You might not notice it, because of all the crossovers with pop culture icons like Lara Croft, Nicolas Cage, Dracula, Simon Belmont, and even Five Nights at Freddy’s, but the 4-on-1 asymmetric horror game Dead in the lithe of day has a ton of original lore. Developer Behaviour Interactive tried to expand on those stories, but the spin-off game Frank Stone’s Cast by renowned horror studio Supermassive is probably the most ambitious attempt to date. I managed to play a preview chapter of the game, which gave me an insight into how Frank Stone will be played after the premiere.
Frank Stone’s Cast is familiar territory for Supermassive, the developer Until dawn, Dark Pictures Anthology and Quarry. These titles focus on narrative experiences told through cutscenes, punctuated by player choices. Successful gameplay can lead to everyone surviving and a relatively elated ending, but certain choices—or failed quick-time events—can lead to murder and mayhem.
Interestingly, quick events in Frank Stone have two sweet spots — a basic success and then a smaller window for a better result. I wonder how that will pay off in the full game; maybe all Dead in the lithe of day Players who have experience repairing generators will be able to achieve better results.
Checks Frank Stone’s Cast are different from Dark Pictures Anthology; instead of watching locked camera angles showing characters maneuvering through each scene, the point of view is third-person, with the player controlling the camera. This makes for relatively effortless exploration. As with other Supermassive titles, I found myself delving into each scene and trying to find juicy secrets or hidden tidbits.
In the trailer, I play as Sam, a cop investigating a missing child in the miniature town of Cedar Hills. I head to a creepy steel mill and discover the stench of death. As you might expect, things get complicated when Sam runs into Frank Stone. A few quick choices lead me to save the missing child and stop Frank—which seems like a elated ending, but then a mysterious woman named Augustine Lieber delivers a suspicious monologue about the Entity that makes me think things aren’t over yet.
According to the marketing, the rest of the game will focus on a few brave kids in the up-to-date day. The kids decide to delve into Frank Stone’s story and discover some supernatural terrors. I believe Supermassive can create a great self-contained narrative, but I’m curious to see how it fits into the larger context Dead in the lithe of day.
We’ve already seen many of the seeds that Behavior has planted about the Entity, its multiversal nature, and how it can claim both Survivors and Killers in moments of great emotional intensity. The Entity can draw both predator and prey into a strange realm called the Mist, where they are subjected to endless trials. Addicted to youthis Dead in the lithe of day dating simulator, toyed with the concept but didn’t commit to making any grave moves toward developing the story.
Will it be? Dead in the lithe of day canon be able to sustain a longer horror story? I hope Supermassive is able to get weird and push strenuous into the absurd and ambitious parts of the setting. I want the Mist and the Entity to enjoy their time in the spotlight; if Dead in the lithe of day If the story is just a uncomplicated setup for a typical horror story, then I will be disappointed.
Frank Stone’s Cast is scheduled for release on September 3 for PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X.
