Choose by the kind of horror night you want. Start with Until Dawn for a focused, single-player teen slasher. Pick The Quarry for a larger teen-horror ensemble built around couch co-op, online audience voting, adjustable difficulty and Movie Mode. Choose The Dark Pictures Anthology when you want separate, self-contained scenarios and flexible multiplayer rather than one continuing story. Choose Directive 8020 for science-fiction survival horror on current-generation consoles and PC, especially if you want a way to revisit major decisions.
There is no evidence-based sales, review-score or playtime ranking that makes one universally “best.” The useful distinction is how each game handles setting, social play, control, character death and hardware. The guide below matches those differences to the way you actually plan to play.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Quarry - PlayStation 5 | $23.17 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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2K GAMES The Quarry | $24.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Forspoken - PlayStation 5 | Buy on Amazon | |
| 4 |
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The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me - PlayStation 5 | $24.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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INDIKA PS5 | $21.70 | Buy on Amazon |
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Quick answer: which Supermassive horror game fits you?
| If you want… | Choose | What makes it the fit |
|---|---|---|
| A classic teen-slasher mood and a concentrated solo story | Until Dawn | It is Supermassive’s critically acclaimed PS4 hit and one of the studio’s defining horror titles. |
| A teen-horror group night with voting, couch co-op or a watchable film-like mode | The Quarry | Nine counselors, online play with up to seven invited friends, couch co-op, adjustable difficulty and Movie Mode. |
| Standalone scenarios, online co-op and local pass-the-controller play | The Dark Pictures Anthology | Each entry is its own premise; Shared Story supports two players online and Movie Night supports up to five locally. |
| Science-fiction survival horror on PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC | Directive 8020 | The latest release, dated May 12, 2026, with current-generation platforms, Turning Points and launch couch co-op for up to five. |
| A horror game where a group can watch and vote on key decisions | The Quarry | Invited online players watch and vote while the story’s choices determine who survives. |
| A replay aid that lets you reconsider important choices | Directive 8020 | Turning Points allows key decisions to be revisited; Survivor Mode keeps permanent deaths for players who want higher stakes. |
How the games differ before you pick one
Supermassive’s games share an interactive-cinema foundation: you watch performances, investigate scenes and make decisions whose consequences can reach a character’s fate. The important differences are not merely cosmetic. A slasher story with a fixed group of friends creates a different kind of tension from a rotating anthology, and both differ from a science-fiction survival scenario with explicit replay and survival options.
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- Until Dawn and The Quarry are teen-horror stories. Their appeal is the familiar slasher ensemble: young characters, interpersonal conflict and the pressure of deciding who takes a risk.
- The Dark Pictures Anthology changes premise from game to game. The published catalogue includes maritime horror in Man of Medan, folk horror in Little Hope, war horror in House of Ashes, a serial-killer scenario in The Devil in Me, the science-fiction entry Directive 8020 and the VR title Switchback VR.
- Directive 8020 is the clearest choice when “horror” for you means science-fiction survival rather than a summer-camp or slasher setup.
Social format
Some of these games are fundamentally solo experiences with optional local or online participation; others are designed from the start for a room of people. The Quarry lets online invitees watch and vote on key decisions, while its couch co-op assigns play to people sharing a screen. The Dark Pictures games offer a two-player online Shared Story mode and a local Movie Night mode for as many as five players. Directive 8020 launches with single-player and up to five-player couch co-op; online multiplayer was announced as a free post-launch update, so the announcement alone should not be treated as proof of current online availability.
#1 Best Overall
- When the sun goes down on the last night of summer camp, nine teenage counselors are plunged into an unpredictable night of horror.
- The only thing worse than the blood-drenched locals and creatures hunting them are the unimaginable choices you must make to help them survive.
- Play as each of the nine camp counselors in a thrilling cinematic tale, where every decision shapes your unique story from a tangled web of possibilities. Any character can be the star of the show—or die before daylight comes.
