I can't wait for more people to play this so that I can bounce ideas off other horror enthusiasts. Without touching on any spoilers, the ending will be polarizing. I want players diving into The Medium for the first time to genuinely form and build their own character theories, as that was one of my favorite elements of the game. I've been very deliberate in my approach to avoid key story details in my review.
While I wouldn't go as far as to say that this was an issue I personally had with the game, the focus on story over combat will likely be a complaint for many players. The pacing of The Medium is deliberately very slow and methodical. While Marianne has some impressive supernatural powers at her disposal, there isn't much in the way of action outside of a few tense chase sequences. The lack of dedicated combat will absolutely be a divisive design choice. While it's clear the game pulls plenty of inspiration from that series, there are major differences between what Silent Hill is and what The Medium wants to be. Many horror fans have been hyping up The Medium as the spiritual successor to Silent Hill.
With fixed camera angles and generally slower pacing, I ultimately think players will be able to look past this after the first few minutes, but it is worth mentioning for all the newfound 60FPS purists out there. The target here is definitely 30FPS, especially during the dual-reality sections of the game. The game seems to hover around the 35-40FPS mark during most sequences from our performance analysis.
#THE MEDIUM XBOX ONE PC#
The Medium is not 60FPS on Xbox Series X, and the official spec sheet for PC doesn't list anything above 30FPS. Let's start with the elephant in the room. There are major differences between what Silent Hill is and what The Medium wants to be. Considering this is the first true Xbox Series X and S exclusive, and one of the first real showcases of what these next-gen consoles could do, there are a few areas I feel some players might be disappointed. The Medium is undoubtedly a visual spectacle in many ways. Seeing this iconic perspective properly revisited in a contemporary horror game gives me hope for its big comeback. Thankfully, some modern enhancements and quality-of-life features for mobility keep things rather intuitive for those worried about how this makes controlling Marianne feel. You never miss a tense scare or subtle environment clue because your camera was facing the wrong direction. Still, I loved how cinematic this made every moment feel. This will definitely be a bit jarring for some players, especially if you've never experienced the infamous tank controls of Resident Evil or Silent Hill. To fully showcase the scope of The Medium's dark beauty, the entire game is presented through fixed camera angles. A meticulous level of care is on display in every frame, and this attention to small details makes The Medium one of the most gorgeous horror games I've ever played. Settings like the NIWA Resort, where a good chunk of the game takes place, were based on and modeled after real-world locations. That goes a long way in supplying immersive, intricate backdrops to your foray into this world of faded nostalgia. High-quality textures and ray-tracing makes each of the distinct areas feel grounded and authentic. The environment design team at Bloober consistently delivers engaging locales for you to explore. The Medium masters world and atmosphere presentation throughout its 6-8-hour story.
#THE MEDIUM XBOX ONE WINDOWS#
Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
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