The Medium
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Critics Recommend
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Average Score
- January 28, 2021
- Bloober Team
- Adventure, Horror
Total Reviews: 124
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Critics Consensus
The Medium is a compelling exploration of duality and, at its best, effectively channels Silent Hill. But rough pacing, limited gameplay, and a disappointing ending doom the game to mediocrity.
The Medium
- January 28, 2021
- Adventure, Horror
0%
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Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews: 124
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WHAT TO KNOW
Critics Consensus
# Reviews: 124
The Medium is a compelling exploration of duality and, at its best, effectively channels Silent Hill. But rough pacing, limited gameplay, and a disappointing ending doom the game to mediocrity.
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Critic Reviews for The Medium
HIGHLIGHTED CRITICS
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Reviews
High Score - 97/100
Low Score - 40/100
Chris Scullion (Video Games Chronicle)
3/5 stars
“The Medium won’t give you any sleepless nights, but treat it as a paranormal thriller rather than an all-out horror game and you’ll find an interesting story (albeit a disturbing one at times) that will encourage you to push through its slightly repetitive split-screen gimmick to find out how it all ends. A short but intriguing tale.”
Leana Hafer (PC Gamer)
92/100
“A third-person horror game that’s elevated by some of the sharpest writing and acting in the genre.”
Tristan Ogilvie (IGN)
8/10
“Brilliantly paced and palpably tense, The Medium is a psychological horror adventure that’s all thriller and no filler.”
**Read all 124 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.
Read the Reviews (124 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33bits | Diego Sierra | 70 / 100 | 02-03-2021 | The Medium suffers from wanting to look like a classic Survival Horror, but without daring to go beyond the superficial, the aesthetic. The puzzles are irrelevant, even annoying, the resource management is zero and the progression is completely linear. When The Medium really works is when it sheds that facade and becomes a walking simulator with a powerful setting and a narrative that manages to touch our hearts. | Read review |
| 3DNews | Денис Щенников | 7 / 10 | 02-07-2021 | Intriguing, mystical detective story with interesting idea of simultaneous render of two worlds. But in the end, it just doesn’t pay off. | Read review |
| ACG | Jeremy Penter | Not Recommended | 01-27-2021 | Well they tried. However, the medium comes in uncooked to the point of almost being raw. Somehow the presentation and ideas don’t really do anything throughout the entire game. | Read review |
| Areajugones | Víctor Rodríguez | 6 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a game that doesn’t have big flaws or hits. Simplified gameplay and a half-way story between the horror story and the most serious sociopolitical discourse make Bloober Team’s work doomed to be a mediocre title that we probably even remember at the end of the year. | Read review |
| Atomix | Alberto Desfassiaux | 80 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a pretty fun horror game, but it lacks must of the values of series like Silent Hill. | Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy | Kyle Hanson | 2.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium will scratch the horror itch for some for a while but fails to live up to its potential in a number of significant ways. | Read review |
| AusGamers | KostaAndreadis | 6.2 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Sometimes that focus is nudged in one direction via shifting screen real-estate. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | Hashem Habibian | 8 / 10 | 02-06-2021 | Medium may not be a flawless 9th generation experience, but is a great alternative for those who miss the Silent Hill series, thanks to its great story and wonderful music. | Read review |
| But Why Tho? | Kate Sanchez | 7.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Overall, The Medium is a great game, when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts the game is superb. It’s scary, it’s visceral, and it showcases how Bloober Team understands horror and how to execute concepts unrestricted by location. That said, its story is less than stellar, but at 8-10 hours of gameplay, with its fantastic cinematics, it’s a hurdle you can get over. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Gabriel Bogdan | 6.8 / 10 | 01-29-2021 | The Medium falls short of expectations and repeats a lot of mistakes from the previous bloober team games. From a technical standpoint the game is impressive, besides some minor lighting issues but nearly everything else disappoints just too much. | Read review |
| Chalgyr’s Game Room | Pierre-Yves Lanthier | 9 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | While I don’t generally sit down to horror, or horror like experiences, the Bloober Team with their atmospheric and psychological horror The Medium had me hooked from start to finish. With a very well paced story and solid mechanics that let you explore the run down resort that Marianne finds herself in, it was really hard to put down the controller as the secrets that often lay right around the corner just begged to be answered. | Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming | Luke Mitchell | 9 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | The Medium feels like a culmination of everything Bloober Team have learned from their previous titles, pushing the envelope creatively while still heavily referencing classic horror games as their inspiration. The adventure does an excellent job of immersing you in its dark and twisted world, full of tortured souls and dark secrets begging to be uncovered. The dual-reality gameplay adds a fantastic riff to proceedings, a mechanic that has been cleverly injected into the gameplay and story in a really compelling way. While it could stand to leave some of its old-school sensibilities behind, its heartfelt story and creepy setting demands your attention right up until the credits roll. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Paul Sullivan | 75 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | As a whole package The Medium is very much a story of compromise. For all its successes in visual storytelling and interesting setting, it’s collared by poor pacing and dated game design. Still, it’s well worth a look for history buffs and those fascinated by the unknown. So what lies beyond? It’s still up for debate. In the present, The Medium offers an intriguing possibility to puzzle on. | Read review |
