Bloober Team's psychological horror game The Medium has received a lukewarm reception from critics and fans alike. Nonetheless, the game does have moments of brilliance that gamers can enjoy with an open mind. Moreover, fans of the psychological horror genre should not miss this game as the development studio responsible for The Medium, has also produced other psychological horror titles such as Layers of Fear and Blair Witch. As veterans of the genre, Bloober Team decided to try something new with the story, gameplay mechanics, and atmosphere.
Although the game may not have set the world alight with its reviews, it does try to flesh out some new ideas in the gameplay. Mistakes can be quite common while playing the game due to its unconventional nature. Nonetheless, here's a list of mistakes that players should avoid so that their progress isn't impeded.
10 Not Keeping Tabs On Spiritual Energy
There isn't a lot of spiritual energy floating about in The Medium. When Marianne is in the spirit world, she has to defend herself from the creatures and dangers that show themselves in the spirit plane. Her arms are connected directly to the energy of the spirit world and will continue to glow with a faint white light as long as she has some Spirit Energy to spare.
If she depletes her Spirit Energy (and this can happen quite fast) she would be left defenseless to the dangers in the realm of the spirits. Players have to use their Spirit Energy quite sparingly and keep a check on it as much as possible.
9 Not Collecting Memory Shards
Apart from the various Easter Eggs and collectibles strewn around the game world of The Medium, but Memory Shards are the most important. They are a vital part of the game's story and are part of the energy of a particular area. This energy is required by Marianne to progress through the game.
It also gives vital information about Niwa and the people who lived there. Delving this deep into the world of The Medium allows the player to truly understand the game itself. Collecting all the Memory Shards in the game will also unlock achievements if the players are perfectionists.
8 Not Finding Thomas's Notes
Thomas's notes can also be found all over The Medium. This character's importance is evident as the notes have important information regarding monsters such as Maw. If players want to dive deeper into the story of The Medium, and get up close and personal with it, Thomas's notes also provide information on Niwa, and characters such as Richard. Ursula also becomes a focal point of interest in Thomas's notes.
The notes also try to define the nature of the monsters through philosophy and the possible circumstances that created them. Understanding these insights and implementing them might help the player deal with the monsters better.
7 Not Using Headphones
Games of this generation like to create the perfect ambiance for players. Part of this involves the atmospheric sound that is being integrated into the game. For The Medium, these atmospheric sounds include very faint whispers that are an important part of the game's gameplay mechanics. When starting the game for the first time, players are told to experience the game with headphones.
This is an important piece of advice, as these whispers are so faint that they can only be heard properly through headphones. Trying to listen to these whispers through the speakers will not only ruin the ambiance but also make players misunderstand the nuances of the plot.
6 Not Finding Echoes
Although Echoes aren't as essential to the story progression as Memory Shards, they are still part of the core game mechanics. Echoes can be found in different locations throughout the game. However, the only way to detect them is by using Insight. Constant usage of Insight may be troublesome for the player, especially if they are playing with a controller. The controller's vibration options need to be adjusted in such a scenario.
If players want to get more of a feel for the game's story, then it is highly recommended that they find as many Echoes as possible. Even though The Medium is a psychological horror game, it does have quite an intriguing tale to tell.
5 Not Exploring Niwa
Since Bloober Team has created quite an interesting world with The Medium's Niwa, it would be a sin for players to not explore the different depths of this setting. Walking the road less taken can and will reveal some interesting sights and tidbits about the history of Niwa. It is all part of the worldbuilding that the development team has embarked on.
For example, there's a World War II memorial in the game that can be found by taking the path to the right, when Marianne starts following the footsteps made by Sadness. This all ties down the story together and creates a more enriching experience. This is another kind of Easter Egg created by the Bloober Team.
4 Not Being Stealthy
Stealth in The Medium is often the best way to tackle the difficult moments in the game. There aren't too many action sequences to deal with in this game, and most of what's there involve the player defending themselves. With creatures like Maw running around and trying to hunt down Marianne, the best way to get through the game is to be stealthy.
The only way that players are rewarded in The Medium is for their patience. Players have to wait, watch, and shift their positions when necessary to avoid being detected by creatures. Any sudden movement by the player will result in Maw detecting Marianne.
3 Not Perfecting Deflection
Players often have to take control of Thomas's Spirit in The Medium. When Thomas infiltrates and investigates Richard's mind, there will be tentacles that will act as a defense mechanism. These tentacles will try to strike and hurt the Spirit of Thomas, and the only way for players to prevent this from happening is to use their Spiritual Energy to deflect the tentacles.
Deflecting is a mechanism that takes time to perfect, but it rewards well, as players won't take damage after a successful deflection. In some cases, a perfect deflection will also destroy the tentacles.
2 Not Finding Postcards
This is another tip to find and read items. A game like The Medium is based on investigative abilities, and it is the focal point of the game. As such, a narrative like this needs to be tied down together with all the collectibles and findings in order to make complete sense.
The postcards from Francis are important because they show how Niwa descended into absolute chaos, and also Frank's involvement in the escape of Maw. Francis was a casual observer in the story and did not have any links to the spirit realm. However, the postcards give a very realistic and believable observation of a town losing its grip on reality.
1 Not Using Insight Frequently
Insight is an ability that Marianne will get access to in the early stages of the game. This could be the most important ability that the game has to offer, and is essential if the player wants to beat the game. Using Insight will reveal clues for the story, as well as collectibles such as Memory Shards and Echoes. This ability shouldn't be spammed like Batman: Arkham Asylum's 'detective vision' though.
If players are using the controller, the Insight ability will make the controller vibrate quite frequently when near objects. This could be a nuisance to the player if they're always using Insight and hinder the ambiance that the game creates.