Hands-On Preview: Directive 8020 Shows A Lot of Promise, But Also Leaves Me Worried

by

Supermassive Games has created many popular video games, but they’re best known for Until Dawn and The Quarry. Both games put players in charge of the story through meaningful choices, featuring scary plots and encouraging multiple playthroughs to see all the different outcomes.

Supermassive Games really shines with titles like Until Dawn and The Quarry, demonstrating the studio’s full potential. However, they haven’t consistently reached those same heights, leading to a reputation as an inconsistent developer. While not all their other games are bad – some entries in the Dark Pictures Anthology, like Little Hope and House of Ashes, are enjoyable – they tend to be quickly overlooked after they come out.

Supermassive Games is releasing a new game called Directive 8020 on May 12, 2026. Players will take on the role of astronauts who discover a strange life form in space. The goal is to help the crew survive and return home, but things aren’t what they appear to be, making the mission much more challenging.

I recently had a chance to play Directive 8020, and I’m happy to share my first thoughts. Based on my experience so far, I think Supermassive Games might have another successful game, although I do have a few concerns.

Make A Choice

Supermassive Games is known for creating story-driven games where your choices really matter. Throughout the game, you’ll make decisions that change the plot, potentially leading to different endings, impacting which characters survive, or altering relationships between them.

Directive 8020 uses a similar approach to the developer’s other games, but with more interactive elements. What really stood out was how much impact your choices have – they genuinely matter and affect the story, not just trigger a different scene. Even in the limited time I played, I was impressed by how meaningful each decision felt.

Directive 8020 uses a similar approach, and although it includes more interactive features than the developer’s previous titles, making choices remains the most important part of the game.

Directive 8020’s biggest update is a feature called “Turning Points” – key decisions that dramatically change the story. The game will let you know when you reach one, giving you time to consider your options. And if you’re not happy with how a Turning Point plays out, you can easily rewind in the menu and see what would have happened if you’d chosen differently.

I really appreciated the Turning Point feature in this game. Often, games focus on the consequences of your choices, but if a decision negatively impacts a character you like, it can ruin the experience. It’s great that this game offers a way to undo those choices and course-correct.

More Interactive Than Ever

As a big fan of The Dark Pictures Anthology, I have to say Directive 8020 feels like the most engaging game yet! I got a chance to try out one of the stealth sections, and wow, they’re seriously intense. It’s not just about being scared of getting spotted, either – if you mess up, a character can actually die permanently, which really raises the stakes!

That’s right – failing a stealth attempt can lead to a character’s permanent death, taking them out of the game. I thought this was a clever way to link gameplay with meaningful consequences, something these games are famous for. It definitely raised the stakes; I was especially worried during one stealth section because it involved a character I really liked, and I didn’t want to lose them.

If a character is detected while trying to be stealthy, they can die and be permanently removed from the story.

The game also makes it surprisingly easy to eliminate characters, especially since each one has a dedicated stealth mission. Some players might not like this, preferring to see characters fall due to poor choices over simply running into danger. It’s less engaging than the challenge of strategically taking down a disliked character.

I’m concerned that Directive 8020 might overuse stealth sections. While the game seems well-designed overall, having stealth encounters in every episode could become repetitive. I worry this will disrupt the story’s flow, as inserting a stealth sequence during a crucial moment might diminish its impact.

A Lopsided Cast

Supermassive Games recently announced the actors who will star in their new game, Directive 8020, and it’s a very impressive group. Key cast members include Lashana Lynch, known for her roles in No Time to Die and Captain Marvel, and Danny Sapani, who appeared in Black Panther.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Directive 8020 insights

Want more on Directive 8020 and similar story-driven games? Subscribe to the newsletter for hands-on impressions, Turning Point breakdowns, stealth-mechanic analysis, and thoughtful takes that deepen your understanding of these titles.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

So far, Directive 8020 has a mixed bag when it comes to voice acting. Lashana Lynch and Danny Sapani are fantastic – they’re really delivering top-notch performances. However, some of the other voice actors sound a bit flat and unnatural.

Supporting characters often sound unnatural and haven’t received the same level of polish as the main characters, both in the writing and voice acting. While this isn’t a huge problem for many games, it’s particularly noticeable in Directive 8020 because the game relies on you feeling strongly about the characters – whether you like them or not. If you don’t connect with a character, it’s hard to care about what happens to them.

I’m hoping the characters become more relatable as the game progresses, because right now I don’t feel very connected to them. I’d like to care about everyone, similar to how I felt about the characters in games like Until Dawn and The Quarry. When you’re invested in the characters, it makes you think more carefully about your choices and the consequences of those decisions.

I had a good experience with Directive 8020 and I’m optimistic about the finished game. While I still have some concerns about a few of the actors and the potential for too much stealth, the game impressed me enough to leave me wanting to play more. If the final version addresses these issues, Supermassive Games could have a really successful game on their hands.

Read More

2026-05-01 16:40