Bloober Team's The Medium has already turned a profit less than a week after release
Scaring people is apparently a really profitable business model.
Image: Bloober Team
Personally, I have no idea why people would fork out cash to get a good scare, although I will admit it has been a lucrative affair since some bright spark decided to charge people for spooks. I mean, just take a look at Bloober Team's latest title The Medium, which has already recouped development costs and put its developers in the green barely a week after it came out.
The psychological horror title, which blends disturbing imagery with malevolent spiritual entities and RPG-style puzzle solving released last week on 28 Jan, and despite the lack of any real combat instances or mechanics, it has proven to be a hit among many players, who have applauded its gripping, chilling narrative.
For those who haven't checked out its store page yet, this game puts you into the shoes of a lady named Marianne, a medium with the ability to hop between the physical and spiritual worlds. After receiving a phone call from a mysterious man who claims to have more information on her powers, Marianne ends up embroiled in a race against time to stop a bloodthirsty spirit from crossing the "border" and wreaking havoc in the real world. In order to do that, she'll have to apply her abilities to solve dual-reality problems, avoid the evil spirit and help an enigmatic entity named "Sadness" find out what really happened to her.
Image: Bloober Team
For those who are a little hesitant about trying it due to its genre classification, we've got some good news. Apparently, some players have noted that The Medium isn't so much a horror game as it is a psychologically disturbing puzzler, owing to its lack of crap-your-pants jumpscare tactics. Frankly, such flavours are quite in line with Bloober Team's modus operandi - many of their other titles like Layers of Fear or Observer also rely more on ominous enviroments and twisted narratives to spook players rather than outright horror.
Regardless, as the saying goes, "talk is cheap". Is The Medium merely a psychological thrill ride, or will you actually be scared of every shadow for the next one month after playing it? Fortunately for you, we'll be putting all of that to the test so you don't have to - stay tuned for our review!
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