The Inpatient
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| The Inpatient | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Developer | Supermassive Games |
| Publisher | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Platform | PlayStation VR |
| Device | PlayStation VR |
| Operating System | PlayStation 4 |
| Type | Game |
| Genre | Horror, Adventure |
| Input Device | DualShock 4, PlayStation Move (up to two), voice commands |
| Game Mode | Single-player |
| Release Date | January 23, 2018 (North America), January 24, 2018 (Europe) |
| Price | US$39.99 (launch), US$19.99 (PlayStation Store, October 2026) |
| App Store | PlayStation Store |
| Website | https://www.supermassivegames.com/games/the-inpatient |
The Inpatient is a virtual reality psychological horror game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation VR headset on PlayStation 4. It is a prequel to Supermassive's game Until Dawn and is set in the Blackwood Sanatorium in the 1950s, more than 60 years before the events of that game. The player is an amnesiac patient who tries to work out who they are and why they were committed, through dialogue choices that branch the story toward different endings.[1][2]
The game was announced at E3 2017 and released on 23 January 2018 in North America and on 24 January 2018 in Europe, after a delay from its original November 2017 date.[3][4][5] Its VR features include a full-body player model, optional voice input for choosing dialogue, and binaural audio.[1] Reviews were mixed: critics praised the atmosphere, sound and voice controls but criticized the movement controls, short length and thin characters.[6][7][8] It holds a Metacritic score of 59 out of 100.[9]
Gameplay
The game is played in the first person. It opens with the player character strapped into a chair while Jefferson Bragg, the owner of the sanatorium, questions them about their lost memories.[1][10] In GameSpot's description, the player wakes in a wheelchair on a snowy February day in 1952, and the gender and skin color of the amnesiac protagonist are chosen at the start.[6] Game director Nik Bowen wrote that the gender selection changes how other characters treat the player throughout the game.[11]
Most of the interaction comes from answering questions put by patients and staff. As in Until Dawn, choices lead down branching paths that affect which characters live or die, and the game's "Butterfly Effect" animation marks decisions with a significant later impact.[10][12] Bowen wrote that "something as small as turning left or right down a corridor can have dramatic consequences on your experience".[11] Two answer options appear next to the character who is speaking, and the player can pick one with a button press or by reading it aloud; the game uses speech recognition through the headset microphone to register spoken answers.[13][8] Exploring the sanatorium and finding certain objects triggers flashbacks that reveal the character's past.[14] The game has multiple endings, and a second playthrough can show scenes that were not seen the first time.[15][10]
Controls and movement
The game requires PlayStation VR and the PlayStation Camera. It can be played with a DualShock 4 controller or with one or two PlayStation Move controllers.[15] With a DualShock 4, the left stick moves the player forward and the right stick rotates the view, either smoothly or in increments; pulling back on the right stick turns the player around.[7] With Move controllers, the player holds a button on the left controller to walk in the direction their head is facing and uses the right controller to rotate, including a full 180-degree turn; this scheme does not allow side-stepping or strafing.[13] GameSpot noted that neither control scheme lets the player walk backwards.[6] Move controllers give the player two visible hands, and one of them works as a handheld flashlight.[6][8] Game Informer reported that the camera turns in 30-degree pivots to reduce the risk of nausea.[8]
Development
Supermassive Games made The Inpatient alongside Bravo Team, a second PlayStation VR game that it revealed at the same E3. Executive producer Simon Harris wrote that both drew on lessons from the studio's earlier PlayStation VR titles, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood and Tumble VR.[3][14] The script was written with Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick, who had written Until Dawn.[1] Bowen described the studio's aim as creating "a sense of isolation and fear" and said it made "extensive use of immersive 3D binaural audio".[1] Looking down shows the player's own body, hands and feet.[1]
According to Bowen, the team spent a significant part of its early development time on how the branching structure would work and tested outcomes across every branch. He described the selectable player gender as one of the more challenging parts of the project to manage.[11] Bowen also wrote that fans of Until Dawn would see some familiar characters and learn more about the staff and patients.[11]
Previews
At E3 2017, Road to VR played a 10 to 15 minute demo built around Bragg's interrogation. Voice input was not available in that build, so answers were given with a DualShock 4. The outlet highlighted the characters' facial motion capture, writing that it never hit the uncanny valley it had expected, but it also noted that characters appeared slightly larger than life.[16] At PlayStation Experience in December 2017, UploadVR played a demo of about 20 minutes with voice recognition enabled. The developers told the site that the game would support several languages at launch.[13]
Release
In August 2017 Supermassive set a release date of 21 November 2017.[14] On 10 November 2017, PlayStation Europe announced that the game would move to January 2018 to give the development teams "extra time to make the games as enjoyable for players as possible"; Bravo Team was delayed into March 2018 at the same time.[5][4]
| Platform | Region | Release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation VR (PlayStation 4) | North America | 23 January 2018 | Launch price US$39.99[15][10] |
| PlayStation VR (PlayStation 4) | Europe | 24 January 2018 | Moved from November 2017[5][17] |
The game is single-player and rated M by the ESRB for blood and gore, strong language and violence.[8][6] As of October 2026 the US PlayStation Store sells it for US$19.99. The store page says the game is playable on PlayStation 5, although some PS4 features may be absent, and that PlayStation VR and PlayStation Camera are required.[15]
