeats a lot of mistakes from the previous bloober team games. From a technical standpoint the game is impressive, besides some minor lighting issues but nearly everything else disappoints just too much. Game Informer - 6.8 / 10 Quote This is a horror game with more tedium than tension Easy Allies - 6.5 / 10 Quote The Medium has grand ambitions but doesn't quite come together. Heavy - 6.5 / 10 Quote The Medium sadly joins Blair Witch as another disappointing effort from Bloober Team. Press Start - 6.5 / 10 Quote The Medium is Bloober Team's most ambitious game in terms of scope and scale. It successfully leverages fixed camera angles and strong sound design to create a horror experience that's unashamedly nostalgic. Despite its successes, the game fails to capitalise on its unique dual reality mechanic and ultimately feels too similar to the studio's prior efforts in Blair Witch and Observer. AusGamers - 6.2 / 10 Quote Sometimes that focus is nudged in one direction via shifting screen real-estate. New Game Network - 62 / 100 Quote The Medium is a flawed horror experience with an interesting story and a visually captivating spirit world. Fixed camera angles add excess clumsiness and the terrible framerate drops make it difficult to enjoy the split-screen views. With some glacial pacing and a lack of genuine scares or challenges, it fails to create a strong bond with either of its two worlds. Areajugones - Spanish - 6 / 10 Quote The Medium is a game that doesn't have big flaws or hits. Simplified gameplay and a half-way story between the horror story and the most serious sociopolitical discourse make Bloober Team's work doomed to be a mediocre title that we probably even remember at the end of the year. Destructoid - 6 / 10 Quote My favorite part of The Medium ended up being its "semi-fixed cameras," which blend old and new design philosophies in a way that seems genuinely palatable in 2021. That's the real achievement here. I can easily picture a more well-rounded sequel happening, and for what it's worth, I hope it does. Digital Trends - 3 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is a chilling tone piece that's bogged down by retro influence and a protagonist that can't stop oversharing. GameSpew - 6 / 10 Quote The Medium isn’t a bad game by any stretch of the imagination – it’s just nothing special. Inverse - 6 / 10 Quote The Medium stumbles because of its weak script, but it’s worth checking out if you have Xbox Game Pass and want to see what the next-gen fuss is all about. PCGamesN - 6 / 10 Quote Bloober Team does well to keep things taut all the way to the end, but there's a frustrating amount of untapped potential beneath its gameplay gimmicks and art direction. Rocket Chainsaw - 3 / 5 stars Quote If you’re after a new linear narrative adventure game set in a creepy world to play, you’ll likely enjoy The Medium, but if you’re hoping for a more involved experience, I’d suggest skipping it. Shacknews - 6 / 10 Quote Despite the wrong steps, there is good in The Medium. Slant Magazine - 3 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is at its best whenever the player gets to lives up to the game's title. TrustedReviews - 3 / 5 stars Quote The Medium is an enjoyable survival horror that's held back by a lacklustre narrative and a signature mechanic that never reaches its full potential. Even with Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka's score ringing across the twisted soviet world, Bloober Team's latest project pales in comparison to the legends that came before it. VG247 - 3 / 5 stars Quote No, this isn’t a production up to the level you might expect from Naughty Dog or The Coalition. This is an indie game that’s performing on the biggest stage, and for the most part it’s put on quite the show. WellPlayed - 6 / 10 Quote Much like Bloober Team’s previous horror efforts, The Medium features an interesting story in a compelling and creepy world but is let down by often boring and dragged-out gameplay sequences DualShockers - 5.5 / 10 Quote Despite its technical prowess and stunning visuals, The Medium is a drag. From slow, uninteresting gameplay to a confusing and poorly executed story, Bloober Team's latest makes for a good tech demo, but not much else. Explosion Network - 5.5 / 10 Quote I found myself rather bored a lot of the time, and straight-up hating several sections for being tedious or repetitive. Attack of the Fanboy - 2.5 / 5 stars Quote The Medium will scratch the horror itch for some for a while but fails to live up to its potential in a number of significant ways. GamesRadar+ - 2.5 / 5 stars Quote The Medium tries to do a lot but never really seems to stop and see if any of it's working. Paste Magazine - 5 / 10 Quote A good horror game can make rifling through old postcards and personal letters a compelling experience. But The Medium seems entitled, in that it expects me to be titillated by its character design and atmosphere but won't give me enough context to actually care about them. Between that and its tired puzzle-based progression barriers and dull character powers, The Medium fails to justify its existence. VideoGamer - 5 / 10 Quote Bloober Team has summoned a rich atmosphere, under all that writing, and one or two sequences offer glimpses of a purer game. Guardian - 2 / 5 stars Quote Bloober Team's beautiful-looking exploration of intergenerational trauma is ripe ground for innovative storytelling, but fumbles its big themes Metro GameCentral - 4 / 10 Quote Instead of high-tech thrills and survival horror chills, this disappointingly mundane thriller struggles to impress with a muddled narrative and unengaging gameplay. ACG - Rent Quote "Well they tried. However, the medium comes in uncooked to the point of almost being raw. Somehow the presentation and ideas don't really do anything throughout the entire game. " Echo Boomer - Portuguese - Liked Quote Even with an interesting concept of navigating and controlling two worlds at the same time, this new entry from Bloobler Team does not make justice to its full potential. Eurogamer - Recommended Quote Bloober Team goes back to the classics for possibly its best effort yet. Kotaku - Unscored Quote In a different reality, I could see this game being something special. And it might, like so many other horror games and movies, go on to become a cult classic. But in this realm, for me, it just doesn’t come together. Polygon - Unscored Quote The Medium starts off personal and poignant, but ends in cliché Skill Up - Unscored Quote cublikefoot - Avoid Quote The Medium may have an interesting story and occasionally good gameplay, but the performance really kills it. Wildly fluctuating fps (even to 30 and below) with constant stuttering is a no-go on PC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 I ended up beating this. I enjoyed it. I thought the story was good. It's cool that a lot of the environment sets up some story elements later in the game. If I had any nitpicks it would be purely on a technical level. The game's performance doesn't run too well towards the end, I guess maybe they didn't optimize the end game maybe. Bloober Team is a dev that historically has made great environments and this game is no different, but I think their character animation could be improved. Also if you've played other Bloober Team releases you know what to expect somewhat, it's just like an atmospheric puzzle / adventure. I do like the dual world concept and it makes for some visually interesting storytelling. Not sure why some people felt such a disconnect in the story. Maybe someone like @Commissar SFLUFAN would enjoy it as the story is very rooted in Poland with some nods to the "past" (well along with the supernatural medium stuff too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Patch 1.1 Patch notes: - Performance optimizations across the whole game - Eliminated gameplay bugs in various locations - Eliminated known game crashes - Eliminated game bugs reported by the community - Graphical bug fixes across the whole game - Improvements in camera operation and settings - Scene lighting fixes in various locations - Fixes for reported crash issues when loading saves - Improvements in interactions with in-game events and characters across the whole game - Raytracing optimizations across the whole game - Game sound fixes Maybe this will fix my complaint about how the game kinda runs terribly towards the end. Edit: Fuck me in the butt! The patch is 17 gigs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted October 2, 2021 Share Posted October 2, 2021 Sounds like PS5 got toned down graphical effects and runs at a higher resolution than Xbox but has frame pacing issues. And they added gyro controls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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