Control versus cinema
Movie Mode in The Quarry is aimed at a group that wants to watch the drama unfold rather than make every movement itself. Adjustable difficulty also lets a host tune how punishing the experience feels. The Dark Pictures games and Directive 8020 put more emphasis on players making decisions and living with their consequences, although the exact balance changes by entry and mode.
How failure works
Character deaths are part of the design rather than a simple game-over screen. Before buying, decide whether your group wants to protect a cast through repeated attempts, accept permanent losses as part of its shared story or use a replay tool to examine a different branch. Directive 8020 makes that choice explicit with Turning Points for revisiting key decisions and Survivor Mode for permanent deaths.
Until Dawn: the focused solo teen-slasher choice
Choose Until Dawn first if you want the most concentrated version of Supermassive’s teen-slasher formula and expect one person to hold the controller. Supermassive identifies it as its critically acclaimed PS4 hit and a defining horror title. That positioning matters: the game is best understood as a single, contained flagship experience rather than a party platform.
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Why it suits a solo player
- The cast and premise are organized around a single teen-slasher narrative instead of an anthology of unrelated cases.
- Its defining appeal is deciding how characters respond under pressure, then seeing the consequences develop across the same story.
- It is the straightforward starting point when you want to learn Supermassive’s interactive-cinema style without first choosing among multiple anthology premises or multiplayer modes.
When it is not the best first purchase
Do not make Until Dawn your first pick if your priority is a large group sharing decisions. Its focused solo identity contrasts with the documented voting, couch-co-op and Movie Mode features belonging to The Quarry. Likewise, players seeking science-fiction survival horror or an explicit rewind system should look elsewhere.
Rank #2
- YOUR STORY, THEIR FATE
- A STUNNING CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE
- ENJOY THE FRIGHT WITH FRIENDS
- CUSTOMISE YOUR EXPERIENCE
The Quarry: the best fit for a cinematic group night
The Quarry is the broadest match for a group that wants teen horror but does not want to pass one controller silently around the room. Its story follows nine counselors, and its modes let the audience participate at different levels. The official game description captures the central idea: “Every choice, big or small, shapes your story and determines who lives to tell the tale.”
Online voting with invited friends
In online play, invited friends can watch and vote on key decisions. The documented capacity is up to seven invited friends, giving a host a way to turn a story choice into a group decision without requiring every participant to control a character continuously. This is the strongest answer to “Which Supermassive game can my friends vote on?”
Couch co-op
If everyone is in the same room, The Quarry also supports couch co-op. That makes it a better fit than a purely solo purchase when several people want direct responsibility for characters. Decide in advance whether the group will vote by consensus, let the assigned player decide or deliberately split opinions; the mode supplies shared participation, but your house rules determine how competitive or collaborative the night feels.
Movie Mode and adjustable difficulty
Movie Mode is for a group that wants the presentation and suspense with less hands-on control. Adjustable difficulty provides another way to tailor the session, particularly when some viewers are experienced players and others are not. These options make The Quarry unusually adaptable: one night can be an active co-op run, while another can function more like an interactive screening.
Rank #3
- The Odyssey of a Reluctant Hero – Lead Frey on an unforgettable journey in her search for a way home after being mysteriously transported to an ancient, fantastical land.
- A Beautiful and Cruel Open-World – Explore the sprawling realms of Athia, a striking land of remarkable vistas as Frey ventures deep into corrupted territories where a mysterious darkness defiles everything it touches
- Intuitive, Magic-Enhanced Parkour – Scale walls, vault across canyons, leap from dizzying heights, and dash through vast landscapes; Frey's unique abilities allow her to fluidly traverse the open world with ease
- Customizable Arsenal of Spells – Take on twisted monsters in magical combat with a wide range of powerful abilities catering to a variety of playstyles – from fast-paced and exhilarating to strategic and methodical
Physical editions and platform planning
Physical editions are documented for PlayStation 5 and Xbox. Check the exact console edition before buying, especially if the people joining your session use different hardware. The feature set described above is the reason to choose the game; the physical listing is a separate edition consideration.