| Critical Hit | Noelle Adams | 8.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Literally straddling the line between supernatural and real-world horror, The Medium is satisfying, sleek, and sophisticated in every department. While it makes only limited use of its signature simultaneous reality mechanic, and features some of the same gameplay frustrations as earlier Bloober Team games, it’s easy to overlook such stumbles. The Medium sidesteps scare gimmicks to deliver a masterclass in mature horror, one rooted in atmosphere, all-round restraint and an enthralling region-specific story. | Read review |
| Cubed3 | Sandy Kirchner-Wilson | 8 / 10 | 02-25-2021 | The Medium isn’t an unflawed masterpiece. It’s got some performance issues on PC and some jankeyness in unexpected places. However it has got this absolutely unique horror atmosphere, beautifully crafted worlds and some absolute heart-string pulling story moments. This is a successful return of the “horror adventure” game style from those golden oldies everyone fondly remembers. Bloober Team has done an outstanding job making this title and it’s one hundred percent recommended to all fans of horror. | Read review |
| cublikefoot | Chase Ferrin | Not Recommended | 01-28-2021 | The Medium may have an interesting story and occasionally good gameplay, but the performance really kills it. Wildly fluctuating fps (even to 30 and below) with constant stuttering is a no-go on PC. | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Ashley Bates | 7.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is Bloober Team’s most ambitious game to date, and while certain aspects work better than others, the result is a decent horror romp that even the most horror-averse can enjoy. | Read review |
| Darkstation | Jukka Piira | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-08-2021 | After playing through certain games, I get all emotional and dazed because the experience, even with some issues along the way, has been so exceptionally strong. The Medium is one of those games. Its distinctive art and sound design, bare-bones gameplay, Marianne’s tender persona, and stripped-down story create a poignant tale. | Read review |
| DarkZero | Dominic Sheard | 7 / 10 | 02-09-2021 | The Medium is an interesting title to play through, but I think it is fair to say that while the split-screen, dual world element is a fascinating idea, it never truly excels at pushing the idea to its maximum potential. | Read review |
| DASHGAMER.com | Dan Rizzo | 7 / 10 | 02-03-2021 | The Medium’s daring resolute in thrilling its audience does come off a little daunting, rather than terrifying. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Jordan Devore | 6 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | My favorite part of The Medium ended up being its “semi-fixed cameras,” which blend old and new design philosophies in a way that seems genuinely palatable in 2021. That’s the real achievement here. I can easily picture a more well-rounded sequel happening, and for what it’s worth, I hope it does. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Steven McGehee | 8.3 / 10 | 12-15-2020 | In sum, The Medium is a great game with a few quirks, and it’s the best from Bloober Team to date. Available on Game Pass, it’s well-worth playing through as it makes for a nice early next-gen experience. | Read review |
| Digital Trends | Giovanni Colantonio | 3 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a chilling tone piece that’s bogged down by retro influence and a protagonist that can’t stop oversharing. | Read review |
| DualShockers | Charlie Wacholz | 5.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Despite its technical prowess and stunning visuals, The Medium is a drag. From slow, uninteresting gameplay to a confusing and poorly executed story, Bloober Team’s latest makes for a good tech demo, but not much else. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Michael Huber | 3.25 / 5 stars | 01-30-2021 | The Medium has grand ambitions but doesn’t quite come together. | Read review |
| Echo Boomer | David Fialho | Recommended | 01-27-2021 | Even with an interesting concept of navigating and controlling two worlds at the same time, this new entry from Bloobler Team does not make justice to its full potential. | Read review |
| EGM | Mollie L Patterson | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium builds upon a lot of gameplay gimmicks and ideas that aren’t always used to their full potential, but when they do work, they work incredibly well. Controlling main character Marianne as she jumps between worlds is both engrossing and exciting in practice, and the game’s main location serves its job as a setting for horror masterfully most of the time. This is a game that definitely could have been better-but which is also better than a lot of other horror games that don’t take such daring risks. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Vikki Blake | Recommended | 01-27-2021 | Bloober Team goes back to the classics for possibly its best effort yet. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Marco Mottura | 7 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a horror with fascinating potential, but translated into an experience never really ambitious, and indeed paradoxically rather limited, restrained and shallow. | Read review |
