House of Ashes (also marketed as “The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes”)

In terms of what I’m specifically looking for out of this genre, “House of Ashes” may be the best I’ve played to date. An unholy amalgamation of “Under the Shadow” and Justin Cronin’s “The Passage”, “Ashes” toys with the idea of perceived dominance and power structures to what I found was great effect; the soldiers huff and puff like they’re gods among men, then spend most of the game eating their words, tail between their legs as they wave their weapons at otherworldly creatures. The QTEs also successfully convey their part of the action-horror aesthetic. Perhaps doomed to be underrated.

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