The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope is an interactive drama survival horror video game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the second of eight planned installments in The Dark Pictures Anthology series and the successor to Man of Medan. The game is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 30 October 2020.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
Developer(s)Supermassive Games
Publisher(s)Bandai Namco Entertainment
SeriesThe Dark Pictures Anthology 
Platform(s)
Release30 October 2020
Genre(s)Interactive drama, survival horror
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope is a survival horror video game played from a third-person perspective in which the player assumes control of five characters who are trapped in a ghost town. Throughout the game, the player needs to choose different dialogue options, which will influence the course of the narrative and the relationships between the protagonists. The game can be played multiple times, as there are multiple endings and multiple scenarios based on the decisions that the players make. Depending on the choices of the players, all characters may die by the end of the story.[1] Action sequences mainly feature quick time events, most of which, if missed, can lead to dire consequences for the characters.

Similar to Man of Medan, the game features two multiplayer modes. "Shared Story" allows two players to play co-operatively online. "Movie Night" allows up to five players to select their own characters and prompts them to pass the controller at each turn.[1]

Premise

Little Hope is presented as an unfinished story in the possession of the omnipresent Curator (Pip Torrens), who requests the player's assistance in completing it. The story follows college students Taylor (Caitlyn Sponheimer), Andrew (Will Poulter), Daniel (Kyle Bailey), Angela (Ellen David) and their professor John (Alex Ivanovici) who become stranded in the eponymous fictional town after their bus crashes. Located in New England, Little Hope has an infamous history of witch hunting that took place in 1692.[2] As the group explores the town, they witness the execution of a group of settlers from the past who look exactly like them. The group must find out their connections with this group of settlers, piece together the history of the town, and discover "the root of the evil".[3]

Development

Little Hope is the second instalment in the Dark Pictures Anthology series.[4] Unlike Man of Medan, which was a modern-day story, Little Hope's story covers multiple timelines, with the narrative jumping back and forth between the present and the past. The game features more supernatural elements when compared to its predecessor and the team chose witchcraft as the game's main theme as they wanted to explore its root causes. Pete Samuels, the game's director, added that the team was intrigued by the "greed, paranoia, and fear of God" which motivated people to commit heinous acts during that period. The team took inspirations from both the Silent Hill series and The Crucible, which is a play about the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93. The game was also inspired by films including The Witch, The Blair Witch Project, Hellraiser, It Follows, The Omen, and Season of the Witch.[3] Will Poulter was hired to voice and provide motion capture for Andrew, the game's lead character.[3]

Like its predecessor, the game was designed to be replayable. The team also refined the gameplay, after hearing feedback from players who complained about Man of Medan's gameplay.[5] For instance, the player character can now walk faster. In addition, the team lowered the difficulty of the game's quick-time events, giving more time for the players to react. It had also removed the tank controls.[3]

The Dark Pictures Anthology was envisioned by Supermassive Games as a series of unrelated games which explores different themes and horror genres. The studio's plan was to release each instalment every six months, though this target was missed. The game was first revealed when Man of Medan launched in August 2019. The teaser trailer was included as a post-credit scene for the game.[6] Publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment officially announced the game on April 14, 2020. The game is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 30 October 2020.[7][8]

References
  1. Sitzes, Jenae (April 27, 2020). "The Dark Pictures: Little Hope Pre-Orders, Release Date, Price, And More". GameSpot. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  2. Fingas, Jon (April 14, 2020). "'Dark Pictures: Little Hope' trailer shows horror from the age of witch hunts". Engadget. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  3. Wallace, Kimberly (April 16, 2020). "Everything You Need To Know About Supermassive's Little Hope". Game Informer. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  4. Goslin, Austen (April 14, 2020). "First trailer for The Dark Pictures: Little Hope is full of witches and doomed teens". Polygon. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  5. Marshall, Cass (April 16, 2020). "The best horror game to play with friends gets a Silent Hill-esque sequel". Polygon. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  6. Barth, Nicholas (August 29, 2019). "The Dark Pictures: Little Hope Officially Teased". Prima Games. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  7. Wallace, Kimberly (April 14, 2020). "Supermassive Unveils Little Hope, The Next Game In The Dark Pictures Anthology". Game Informer. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  8. "The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope launches October 30". Gematsu. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
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