Directive 8020 introduces online co-op: up to five players make decisions together

U Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game Finally, there is a way to go through the story together without having to gather at the same screen.Supermassive Games has released a free update with online mode for five players.Each participant has their own copy of the game, and the fate of the Cassiopeia crew can now be decided by voting. Source: Gematsu.

How does the online game work?

The system develops the local Movie Night mode familiar to fans of The Dark Pictures.One person controls the character in their part of the story, then the turn is transferred to another.You can assign crew members in advance or use the Round Robin mode, in which the changeover time for participants is set separately.

Important limitation: this no simultaneous control of five heroes in each episode.The plot and scenes are still built around the choice of a specific participant.An online connection only removes the requirement to be in the same room.

Voting turns argument into a game mechanic

At important forks, it is allowed to show on the screen who supports which option.The group may follow the majority or consciously choose a different path.For the company, this is one of the most interesting elements of the update: an erroneous decision can no longer be completely attributed to the person who got the gamepad.

Players can connect from different locations.The developers give examples from five individual houses to two local companies playing over the network.But each network participant needs its own license - this is worth considering before inviting friends.

Costumes and Thirteen Omens

Along with the online mode, silver spacesuits in retro style were added.They change the appearance of the crew, but do not promise to protect against threats on board.The second new product is more serious: 13 new collectible omens, showing a possible future.

For the Dark Pictures series, such discoveries are important: the player receives a visual hint of danger, but not ready-made instructions.An omen can help avoid one death and lead to another risky decision if the frames are read incorrectly.The publication has no reason to claim that the addition changes the main ending.

Who really needs the update?

The mode is suitable for friends who previously relayed decisions to each other via voice chat.Now everyone sees what is happening on their device and participates in the general passage.The presence of voting makes re-runs interesting even after familiarization with the plot: with a different company, the same scene may end differently.

The update is already available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.The Directive 8020 itself is sold separately.Before planning the evening, it is useful to clarify that everyone has a game and whether the participants are ready to pass the turn, and not to continuously shoot together.