Director Will Byles described the premise this way: “The Quarry offers you the chance to see what choices you would make when encountered with the unthinkable and unimaginable.” That framing is useful for a group because the conversation between choices is part of the entertainment, not an interruption to it.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: separate horror scenarios and flexible multiplayer
Choose The Dark Pictures Anthology when you would rather sample distinct horror premises than commit to one continuing teen-slasher cast. The franchise site lists six released or announced experiences in its catalogue: Man of Medan, Little Hope, House of Ashes, The Devil in Me, Directive 8020 and the VR title Switchback VR. Each anthology entry is presented as a separate scenario, so you can choose by setting and mood.
The catalogue at a glance
| Entry | Premise or format identified by the catalogue | Best reason to select it |
|---|---|---|
| Man of Medan | Maritime horror | Choose a sea-bound scenario rather than a summer-camp slasher. |
| Little Hope | Folk horror | Choose a story rooted in folk-horror atmosphere. |
| House of Ashes | War horror | Choose a military and wartime setting. |
| The Devil in Me | Serial-killer horror | Choose a human-made threat and investigative scenario. |
| Directive 8020 | Science-fiction survival horror | Choose the current-generation sci-fi branch of the anthology. |
| Switchback VR | VR horror | Choose the catalogue’s dedicated virtual-reality format, provided your hardware supports it. |
Shared Story: two-player online co-op
Bandai Namco describes Shared Story as an online mode for two players. Each participant’s decisions can affect character fate, so it is a better fit for a pair who want simultaneous involvement than for a large audience. The mode was part of the anthology’s design from the beginning; Executive Producer and Series Director Pete Samuels said, “We designed Man of Medan, and every game in The Dark Pictures Anthology, from the very beginning with both single and multiplayer in mind.”
Rank #4
- A series of stand-alone branching cinematic horror games from the studio behind Until Dawn - Easy to pick-up and play in short sessions, alone or with friends - The Devil in Me is the fourth game in the series and the Season One finale
- Nothing is as it seems here, & the amenities are to die for - Explore every nook of the World’s Fair hotel using all-new season finale features including character inventory, tool-based puzzles, & expanded movement actions like run, jump, and climb
- Escape the torturous creations of an evil monster who is hellbent on becoming America’s deadliest serial killer - Survive elaborate ‘killing rooms’ where your own death is by the killer’s design
- The two critically acclaimed multiplayer modes are back - share your story online with a friend or aim for safety in numbers through the offline 5-player pass-the-pad mode
Movie Night: up to five local players
Movie Night supports up to five people playing locally. It is a pass-the-controller format: the room shares one screen and each person takes responsibility when the game assigns a character or decision. That makes the anthology a practical choice for a smaller living-room group that wants a self-contained scenario and does not need online voting with a larger invited audience.
Why choose an anthology instead of The Quarry?
The distinction is commitment and variety. The Quarry gives a group one expansive teen-horror ensemble with several social options. The anthology gives you a menu of independent premises and a documented two-player online mode or five-player local Movie Night. Pick the anthology if changing setting matters more than having one large counselor cast or a seven-friend voting audience.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Directive 8020: current-generation science-fiction survival horror
Directive 8020 is Supermassive’s latest release, dated May 12, 2026. It launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC in physical and digital formats. Choose it when platform generation and science-fiction survival horror are more important than the teen-slasher mood of Until Dawn or The Quarry.
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Launch modes and platform scope
- Single-player is available at launch.
- Couch co-op supports up to five players at launch.
- Online multiplayer was announced as a free post-launch update. Because the available announcement does not establish the update’s current rollout status, verify its availability on your platform before planning an online session.
- Physical editions are documented for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and PC is included in the launch platform list.
Turning Points and Survivor Mode
Turning Points lets players rewind and revisit key decisions. That makes Directive 8020 the clearest choice for someone who wants to explore an alternate branch without treating every earlier decision as irreversible. Survivor Mode supplies the opposite experience: permanent deaths and no safety net for players who want a harsher survival test. The two features let you select a failure model instead of accepting one fixed level of commitment.
