Preview: ‘The Devil in Me’ shaping up to be a killer season finale

It’s been three years since Supermassive Games embarked on “The Dark Pictures Anthology” project, an ambitious set of horror games loosely rooted in real-world stories. The developers have taken players to a ghost ship, an abandoned town and an ancient temple with each title heavily influenced by a certain style of horror.

Their latest title “The Devil in Me” completes Season 1, and it could be their most ambitious and finely crafted game yet. The title follows the crew of Lonnit Productions, who have been working on a show about notorious criminals when they’re offered a chance to check out a replica of serial killer H.H. Holmes’ “Murder Castle.”

They’re taken out to a remote hotel on a lake by the owner, a reclusive man named Granthem Du’Met. The decision to go out there is the first of a series of increasingly bad choices for Charles Lonnit, the chief of Lonnit Productions; Kate Wilder, the charismatic host of the show; Erin Keenan, the young intern; Jamie Tiergan, the grip; and Mark Nestor, the cameraman. The five have to escape the replica “Murder Castle” alive.

In the short demo I played, “The Devil in Me” is the most gamelike of the anthology. Supermassive Games added an inventory system and more puzzle elements that make the experience more complex. It’s not just an interactive movie where players have to make critical decisions and react to quicktime events; instead, they’ll have to physically manipulate the environment and suss out solutions to the obstacles.

CIGARETTES, A MICROPHONE AND A FLASHLIGHT
One of the early examples focuses on Charles, who wants to get Prairie cigarettes out of a vending machine but needs exact change. After searching the bar for money, he stumbles on a cash register. This is where the inventory system comes in. Players can hit the directional pad and let him use his business card to shimmy the drawer open and get the money he needs.

The puzzle elements grow slightly more complex and interesting using the items that each member of the production crew has. Erin is the intern who specializes in sound, and she uses a directional microphone to follow the sound of a crying person through the mazelike corridors of the hotel.

Mark, the camera man, can take snapshots of the environment that can be used later. He’s also strong enough to move heavy objects like shelves in order to navigate obstacles. Jamie is the grip and has a flashlight and a multimeter. Both are invaluable when the power is shut off in the lodgings.

AN EXQUISITE ATTENTION TO DETAIL
What’s notable in my playthrough is the attention to detail and the environmental storytelling. “The Devil in Me” is one of the most beautiful games that Supermassive has produced, and the team uses nice touches like the scuff marks on the wood floor or the bills scattered around the room to help with the gameplay and storytelling. They offer hints on certain puzzles and paint a picture of what Du’Met is really up to. It could even possibly hint at what went on in the building before Lonnit Productions stepped through its doors.

As in previous games, players will have to balance survival with relationships and important decisions. The Lonnit crew has its internal divisions and drama between characters. The choices in how players respond affect how the characters relate to each other. Kate, the host of the show, and Mark are trying to navigate a breakup. Kate, who sounds like a diva, and Charlie, the boss of the operation, have creative differences while Charlie takes advantage of the intern Erin by using her for menial work. Jamie was my favorite character mostly because she had the common sense to want to leave the creepy hotel in the first place.

The only caveat in the demo was that the dialogue sometimes didn’t jibe with some of the decisions or characterizations I picked. That could be an issue with the build, which throws players in the game rather abruptly.

OLD GAMEPLAY MECHANICS IN PLAY
Another element from past games is the premonitions that show up when exploring. They seem to be connected to anatomy pictures and they give hints at how a character could die. These optional collectibles are scattered at good intervals so that they’re actually useful when it comes to key life-or-death situations. They help players make the right decisions.

When it comes to the horror influence of “The Devil in Me,” “Saw” is a big one. The mastermind behind the hotel has a penchant for pushing hard choices on visitors, and players will face some difficult ones as they try to escape.

Players will have a chance to see how many people they can save when “The Devil in Me” releases on Nov. 18 on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S.