At the time of this writing, this game is available to download and play through MIcrosoft’s Game Pass service. Depending on when you’re reading this, the game may or may not have been removed due to contractual obligations.
I wasn’t able to get an Xbox Series S or X at launch. For the most part, I was okay with it; There weren’t a whole lot games that required a Series S or X in order to play. Practically everything was compatible on the Xbox One, so my Xbox One X was a viable option, at least until I could get my hands on a next-gen system.
I really wanted (want) an Xbox Series X, but I told myself that if I had the opportunity to snag an S, I wouldn’t pass it up. Well the opportunity to get the S presented itself, and I jumped on it. And while there’s a little bit of me that’s bummed I still don’t have an X, I at least get to experience the next gen games that are exclusive to the consoles (even if there are very few at the moment.)
One of the games that was available at launch was The Medium. Until now, I could only go by word of mouth on whether it was a good time or not, and I’ll be honest, there weren’t a lot of good opinions floating around out there. But, it’s a Series S/X game, and I wanted to experience the next-gen, regardless of the general consensus on the interwebs. Plus, it’s on GamePass, so there was literally no reason not to try it.
I’m glad I did. In my opinion, The Medium is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, from beginning to end. Is it perfect? Of course not, and the fixed camera angles can make things a tad janky from time to time. But at its heart, the game is a throwback to the classic survival horror genre and a bit of a tease to what they could be, using today’s technology.
Bloober Team continues to grow with each release. While their games are usually small scale and clunky, they’re learning new things with each game they make, and The Medium is a testament to how far they’ve come. I haven’t liked everything they’ve done. I thought Layers of Fear was alright, I didn’t play the sequel, and I thought The Blair Witch was disappointing. But The Medium shows that they used each of those games as a learning experience, and the final result is a tight narrative with some striking visuals and great sound, and yes, clunky gameplay.
The use of the dual realities (or let’s say the Physical plane and the Spirit plane) is a really interesting mechanic, and it does lend itself well to the environmental puzzle-solving they set up. Marianne’s dual-existence in both realms is a cool twist, as I always wondered what happened in Silent Hill when the town changed from normal to “hell.” Did Harry shift realities? Did he exist in the original Silent Hill as well? Konami never bothered to answer those questions, but at least here we see what’s happening in both simultaneously.
To say anything of the story would spoil it, and while I may not have a problem doing that in my Backlog Barbecues or my Rant-astic’s, I won’t do that here. The point of the GamePass Goodies is to recommend games to play. Suffice to say that Marianne is summoned to the ruins of the Niwa resort, a resort that has a very disturbing past and a lot of supernatural juju. Unraveling the mystery of the Niwa is the driving factor in the game, and with a lack of combat, is the sole purpose of pushing forward. The story holds its cards close to its chest just long enough to keep you invested, but not so long that you get frustrated and check out. It’s a steady drip-feed of information that gives you just enough to let you think you know what’s going on, but not enough for you to write the ending yourself. You’ll want to stick around to see how it ends.
The graphics aren’t what you’d expect from the powerhouse consoles of today, but keep in mind that they are rendering two different game worlds at once, and while nothing in the game is going to blow your mind, the set design and creepy lighting kept me enthralled from beginning to end. Is every location in the game a winner? No, probably not. There are some areas that seem to get a little same-y, and there are definitely some nods to Resident Evil with some of the late-game locations, but it still does a great job of setting up the rabbit hole and inviting you down it.
The game has its share of bugs though, and they usually pop their heads up in some of the game’s chase sequences. These glitches, such as the monster catching you almost immediately after the cutscene ends, can be pretty frustrating, and it took me a few tries to get through a section or two that probably should’ve been easier. For the most part, though, it’s a pretty solid offering, especially considering the technical hurdles they probably had to jump through.
So, now to address the main criticism I heard/read when keeping up on the game, and that would be that it’s boring. That there’s “nothing to do.” I’m not sure where this complaint comes from; I played through the game from beginning to end over the course of the weekend and I never felt like I didn’t have enough to do. I’ve heard a complaint that there was nothing to look at, as in “press A to examine.” Again, I don’t understand where this complaint comes from, as there were a ton of notes and objects to look at. Could you interact with everything? No, and why would you want to? The Medium highlights the objects of importance, and lets you walk past everything else. If you’ve played any Resident Evil or Silent Hill, you know what to expect.
Perhaps the complain originates from the fact that there is no combat. There are a few stealth sections, but as far as whacking a demon with a 2×4, you don’t have to worry about any of that. Could that pull some people out of the experience, that there is no impending danger lurking around every corner? Maybe, and if that’s how they feel about it, that’s fair. But I actually appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to worry about that. There are countless other games I can play if I wanna fight stuff.
The Medium is a great game for GamePass. It’s relatively short, it only requires one playthrough, and after it’s over you can feel satisfied and ready to move on. If you’re a sucker for haunted houses, and like a good supernatural mystery, I highly recommend giving it a try, even if the cool kids didn’t like it.