| Expansive | Brad Baker | Not Recommended | 02-01-2021 | My expectations were high coming in, and, in some part, those expectations were met. At times, I would go as far as to say that The Medium feels the best thing Bloober Team have ever done. But it clumsily attempts to handle subject matter which cannot just be brushed over and several mechanical missteps really jar and grate at the wrong time. | Read review |
| Explosion Network | Dylan Blight | 5.5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | I found myself rather bored a lot of the time, and straight-up hating several sections for being tedious or repetitive. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Ben Reeves | 6.8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | This is a horror game with more tedium than tension | Read review |
| Game Rant | Dalton Cooper | 4 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a gorgeous next-gen horror game with a haunting game world anchored by old-school survival-horror style puzzles and exploration. | Read review |
| Game Revolution | Jason Faulkner | 3.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | At its best times, The Medium channels Silent Hill, but the rough pacing and limited gameplay outside of puzzle-solving hold it back. Additionally, the unsatisfactory ending leaves a sour note that detracts from the overall experience. | Read review |
| Gameblog | Jonathan Bushle | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a very good horror narrative game, despites somes riddles that may be too simple, and the dual reality mechanics may not be as original as expected… | Read review |
| GameCrate | Leo Parrill | 7.5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | The Medium is at its best when you are exploring its remarkable, beautiful worlds, or enjoying the excellent composition and art direction. Unfortunately, the gameplay does not meet that high mark, and often detracts from what is otherwise a stellar aesthetic experience. | Read review |
| Gamefa | Mostafa Zahedi | 8 / 10 | 02-02-2021 | The Medium is undoubtedly one of the best Psychological horror video games I’ve played in recent years. A well written story, Great atmosphere and a deep sense of mystery will make you care about The Medium till the end of the game. If it wasn’t for Pacing issue in the first half and some frame rate drop, we could easily consider The Medium a Perfect Game. Regardless, The Medium is one of the Best game of this year. | Read review |
| GameGrin | Andrew Wowk | 8.5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | A deeply thought-provoking and mature psychological horror game that honours its influences without relying entirely on nostalgia. | Read review |
| GameMAG | Александр Логинов | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is full of deep and intertwined narrative, moreso than many other games from recent years. If you love The Longest Journey, Silent Hill and The Evil Within for the overall atmosphere and tone, but also prefer something less action-oriented, then The Medium is something you don’t want to miss. | Read review |
| GamePro | Unknown | 83 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium scores especially with story and gripping atmosphere, but does not reach its class in a playful way. | Read review |
| Gamerheadquarters | Jason Stettner | 9.3 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | The Medium is an incredible narrative driven psychological thriller that balances a really neat split between reality, and an eerie spirit world. | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Blaine Smith | 9.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Bloober Team has long established itself as a purveyor of innovative and frightening horror experiences, but it will be tough to outdo this one. The Medium is a terrifying and disturbing look into the darkest recesses of human behavior, wrapped in an immersive, atmospheric, and beautiful looking game world. | Read review |
| Gamersky | 金闪闪老里 | 8.5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | The Medium is one of the best quality horror games in recent years.This game learns many essences of “Silent Hill”, and tells a suspenseful story with its own pace. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Mark Delaney | 7 / 10 | 01-26-2021 | The Medium is less survival-horror and more adventure-horror like the studio’s past games, but so long as Bloober Team is still refining this style, the team is clearly getting better. | Read review |
| GameSpace | Ed Orr | 9 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | With a fairly direct narrative, this might not be the sort of game that you’ll head back to replay often but this is an experience worth picking up. Bloober Team’s latest story manages to be both unsettling and engaging in equal measure. The presentation is fantastic, the characterization and voice acting is great, and the nods to other horror tropes is knowing rather than sloppy. This team from Krakow clearly know their chosen genre inside out and while it might be hard to fully discuss this new horror title without ruining the twists in the tale, I can be certain that The Medium will make you think twice about your next vacation. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Richard Seagrave | 6 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium isn’t a bad game by any stretch of the imagination – it’s just nothing special. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Jordan Ramée | 9 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a terrifying but compelling exploration of duality that uses the horror of personal trauma to craft a memorable tale. | Read review |
| GamesRadar+ | Unknown | 2.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium tries to do a lot but never really seems to stop and see if any of it’s working. | Read review |
