The newest game from Supermassive Games has arrived. The studio is known for making interactive stories and survival horror games, such as The Dark Pictures Anthology and The Quarry. Fans of those games know what to expect from this newest horror entry, but with a sci-fi flavor. Directive 8020 expands what can be done in the genre by adding some exploration and sneaking sections.

The majority of Directive 8020 is set on a Space Colony ship called the Cassiopeia. The crew’s objective is to be the first people on Tau Ceti F and make sure it is okay for the colony ships following to settle there. One of the best parts of the game is the environment and its atmosphere. The game does a good job of making you feel trapped on a ship with the threat and the characters on board.

Directive 8020 Characters and Story

The cast consists of 10 characters total, but focuses on 5 of them. A couple of the characters stand out, but others are bland. A lot of the dialogue is stale with no chemistry between characters, and other times, the dialogue is compelling. So overall, it is a mixed bag.

Dialogue choices in the game matter as they are used to progress traits, which unlock destinies. Destinies are other outcomes for some scenarios that occur if the corresponding trait has leveled up enough. There is also an optional messaging feature, which is a nice added detail to help get to know the characters. During some parts of the game, the active character can message the other survivors, and sometimes the player can choose which message to send to help progress traits.

The story of Directive 8020, for the most part, is predictable as it follows a lot of horror tropes, especially since its main inspirations are Alien and The Thing. By the end of the game, the story does get better and includes some really memorable twists, which makes the 8-chapter story worth checking out. The game takes the approach of the player knowing a lot of elements that the characters do not. This both helps and hurts the story as some parts are predictable, but others lead to surprising outcomes.

A big example of this is the use of flashforwards, where the player knows what is going to happen when the story reaches a certain point. The story also does not change too much, as most outcomes are very similar. In a game where choices matter, not many parts feel like the player’s choice really matters.

Replayability and Exploration

The turning-points system is back, which is a good thing. It is a really good system that allows players to replay and change the story’s outcome at any time. Locked outcomes show requirements that are needed. These requirements are that either a character’s destiny be unlocked, a certain character be alive, or that a particular previous story branch be achieved. The game also shows total completion. It is easy for a completionist to track which scenes are missing, as well as find collectibles.

The biggest feature in Directive 8020 compared to Supermassive Games’ previous games is being able to walk around and explore parts of the ship. The levels are linear as it is a narrative-driven game, but there are parts where you can explore side rooms. These lead to finding more details about the setting and story, as well as finding secret collectibles. It makes the game more engaging, allowing the player to get to know the ship and its secrets. There is also a lockpicking minigame, adding to the exploration and the feeling of tension when sneaking around.

Stealth

The game features stealth sections where the player has to sneak around the current threat. However, the enemy AI could be heavily improved. The enemies always follow a set, predictable path, which makes it easy to evade if the player pays attention. But if the player gets caught, there is a second-chance mechanic that lets the character stun the enemy and get away. The stealth never changes, except that the setting becomes creepier as the game progresses. As the game goes on, some stealth sections feel repetitive. It is more of the same, which makes it feel lackluster.

Final Reaction

Overall, Directive 8020 is a fine game. Fans of this kind of game will enjoy it, but its added features help get new players invested. The story is one that is worth experiencing despite some stale characters and uninpsired gameplay segments.

The game is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X. On PC, there is a lack of optimization that the developers hopefully will patch soon.