Directive 8020 is easily the shiniest horror game Supermassive has made, despite being tough to demo. We went hands-on with its early scenarios for roughly 30 minutes, trying to understand what it does differently from other Dark Pictures games.
First Impressions: A Familiar Setting with New Ambitions
Supermassive Games' latest horror game forces us to survive in space, but will impressive lighting and good graphics be enough to overcome so-so stealth gameplay? Three times I have previewed Directive 8020, and three times have I struggled to fully grasp how it aims to set itself apart from other games in the Dark Pictures Anthology. The studio's penchant for supernatural horror, grizzly ends, and consequential decision-making are all present. Only now, it is set in space.
As a location, space is notorious for upping the stakes within horror fiction, making characters feel truly cut off and stranded. It makes sense for Supermassive to go there. However, for video games, it is a rather cliche setting that titles like Dead Space and Alien: Isolation have taught can be overcome if you think laterally and strategically enough. The question is: can Directive 8020 overcome this familiar territory?
Hands-On Experience: Visuals Impress, Gameplay Raises Questions
It was with this state of mind that I went into my latest demo, wanting Supermassive Games to surprise and shock me with the ways it evolves their brand of choice-based horror. True, the game implements a greater degree of player control aligned with conventional third-person titles, but demos are hard given how little of the decisions I make I can glean the impact of in just 30 minutes.
From everything I played, I am confident that Directive 8020 will spin an engaging horror story blending the gory and psychological. But from a mechanical level, I cannot help feeling like I have seen it all before, despite the studio's insistence that the format has evolved. Just because it is new for Dark Pictures does not mean it is new for long-time horror fans.
One undeniable aspect of Directive 8020 versus other Dark Pictures games, and even Until Dawn, is that it looks phenomenal. This game has been delayed several times, often years apart, and each hands-on session impresses with a significant step up in graphical fidelity. For a game set solely in space, setting a thick atmosphere is very important, and Supermassive's lighting wizardry pays off, with artificial beams from the ship's consoles contrasting with darkly dank spaces.
The Cassiopeia colony ship invoking such an undeniably cinematic mood made completing otherwise straightforward preview objectives more enjoyable. Taking place roughly two hours into the game, much of what was asked required routine stealth through the ship's various sections to repair a hull breach. From hopping into vents to evade an odd figure's pursuit to ducking behind waist-high cover, Directive 8020 feels a bit hokey with the way it asks you to skulk and sneak.
Lost in Space: Exploration and Stealth Mechanics
Exploring the ship as crew members, including Lashana Lynch's Brianna Young, involved a fine mix of lowering bridges, finding power cells, and hacking terminals. All of this would have felt routine were it not for my character's ability to send a pulse through the space around me, acting as detective vision that showed the status of an infected sleep technician in pursuit. I cannot say I found any of this particularly challenging, but I was playing on the recommended standard difficulty.
The main thing I struggle to understand, even after my third play session, is how prescribed the final adventure will be. Much like prior Supermassive titles, there are choices with consequences and different paths, but I am curious how many are considered in the background without player knowledge. Climatic character deaths are all well and good, as is the new Turning Points system, which marks weighty decisions and allows rewinding. Yet, I cannot wait to see how smaller choices ripple through the engrossing sci-fi story.
Looking Ahead: Release and Expectations
For now, as silly as it might sound on the cusp of Directive 8020's May 12, 2026 release, I am still baffled by how it fits into the wider Dark Pictures canon. This is partly due to playing it in sliced-up chunks, which come across as disjointed without following character arcs in sequence. I want to invest in Brianna, but I am having trouble due to lofty themes from the Cassiopeia's issues and the way Supermassive has showcased a story-heavy title in a disparate, pre-release fashion.
Directive 8020 may end up being not only Supermassive's scariest game but also its best since Until Dawn. You would not know it yet given its reliance on so-so stealth segments, a mostly unknown enemy, and the inability to judge how much choices matter. I hope it all comes together when the story can be enjoyed as a whole as intended. Directive 8020 launches on PS5, Xbox, and PC on May 12, 2026.
