Directive 8020 is the upcoming first Season 2 episode of The Dark Pictures Anthology, a series of interactive horror games developed by Supermassive Games and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.
The upcoming horror game is the first of up to 5 games that we are expecting to see in The Dark Pictures Anthology Season 2.
Want to find out what the other 4 possible games of Season 2 are? Check out our other recent Directive 8020 article!
The horror game is set to take place in deep space where a crew of astronauts are on a mission to find and evaluate a new home for humanity.
The ship is enroute to the real-life and potentially habitable exoplanet known as Tau Ceti f.
However, it looks like something goes horribly wrong, and the crew must face a terrifying threat in the vacuum of space – where nobody can hear them scream!
As a fan of the series, I am very excited to play Directive 8020 and see how it will differ from the previous games in terms of setting, gameplay, and story.
Read on for our wish list of features for this upcoming horror game coming out in 2024.
Not familiar with this upcoming game in The Dark Pictures Anthology? Read our recent blog post about Directive 8020 to learn more!
Read more: Dark Pictures Anthology Season 2 Teased by Publisher
Here are five things that I hope to see in the exciting first upcoming horror game of the Dark Pictures Anthology Season 2!
1. A Compelling Space Horror Story
One of the main attractions of The Dark Pictures Anthology is the story, which is influenced by the player’s choices and actions. Each game has a different theme, ranging from supernatural to psychological to historical horror.
The upcoming Dark Pictures Anthology game, Directive 8020, is going to explore the space horror genre.
Watch the teaser trailer for Directive 8020 below!
Some examples of space horror we would like it to tap into:
- Alien (1979),
- Event Horizon (1997), and
- Dead Space (2008 / 2023).
I really want to feel the isolation, claustrophobia, and paranoia of being trapped in a hostile environment with an unknown enemy when I play Directive 8020.
I’m sure that we will get to explore the mysteries of the spaceship and the planet, and uncover the secrets behind the mission and the crew.
As for what the unknown enemy will be, I’m personally hoping for aliens over anything supernatural… although a ghost or two never hurts!
2. A Diverse and Interesting Cast of Characters
Another key aspect of The Dark Pictures Anthology is the range of characters that you get to control.
Each game features a different cast of characters, who have their own personalities, backgrounds, relationships, and motivations.
You get a chance to play as all of the characters throughout each game, controlling the storyline by making dialogue choices and successfully completing quick time events (QTEs).
There are also free-play sections where the player can explore the eerie horror settings.
I hope that Directive 8020 will have a diverse and interesting cast of characters, and not too many space cowboys. House of Ashes had a few too many arrogant characters, but I prefer characters with depth so I feel motivated to learn more about their lives, their goals, their fears, and their conflicts.
We can usually expect to see a few celebrities in the cast as well, with Will Poulter (Little Hope, Midsommer) and Shawn Ashmore (Man of Medan, Animorphs) starring in previous entries, as well as iconic former Disney star Ashley Tisdale (House of Ashes, High School Musical).
As usual, we will have a ‘host’ for the game.
Based on Season 1 this is likely to be the character know. as The Curator, as has been the case with the first four Dark Pictures Anthology games: Man of Medan, House of Ashes, Little Hope, and The Devil in Me.
3. A New Gameplay System
The gameplay of The Dark Pictures Anthology is based on the interactive drama genre, which emphasises player choice and storytelling over action and combat.
The Dark Pictures Anthology gameplay usually consists of:
- Exploration
The player can explore the environment, find clues, items, and secrets, and interact with objects and characters. - Dialogue
The player can also choose what to say and do in various situations, which can affect the story and the outcome of the game.
- Quick-time events
The player can also face quick-time events, which require fast and accurate button presses to succeed or fail. These also include Heartbeat events. - Branching paths
The game also features branching paths, which can lead to different scenes, events, and endings depending on the player’s choices and actions.
We will see whether the upcoming horror game Directive 8020 continues to use the game mechanics established by previous entries, however I would like to see changes to the Don’t Breathe and Heartbeat events.
It seems that in an enclosed environment like a spaceship, these events might become a bit tiresome with overuse when the threat is lurking nearby with no escape.
To address this, they could implement a change to this system that makes it a shorter event each time. This could provide quick-hide opportunities over long events requiring you to sit in one place for an extended amount of time.
4. Atmospheric Visuals
The Dark Pictures Anthology uses cinematic camera angles and transitions to create a movie-like experience while using advanced techniques to create detailed and immersive environments.
We can expect Directive 8020 to use motion capture technology to capture realistic performances and lifelike character models of the cast of the upcoming game.
I hope that Directive 8020 will take advantage of the stunning and atmospheric visual opportunities that space exploration provides. This will enhance the horror and the immersion of the game.
Hopefully, the game will allow us to explore both inside and outside the spaceship, such as wandering the surface of a distant planet somewhere deep in the galaxy.
Supermassive Games never fails to disappoint when it comes to character design, especially for evil entities that are out for blood. We can’t wait to see what the antagonist of Directive 8020 will look like.
If they choose an alien enemy, they will have to carefully tread the line between a funny looking alien, and a genuinely scary one. We don’t want a straight copy of a Xenomorph either!
Just like the Season 1 entries in the Dark Pictures Anthology, I’m sure that this game will effectively use cinematic and dramatic shots to create suspense and tension.
5. A Creepy and Immersive Sound Design
The sound design of The Dark Pictures Anthology is another important aspect of the series, as it complements the visual presentation and the gameplay of the games.
The games always use a combination of sound effects, music, and voice acting to create a creepy and immersive sound design.
It will be a challenge for the developers to create a suspenseful and haunting atmosphere in Directive 8020, as sound doesn’t travel in space.
Listen to the terrifying score from The Dark Pictures game Little Hope below!
The developers will need to nail the score and ensure that the voice cast is top talent to ensure that the sound plays an effective role in this new horror game.
These are the five things that I want to see in Directive 8020, the next game in The Dark Pictures Anthology series.
Check out the trailer for The Dark Pictures Anthology Season 1 finale, The Devil In Me (2022) below!
I am very excited to see how this upcoming horror game will turn out, and how it will compare to the previous horror games in the series.
I’m also looking forward to playing the game with my friends – assuming that the next game in the series series offers a movie night and multiplayer/shared story modes like previous entries.
I think that Directive 8020 will be a great addition to the series, and a terrifying gaming experience for the fans of the horror genre.
What do you think about this list? Are there other changes that you want to see in this upcoming 2024 horror game?
The Couch Ghost 
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