Directive 8020, Supermassive’s latest dramatic endeavor in their Dark Pictures anthology, manufactures tension, fear, and a narrative that we’re glued to.
Supermassive and their Dark Pictures Anthology (and associated) games fill a void I didn’t even really know I needed filled: interactive horror experiences that play into all the tropes and sub-genres we’ve come to love. Directive 8020 is their most ambitious game yet, a big sprawling sci-fi horror adventure that from the onset seems to wear its influences from The Thing and Alien proudly on their sleeve but it does evolve into so much more. And, well, I’m all about that late 70s/early 80s sci-fi magic.
The gameplay still heavily relies on the series’ staple of making choices that could mean life or death for any crew member but now adds moments of stealth, adding more traditional gameplay elements for the first time. It’s more of a traditonal game than Supermassive have developed in the past, but it balances that with a terrific story and memorable characters, and that all comes together wonderfully in the end.
Directive 8020 isn’t going to turn an Adventure Game hater into a fan but it absolutely delivers to its dedicated fan base and could absolutely create new fans for those that are looking for something that can keep our stress levels higher than normal. If we’ve ever felt like dipping our toes into the Dark Pictures Anthology, this is the one to do it with. Directive 8020 is space horror drama that’s easy to recommend.
This review is based on a Steam code sent to SideQuesting by the publisher. This video first appeared on The SideQuest Live for May 28, 2026.
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