| GameWatcher | Luiz Coelho | 8.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Despite its linearity, I’d argue that The Medium is a genuinely chilling ghost story that’s sure to leave a lasting impression. The splitscreen effects make for quite a few memorable moments, and there’s no denying the growing sense of accomplishment as you solve difficult puzzles and make your way through the cursed resort. It may not be on the same level as some of its inspirations, but I’d definitely recommend The Medium to any fan of classic survival horror. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Shubhankar Parijat | 7 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a decent horror game that has some really good ideas, but ultimately fails to live up to its potential. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Ron Burke | 80 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | With creepy puzzle moments throughout, The Medium pulls off a dual-reality puzzler with precision. The game looks magnificent, with impressive lighting and shadows courtesy of RTX, though the Xbox Series X version suffers from occasional stutters and hitches, as well as level of detail pops. More classic dread than jump scares, it delivers on its promise of horror served two ways, making it unique and a must-have for horror fans, even if it’s a little lighter fare. | Read review |
| GBAtemp | Stephen Peddigrew | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium doesn’t revolutionize the horror genre, but it’s a compelling entry that’s worth checking out. | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Jose Angel | 9.1 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is an incredible journey, a necessary game that stands as one of the exponents of the genre. A dramatic story that you won’t want to miss. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Chris White | 8.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is without a doubt Bloober Team’s biggest game to date, and it is easily one of its best. The story is captivating as are its characters, and the uneasy journey you take through it feels much like if Stranger Things was set in the Alan Wake universe. | Read review |
| GotGame | David Poole | 8 / 10 | 02-16-2021 | As the game tackles dark subject matter and an intriguing mystery, The Medium offers a solid plot to absorb. It also gives the player an ending that they can interpret in a number of ways, though it might lack satisfaction. It’s not the scariest horror game out there, even by Bloober Team’s standards, but it’s frightening enough to get a few scares, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. If you have Xbox Game Pass, you should experience this game. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | DM | 9 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium has been intrigued since the first announcements and in the final version does not disappoint! It is a horror that scares not only demons, but also the dark cards of Polish history. | Read review |
| Guardian | Sarah Maria Griffin | 2 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | Bloober Team’s beautiful-looking exploration of intergenerational trauma is ripe ground for innovative storytelling, but fumbles its big themes | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Kyle LeClair | 4 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | One could argue that outside of its creative double-world approach, The Medium isn’t the sort of revolutionary horror game that one might hope for from the start of a new generation in gaming. | Read review |
| Heavy | Elton Jones | 6.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium sadly joins Blair Witch as another disappointing effort from Bloober Team. | Read review |
| Hey Poor Player | Kenny McKee | 4 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | I think I’ve hit my legal limit on flowery language in this review already, so I’ll keep it plain and simple in the end; The Medium is a fun, unsettling atmospheric horror game that is guaranteed to knock your socks off if you even remotely appreciate artistic design. It’s not a “traditional horror game,” but, then again, none of the Bloober Team games I’ve ever played have been traditional horror games. If you have a day to spare and want to spend it with a game guaranteed to draw you in (even if it takes a few hours to do so), then I don’t think you’ll regret taking The Medium out for a spin. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Daniel Quesada | 87 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | Don’t expect a horror game but a paranormal adventure, one that will intrigue and surprise you with some of its mechanics. A noteworthy and attractive experience that, maybe because of that, feels a little too short. | Read review |
| IGN | Tristan Ogilvie | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Brilliantly paced and palpably tense, The Medium is a psychological horror adventure that’s all thriller and no filler. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Biagio Etna | 7.6 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | An artistically inspired and technically interesting horror, based almost entirely on narration. Those who expected an adventure with a wider scope could be very disappointed. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | David Soriano | 8.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium will not be the best psychological horror game in the world, but it engages like few others. Bloober Team once again raises a bar that dropped somewhat after Blair Witch and presents us at times two games in one, with quite effective mechanics despite its simplicity. A great gift for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, who will enjoy it from day one. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | James Wright (Impulsegamer) | 4 / 5 stars | 02-01-2021 | The Medium boasts an engaging narrative plus clever gaming dynamics and while it starts slow, the ending builds to an impressive crescendo of unexpected surprises. So if you like to be surprised, don’t keep reading the reviews or watching Youtube videos because this is one game that must be experienced without coming in with any prior knowledge as you twist your way through of both the land of the living and… the dead! | Read review |
