Interactive horror games are a lot of fun for horror fans who enjoy controlling outcomes. Therefore, making the games in The Dark Pictures Anthology released by Bandai Namco Entertainment (season 1) and Supermassive Games (season 2 onward) is incredibly appealing. Each game is third person, and they neatly fit in the survival horror subgenre. The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is the final game of the first season. It is a multilinear game with a creepy atmosphere. It’s perfect to play during any time of year, but especially in the fall.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me follows a struggling documentary film crew that is invited to a replica of H.H. Holmes’ murder hotel. As soon as they arrive and begin exploring, it becomes clear that their invitation was meant to be their last. The location offers much in the way of possibilities for chaos and death. And that is one particular reason The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me should get a film adaptation. What are the others? Venture further to find out.
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The Characters
A slasher film doesn’t need likable or even relatable characters to be entertaining. However, investing in at least a few characters’ survival stories is nice. The Devil in Me presents us with a dysfunctional documentary crew, and while players can control some of the dialogue, the characters’ personalities are already established. As are their personal relationships with one another (some being more complicated than others). The Devil in Me also has several characters of color as well and offers players a chance to help further blossom a queer relationship.
Journalist Kate (Jessie Buckley), intern Erin (Nikki Patel), and lighting technician Jamie (Gloria Obinayo) all make for intriguing final girls. And noteworthy final girls are always a bonus in the eyes of slasher fans. The director of the documentary crew, Charlie (Paul Kaye), and cameraman Mark (Fehinti Balogun) also lend to the atmosphere. The killer (not spoiling who it is) is ruthless, highly deranged, and has a complicated backstory. If The Devil in Me were adapted into a film, the killer would no doubt be a formidable foe.
The Saw-Inspired Traps
It’s confirmed that the Supermassive Games team was inspired by the Saw franchise. The death traps in The Devil in Me are nail-biting, much like the traps in the Saw films, and create a sense of panic. A film adaptation would make any deaths from the traps very stressful to watch. And considering there are only so many characters, more than a few would suffer terrible fates. Traps involving poisonous gas, being crushed to death, dying by fire in a contained space, etc., have been done before, too.
A death game horror film that also happens to be a slasher would be delightful, adding to why The Devil in Me would make for a fun film adaptation. Without spoiling anything significant, the game doesn’t have a cute Billy-like puppet to guide anyone through its traps. And that only makes the games the characters end up in more terrifying. There’s an even greater possibility of death, which would translate well in a film.
The Setting
Isolating characters on an island, in an unfamiliar space like a highly booby-trapped estate, is pretty scary. In The Devil in Me, our main characters explore the estate quite a bit, which lands them in hot water. The estate is set up precisely how the killer wants it to be. It’s a technologically advanced fortress that’s designed to trap and kill people. And knowing there are only a few ways to get off the island is another hurdle to jump.
Like the game, a film adaptation would allow for many intense sequences throughout, not to mention chase scenes, which are often integral to a slasher. And the surrounding area, as well as inside the home, is perfect for heart-pounding chase scenes. It would give the final girl(s) much room to amp up the scare factor. Plus, the final scene happening on a boat would be incredibly fun to watch.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me is a game to check out if you’re interested in interactive horror games. How scary it is depends on the player, but the death games are a huge selling point. It would also make for a decent adaptation, and those aren’t easy to come by (when it comes to video game to film adaptations). Every game in The Dark Pictures Anthology would make for exciting horror movies. I highly recommend playing the games to see for yourself.
The Devil in Me is available to play on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
