Exclusive Hands-On: 30 Minutes with Directive 8020 at Gamescom 2025

When the doors to the Directive 8020 booth closed behind me at Gamescom 2025, I knew I was stepping into something special.

Thanks to the incredible teams at Indigo Pearl and Supermassive Games, I was granted an uninterrupted 30‑minute session with one of the most anticipated sci‑fi horror experiences in years and it was every bit as tense, cinematic, and unnerving as I’d hoped.

From the opening moments, Directive 8020 wastes no time in pulling you into its claustrophobic world. Set aboard the Cassiopeia, a deep‑space vessel on a mission to scout Andromeda for colonisation, the game’s atmosphere is thick with dread.

My demo began in the prologue, controlling two crew members Carter, a devoted father driven by duty, and Simms, a homesick astronaut masking her vulnerability with dry wit.

The chemistry between them was immediate, brought to life by nuanced motion capture and voice work that made every glance and hesitation feel authentic.

The corridors of the Cassiopeia groaned under invisible pressure, shadows seemed to shift in the dim light, and the haunting score a blend of low rumbles and sharp strings made even walking down a hallway feel like a risk.

Gameplay followed Supermassive’s signature blend of exploration, quick‑time events, and branching dialogue, but here it felt sharper and more responsive.

Two new mechanics stood out. First, the Turning Points system, which clearly marks when your decisions branch the story, even allowing you to rewind to pivotal moments to explore alternate outcomes.

Second, the constant presence of an alien threat unseen in my demo, but felt in every creak and flicker kept me on edge. Fixing a hull breach became more than a task; it was a race against the creeping sense that something was hunting us.

In just half an hour, I experienced moments of quiet character building, sudden bursts of panic, and the thrill of knowing my choices could mean the difference between survival and disaster.

The polish from Unreal Engine 5 was evident in every detail, from the glint of helmet visors to the condensation on steel walls.

As my time ran out, I didn’t want to leave. Directive 8020 is shaping up to be a landmark entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology ambitious, atmospheric, and unafraid to push its own formula forward.

A huge thank you to Indigo Pearl for facilitating this exclusive session, and to the brilliant minds at Supermassive Games for crafting a world I can’t wait to return to when the game launches in early 2026.