| INDIANTVCZ | Barbora Šalandová | 8 / 10 | 02-02-2021 | The Medium is a perfect game for people who like a powerfull story. Gamer who let themselfs be carried away by the game’s strong athmosphere and beautifull world design will forgive the always present bugs. | Read review |
| Just Push Start | Mark Fajardo | 4.25 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | Overall, The Medium is able to evoke the same kind of feelings you might expect from a game like Silent Hill. There are tense scenes and an eerie atmosphere that is engaging from start to finish. Naturally, there are some flaws, such as difficult puzzles, clunky controls or subpar stealth mechanics, but the deep story through the two worlds more than makes up for it, making it start as a strong showing for Xbox this year. | Read review |
| JVL | Kikitoès | 7.5 / 10 | 02-07-2021 | The Medium is in line with previous studio productions. Namely a nice game with good ideas, but that suffers from some heaviness and a technique a bit below what the competition offers. On the other hand, even if the game takes its time in its first part, it offers a gripping story carried by strong subjects and strewn with twist. The Medium remains an atypical and convincing game despite its few shortcomings. | Read review |
| Kotaku | Zack Zwiezen | Not Recommended | 01-27-2021 | In a different reality, I could see this game being something special. And it might, like so many other horror games and movies, go on to become a cult classic. But in this realm, for me, it just doesn’t come together. | Read review |
| Luis Alamilla | Luis Alamilla | 6.5 / 10 | 01-30-2021 | The Medium is going to be one of the most polarizing from this studio. For one I think it does some interesting things taking a slower approach to gameplay than their previous titles, focusing on creating a horror setting rather than relying on traditional jump scares. The Medium isn’t scary, it’s more creepy and mysterious, I enjoyed that but I didn’t enjoy the gameplay execution as much. While I invested in the story and seeing out what had happened in this resort, I found myself annoyed by little design choices. Whether it was ps1 era tank controls that would show their age with conflicting camera angles or the odd texture issues that would pop their heads from to time. The whole gimmick of a two perspective gameplay loop is fascinating but the exploration of it feels shallow here outside of some key moments. For better and for worse, I think you’re either going to love or hate this game and I find myself leaning a bit more toward the latter. | Read review |
| Merlin’in Kazanı | Ersin Kılıç | 70 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | If you like the horror, thriller genre, I can say that The Medium is a game where you can get a nostalgic taste. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 4 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Instead of high-tech thrills and survival horror chills, this disappointingly mundane thriller struggles to impress with a muddled narrative and unengaging gameplay. | Read review |
| MonsterVine | Samantha Lienhard | 4.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a dark horror game with a compelling story and a unique twist on playing in two worlds thanks to its dual-reality presentation. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Ben Thomas | 62 / 100 | 02-01-2021 | The Medium is a flawed horror experience with an interesting story and a visually captivating spirit world. Fixed camera angles add excess clumsiness and the terrible framerate drops make it difficult to enjoy the split-screen views. With some glacial pacing and a lack of genuine scares or challenges, it fails to create a strong bond with either of its two worlds. | Read review |
| Niche Gamer | Fingal Belmont | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a tightly designed horror-puzzle game. There may not be much survival at all, but presentation of the spirit plane is captivating and the driving mystery of the story will leave enough bread crumbs to allow players to piece the answer themselves. | Read review |
| Noisy Pixel | Azario Lopez | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium provides the best classic survival horror experience through modern gameplay systems that I have played in quite some time. It does this all without relying on action and gore but instead builds its excellence through atmosphere, environments, and narrative. There’s some refinement that could help the overall experience, but this is a gripping adventure whether you’re in reality or the spiritual plane. | Read review |
| NoobFeed | Adam Siddiqui | 88 / 100 | 01-29-2021 | The Medium holds a lot of potential of becoming a great franchise and it’s worth playing right now, especially for horror fans. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Erce Güven | 8.5 / 10 | 01-29-2021 | Bloober Team manages to deliver its most ambitious project to date. | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Holly Green | 5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | A good horror game can make rifling through old postcards and personal letters a compelling experience. But The Medium seems entitled, in that it expects me to be titillated by its character design and atmosphere but won’t give me enough context to actually care about them. Between that and its tired puzzle-based progression barriers and dull character powers, The Medium fails to justify its existence. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Leana Hafer | 92 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | A third-person horror game that’s elevated by some of the sharpest writing and acting in the genre. | Read review |
| PC Invasion | Jason Rodriguez | 7.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Although it has demanding system requirements, The Medium is still a marvelous offering when it comes to its visuals and gameplay. Its locations will haunt and horrify you, and its dual-reality system will provide refreshing ways to complete your objectives. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a few technical hiccups, and its bizarrely abrupt conclusion leaves a lot to be desired. | Read review |