Best Value
- Play a TPP adventure game that combines an imaginative story with a dark sense of humor
- Join a young nun Indika on her journey of self-discovery
- Meet the devil himself as Indika’s unlikely travel companion
- Explore the hidden depths of Indika’s soul while tackling unique puzzle elements
- Travel through surreal landscapes of Russia seen in a distorted mirror
Is it the right follow-up to Until Dawn?
It is a good follow-up if what you liked was Supermassive’s decision-driven horror structure and you are ready to move from a teen slasher to science fiction. It is not a direct substitute for the original’s setting. The choice is about preserving the interactive format while changing the genre, hardware target and replay tools.
Compare the games by the decision that matters to you
If your group is choosing a social format
| Situation | Best match | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| One person wants a contained story | Until Dawn | Its documented identity is the focused solo teen-slasher experience. |
| Several people want to play in the same room | The Quarry or The Dark Pictures | The Quarry offers couch co-op; Dark Pictures offers Movie Night for up to five. |
| Friends are joining remotely and want to influence decisions | The Quarry | Online invitees can watch and vote, with up to seven invited friends documented. |
| Two remote players want direct shared control | The Dark Pictures Anthology | Shared Story is documented as a two-player online mode. |
| A local group wants science-fiction horror | Directive 8020 | It is the current sci-fi entry and launches with couch co-op for up to five. |
If you care most about protecting characters
Choose The Quarry if you want adjustable difficulty and the option to make the session more watchable. Choose Directive 8020 if you want to decide explicitly between revisiting key decisions with Turning Points and accepting permanent deaths in Survivor Mode. For Until Dawn and the anthology entries, approach character fate as part of the branching story rather than assuming a universal rewind or protection feature.
If setting determines your purchase
- Teen slasher: Until Dawn for a concentrated solo story, The Quarry for a nine-counselor group narrative.
- Maritime, folk, war or serial-killer scenarios: select the corresponding Dark Pictures entry.
- Science fiction: Directive 8020.
- Virtual reality: Switchback VR, subject to compatible VR hardware.
A practical buying plan
- Choose the audience. Decide whether one player, a local room, two online players or a larger online audience will participate. This immediately separates Until Dawn, Shared Story, Movie Night and The Quarry’s voting format.
- Choose the horror subgenre. Pick teen slasher, one of the anthology’s standalone premises or science-fiction survival horror before comparing editions.
- Choose your failure tolerance. If the group wants a softer viewing experience, The Quarry supplies adjustable difficulty and Movie Mode. If it wants an explicit high-stakes option, Directive 8020 supplies Survivor Mode.
- Check the platform and edition. Confirm whether the session is on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC or a compatible VR setup. The Quarry has documented physical PS5 and Xbox editions; Directive 8020 has documented physical PS5 and Xbox Series X|S editions alongside PC availability.
- Confirm online features before scheduling. The Dark Pictures’ two-player Shared Story is documented. The Quarry documents invited-player voting. Directive 8020’s online mode was announced for a free post-launch update, so check the live platform listing before promising an online session.
- Set the room’s decision rules. For couch play, decide who gets the controller and whether the assigned player has the final vote. For online voting, agree whether the host follows the majority or treats votes as advice.
Which one should you play first?
Play Until Dawn first if you are alone and want the clearest teen-slasher introduction. Play The Quarry first if the point of the purchase is a shared horror night, especially one with remote friends voting on choices. Start with The Dark Pictures Anthology if you want to try different standalone horror premises or need two-player online Shared Story and five-player local Movie Night. Start with Directive 8020 if you have current-generation hardware, want science-fiction survival horror and value both a rewind option and a permanent-death mode.
Those are different priorities rather than a quality ladder. Match the game to the people in the room, the platform you own and the kind of consequences you want the story to impose.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