| PCGamesN | Jordan Forward | 6 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Bloober Team does well to keep things taut all the way to the end, but there’s a frustrating amount of untapped potential beneath its gameplay gimmicks and art direction. | Read review |
| Polygon | Suriel Vazquez | Not Recommended | 01-27-2021 | The Medium starts off personal and poignant, but ends in cliché | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Leo Stevenson | 9.7 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Not for the faint of heart, nor those susceptible to trauma, The Medium is an intensely disturbing masterclass in storytelling, dripping with atmosphere and loaded with enough dread to make you question the very nature of your existence when you’re finished with it. | Read review |
| Press Start | James Mitchell | 6.5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | The Medium is Bloober Team’s most ambitious game in terms of scope and scale. It successfully leverages fixed camera angles and strong sound design to create a horror experience that’s unashamedly nostalgic. Despite its successes, the game fails to capitalise on its unique dual reality mechanic and ultimately feels too similar to the studio’s prior efforts in Blair Witch and Observer. | Read review |
| Rapid Reviews UK | Ciaran McGinn | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-02-2021 | It might seem a little early in the year for some horror, but after playing through the entirety of the psychological horror game, The Medium, I found it to be so much more. The Medium places you in the shoes of Marianne, a young woman able to commune with the dead and lost souls looking for a way to pass on. After the death of her adopted father, Marianne receives an ominous phone call. This leads her to the long-abandoned Niwa workers’ resort. Here she must face new threats in her pursuit of finding the truth about her past. What follows is a disturbing journey littered with secrets, revelations, and a horrific danger that will hunt you in this world, and the next. | Read review |
| Rely On Horror | CJ Melendez | 7.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Bloober Team’s The Medium is an admirable effort to evoke a classical survival horror experience, but it’s not without some caveats. | Read review |
| Rocket Chainsaw | Andrew Cathie | 3 / 5 stars | 01-28-2021 | If you’re after a new linear narrative adventure game set in a creepy world to play, you’ll likely enjoy The Medium, but if you’re hoping for a more involved experience, I’d suggest skipping it. | Read review |
| Saudi Gamer | عبدالمحسن الغريب | 8 / 10 | 01-29-2021 | The Medium introduces an excellent story with interesting characters and a world that will take into an unforgettable journey. The first Xbox Series X/S exclusive well delivers. | Read review |
| Saving Content | Evan Rowe | 4 / 5 stars | 02-11-2021 | While rough around the edges in a few areas, overall The Medium is an excellent adventure that’s not lacking in scares, and is thoughtful in how it approaches its subject matter. I felt the tension, the dread, the sadness, and the fear in those moments where they presented themselves, and I felt a connection to Marianne and her story that I don’t often feel in many games, regardless of genre. It’s a beautiful game to look at and the art direction is excellent throughout. The Medium has a lot of heart and it wants to tell you important things, if you’ll listen. I’m not generally one to say that I enjoyed my time with any horror game, but this is a case where that is absolutely true for me, and that alone is reason enough for me to say this is a world worth experiencing. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | Scott Baird | 3.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a psychological horror game that is set across two worlds, but it doesn’t quite live up to the potential of its gameplay features. | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Peter Dragula | 9 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Abandoned communist resort is great place for scary game. The Medium will attract you and guide you. | Read review |
| Shacknews | Josh Hawkins | 6 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Despite the wrong steps, there is good in The Medium. | Read review |
| Sirus Gaming | Jarren Navarrete | 6.5 / 10 | 02-13-2021 | The Medium was a game I really wanted to like. With its gorgeous graphics, old school tank control gameplay, and musical pieces composed by Akira Yamaoka himself it had everything that promised a memorable experience. But at the end, the journey was unfulfilling and forgettable. | Read review |
| Skill Up | Ralph Panebianco | Recommended | 01-27-2021 | Video Review | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Justin Clark | 3 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is at its best whenever the player gets to lives up to the game’s title. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Unknown | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a step forward for Bloober Team, mature enough to propose a compelling, twisted dark thriller with an astonishing visual art. Without run&hide sessions and with a more complex level design. it could be a more enjoyable game. | Read review |
| Stevivor | Steve Wright | 7.5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Despite an improved narrative when compared to Layers of Fear, The Medium does drag on a bit — especially near its climax — and resorts to a couple lazier puzzles at around that same point. On the whole though, The Medium is a rather enjoyable experience, especially for those who are fans of any of the myriad survival horror franchises I’ve already mentioned. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Nirav Gandhi | 7.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium presents intelligent horror and innovative gameplay inspired by Silent Hill, but far overstays its welcome and fails to provide closure. The split screen mechanics work wonders for new kinds of puzzles, but a myriad of technical issues hinder immersion. | Read review |
| Telegraph | Tom Hoggins | 3 / 5 stars | 02-02-2021 | Bloober Team provides the Xbox Series X/S with its first console exclusive in this psychological horror with a technological twist | Read review |
| The Digital Fix | Andrew Shaw | 9 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | While The Medium does not look truly next-gen, the excellent dual-reality mechanics and storytelling prowess of Bloober Team ensure it is one of the most technically and narratively sophisticated horror games to come out in years, recalling the best of games like Silent Hill. | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Erica Mura | 8.8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The latest horror from Bloober Team is a great bridge between the new generation of consoles and the old classics of the genre, with an intriguing story, a surreal setting and a road full of puzzles to decipher. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Steve C | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a really good horror adventure with some stand out ideas and excellent presentation. It makes the most of its influences to create an atmospheric and involving narrative, but its wider context as a next-gen exclusive may lead many to expect it to be a grander step forward than it is. Taken on its own merits, and particularly for genre fans, this is a genuinely great game and I look forward to replaying it to take in all the amazing details and touches that I may have missed first time through. With some questions left unanswered, I hope it does well and develops into a franchise. | Read review |
| TheXboxHub | William Caruana | 4.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium on Xbox is the game fans have been waiting for. A dark, mature, scary, visually appetizing next-gen delight with a gripping story, it is one to not miss if you are a fan of psychological horror. | Read review |
| ThisGenGaming | Robby Bisschop | 8.5 / 10 | 02-01-2021 | The Medium’s dual reality gameplay is a fine showcase of what we can come to expect from the new generation of consoles. It starts off somewhat slow, but once the story gets going, its grip on you will not loosen until you see the credits roll. | Read review |
| TrueAchievements | Luke Albiges | 3.5 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is an interesting and enjoyable game, but one let down by some awkward animations that constantly threaten to break the immersion created by an otherwise captivating game world, and those weak stealth sections that Bloober Team can’t seem to leave behind. It’s very much a one-and-done game — you can easily see everything it has to offer inside of ten hours, so the pricing might be a little questionable for both the quality and quantity of what you get here. | Read review |
| TrueGaming | فهد الشيحة | 8.5 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The psychological horror elements are not as present in The Medium as you think they may be, but they are well implemented. The story is intriguing and the world is immersive. It is a great selection for fans of classical horror. | Read review |
| TrustedReviews | Jade King | 3 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is an enjoyable survival horror that’s held back by a lacklustre narrative and a signature mechanic that never reaches its full potential. Even with Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka’s score ringing across the twisted soviet world, Bloober Team’s latest project pales in comparison to the legends that came before it. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Chris Jecks | 4 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium isn’t perfect. Bloober Team’s most ambitious ideas aren’t realized to their full potential, but it’s a step in an exciting new direction. The pacing stumbles in the middle, but that’s where the enticing narrative picks up the slack to drive you through. The dual-reality mechanic goes just about far enough to keep its slowest gameplay moments interesting, and paired with a fantastic narrative and exceptionally eerie atmosphere, it’s an easy recommendation for fans of Bloober Team’s work in the past and the horror genre in general. | Read review |
| Unboxholics | Σάκης Καρπάς | Not Recommended | 02-17-2021 | The Medium is a Silent Hill tribute, trying to keep the survival horror genre alive in the absolutely old-fashioned way; during the approximately 6-7 hours it lasts, you will see an interesting script, superficial character presentation, some beautiful set pieces and ambitious mechanisms that, however, scrape and do not go deeper; it is not a bad game and of course I suggest it to fans of the genre. | Read review |
| Use a Potion | Unknown | 8.2 / 10 | 02-01-2021 | The Medium is another thoroughly enjoyable psychological horror romp from the experts at Bloober Team, even if it could have done with a little bit of tweaking here and there. Exploration could be a little cumbersome thanks to the fixed camera angles for example, whilst the stealth sections felt like they broke the pace of the game as opposed to adding to the excitement. | Read review |
| VG247 | Tom Orry | Not Recommended | 01-27-2021 | No, this isn’t a production up to the level you might expect from Naughty Dog or The Coalition. This is an indie game that’s performing on the biggest stage, and for the most part it’s put on quite the show. | Read review |
| VGChartz | Lee Mehr | 7.5 / 10 | 02-28-2021 | There are a few writing and gameplay demons to exorcise, but that only keeps Bloober Team’s latest from séance-sational horror game status. | Read review |
| Video Games Chronicle | Chris Scullion | 3 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium won’t give you any sleepless nights, but treat it as a paranormal thriller rather than an all-out horror game and you’ll find an interesting story (albeit a disturbing one at times) that will encourage you to push through its slightly repetitive split-screen gimmick to find out how it all ends. A short but intriguing tale. | Read review |
| VideoGamer | Josh Wise | 5 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Bloober Team has summoned a rich atmosphere, under all that writing, and one or two sequences offer glimpses of a purer game. | Read review |
| Washington Post | Christopher Byrd | Recommended | 01-28-2021 | Although “The Medium” is billed as a psychological horror game, I found it to be consistently unsettling rather than scary. There is a vengeful monster that Marianne must deal with intermittently, but except for one breathtaking scene where he chases her through different realities — resulting in shifts in perspective that strike like tidal waves — I didn’t think much of him. Nothing robs a creepy game of its power as forcing a player to confront the same monster too many times so, thankfully, the monster encounters are nicely spread out. “The Medium” might not have the most nightmarish adversary but its blanketing, foreboding atmosphere and uncompromising ending amply makes up for it. | Read review |
| WayTooManyGames | Kyle Nicol | 7.5 / 10 | 01-31-2021 | The Medium is right on the edge of being a great horror game, in many ways being the closest we’ve got to a true Silent Hill successor. Returning to the classic camera angles seen years ago has been a treat, whilst the dual reality pushed the genre forward in clever ways. Sadly, uninspired puzzles and stealth encounters bogged the game down quite a notch. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Kai Powell | 7.3 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | Marianne might be able to jump between two realities, but The Medium is trapped somewhere between being a worthy Silent Hill successor and another mediocre hide and seek horror game. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | Zach Jackson | 6 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Much like Bloober Team’s previous horror efforts, The Medium features an interesting story in a compelling and creepy world but is let down by often boring and dragged-out gameplay sequences | Read review |
| Windows Central | Miles Dompier | 4 / 5 stars | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is one of the most gorgeous horror games I’ve ever played. Its detailed environments, compelling characters, and unique setting make it a must-play for psychological horror fans. | Read review |
| Worth Playing | Cody Medellin | 8 / 10 | 01-28-2021 | Like many of Bloober Team’s titles, The Medium isn’t a horror game made for all horror fans. The lack of jump-scares can be refreshing, but some will be turned off by the lack of combat and danger. The game’s relaxed pace, its linear nature, and the ease of its puzzles can erode the tension of the mystery. The strong atmosphere, grounded characters, and solid storyline will attract horror fans who are looking for something other than grotesque monsters to hunt down or run away from. For those who value plot over punch, The Medium is a journey worth taking. | Read review |
| Xbox Achievements | Richard Walker | 80 / 100 | 01-27-2021 | Layers of Fear showed early promise, Blair Witch demonstrated that Bloober could resurrect a dormant movie license to great effect, and Observer saw the studio successfully turn its hand to cyberpunk horror. The Medium is a similarly excellent game, serving as further proof of the developer’s horror expertise and its credentials as an exciting creative outfit. | Read review |
| Zoomg | Afshin Piroozi | 7.5 / 10 | 02-02-2021 | If you love hearing a good story in a video game, then you’re going to love The Medium. The blooper Teams latest game tries to be a horror experience close to the likes of Silent Hill but fails to do so since it lacks real tension required for the psychological horror it tries to be. Another issue with The Medium is that it has some really well designed puzzles, but spoils them by giving too much information. Overall, if you like a well developed story which is told in an eerie and beautiful world, The Medium is worth a try. | Read review |
| ZTGD | Ken McKown | 8 / 10 | 01-27-2021 | The Medium is a strong outing for the team at Bloober. It is easily my favorite game they have released to date. The eerie soundtrack and locales set the mood nicely. The story is interesting, and I loved the duality in the puzzle-solving. This is a strong first game for Series X in 2021 and I hope their slate only improves as the year goes on. I wish this had been available at launch, and I am sure Microsoft does as well. It would have been a great showpiece for the console. Still it makes a nice early year title for owners of the new Xbox to dive into. | Read review |
Game Info
GAME INFO
Game Description / Storyline:
Discover a dark mystery only a medium can solve. Explore the real world and the spirit world at the same time. Use your psychic abilities to solve puzzles spanning both worlds, uncover deeply disturbing secrets, and survive encounters with The Maw – a monster born from an unspeakable tragedy. The Medium is a third-person psychological horror game that features patented dual-reality gameplay and an original soundtrack co-composed by Arkadiusz Reikowski and Akira Yamaoka.
RELEASE DATES:
DEVELOPER(S):
- Bloober Team
PUBLISHER(S):
- Bloober Team SA
GENRES:
- Adventure, Horror
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- n/a
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- Unreal Engine 4
DLC:
- -
BUNDLED IN:
- -
DIRECTOR(S):
- -
PRODUCER(S):
- Jacek Zięba
DESIGNER(S):
- Wojciech Piejko
PROGRAMMER(S):
- Mariusz Szaflik
ARTIST(S):
- -
WRITER(S):
- Grzegorz Like, Andrzej Mądrzak, Marcin Wełnicki
COMPOSER(S):
- Arkadiusz Reikowski, Akira Yamaoka
Detailed Information
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- Unreal Engine 4
DLC:
- n/a
BUNDLED IN:
- n/a
DIRECTOR(S):
- n/a
PRODUCER(S):
- Jacek Zięba
DESIGNER(S):
- Wojciech Piejko
PROGRAMMER(S):
- Mariusz Szaflik
ARTIST(S):
- n/a
WRITER(S):
- Grzegorz Like, Andrzej Mądrzak, Marcin Wełnicki
COMPOSER(S):
- Arkadiusz Reikowski, Akira Yamaoka
Developed by Bloober Team. All titles, content, brand names, trademarks, logos, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respective owners. © All rights reserved.
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