Reception
The Inpatient received "mixed or average" reviews according to Metacritic, with a score of 59 out of 100 from 57 critic reviews.[9] On OpenCritic it has a Top Critic Average of 60, and 15% of critics recommend it.[18]
| Publication | Reviewer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| GameSpot | Justin Clark | 8/10[6] |
| Destructoid | Jordan Devore | 6.5/10[10] |
| Game Informer | Elise Favis | 6.5/10[8] |
| GamesRadar+ | Sam Loveridge | 3.5/5[19] |
GameSpot's Justin Clark called it "a rare exception" among prequels and praised its slow build of dread and its soundscape. He criticized the clunky movement and the lack of a way to walk backwards, and put the main story at around two hours.[6] In UploadVR's review, David Jagneaux called it "easily one of the creepiest VR games I've played" and praised the voice recognition, but faulted the controls, frequent loading screens and underdeveloped supporting cast; he estimated its length at about three hours.[7]
Destructoid's Jordan Devore praised the lighting and audio and called the game "a technical marvel", but wrote that "at times the experience feels hollow and uneventful".[10] Elise Favis of Game Informer found the voice controls "effective and fun" but criticized the dull characters and stiff voice acting and found good scares "few and far between", and recommended that even Until Dawn fans skip it.[8] GamesRadar+ wrote in its verdict that the game "excels at immersing the player, and it looks gorgeous", while putting "too many barriers between the player and ultimate success".[19]
The game was a finalist in the Best Audio Design and Visual Design categories of the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2018.[20]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Nik Bowen (2017-06-13). "Get a first look at Supermassive Games' new PS VR psychological horror The Inpatient". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2017/06/13/get-a-first-look-at-supermassive-games-new-ps-vr-psychological-horror-the-inpatient. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ "The Inpatient". Supermassive Games. https://www.supermassivegames.com/games/the-inpatient. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jamie Feltham (2017-06-12). "E3 2017: The Inpatient Is PSVR's Latest Horror Game From Until Dawn Dev". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/inpatient-psvrs-latest-horror-game-dawn-dev/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Elise Favis (2017-11-12). "Supermassive's Psychological Horror VR Game The Inpatient Is Delayed Into 2018". Game Informer. https://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/11/12/supermassives-psychological-horror-vr-game-the-inpatient-is-delayed-into-2018. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Jamie Feltham (2017-11-10). "PSVR's The Inpatient And Bravo Team Delayed Into 2018". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/psvrs-inpatient-bravo-team-delayed-2018/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Justin Clark (2018-01-23). "The Inpatient Review". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/the-inpatient-review/1900-6416841/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 David Jagneaux (2018-01-22). "The Inpatient Review: A Terrifying Trip Down Memory Lane". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/the-inpatient-review-psvr/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Elise Favis (2018-01-22). "The Inpatient Review - A Dull Stroll Through The Sanatorium". Game Informer. https://gameinformer.com/games/the_inpatient/b/playstationvr/archive/2018/01/22/a-dull-stroll-through-the-sanitarium.aspx. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The Inpatient Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-inpatient/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Jordan Devore (2018-01-23). "Review: The Inpatient". Destructoid. https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-the-inpatient/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Nik Bowen (2018-01-23). "Horror Thriller The Inpatient Out Today for PS VR". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2018/01/23/horror-thriller-the-inpatient-out-today-for-ps-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ Rhys Sutheran (2017-06-23). "What it's like to play The Inpatient, the chilling Until Dawn prequel coming soon to PlayStation VR". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2017/06/23/what-its-like-to-play-the-inpatient-the-chilling-until-dawn-prequel-coming-soon-to-playstation-vr/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 David Jagneaux (2017-12-11). "PSX 2017 Hands-On: The Inpatient Uses Voice Recognition For In-Game Dialog". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/psx-2017-inpatient-voice-preview/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Simon Harris (2017-08-29). "The Inpatient, Bravo Team Release Dates Confirmed for Later This Year". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/2017/08/29/the-inpatient-bravo-team-release-dates-confirmed-for-later-this-year/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "The Inpatient". PlayStation Store. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP9000-CUSA08981_00-BLACKWOOD0000001. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2017-06-14). "'The Inpatient' Creates a Human Connection with Superb Facial Animation, Then Abruptly Severs It". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/inpatient-creates-human-connection-superb-facial-motion-capture-abruptly-severs/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ Nik Bowen (2018-01-23). "4 things you need to know before playing chilling PS VR horror The Inpatient, out on PS4 tomorrow". PlayStation.Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2018/01/23/4-things-you-need-to-know-before-playing-chilling-ps-vr-horror-the-inpatient-out-on-ps4-tomorrow. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ "The Inpatient Reviews". OpenCritic. https://opencritic.com/game/5433/the-inpatient. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sam Loveridge (2018-01-23). "The Inpatient review: 'It's all utterly brilliant; terrifyingly so'". GamesRadar+. https://www.gamesradar.com/the-inpatient-review/. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
- ↑ Suzi Stephenson (2018-09-19). "TIGA Announces Games Industry Awards 2018 Finalists". TIGA. https://tiga.org/news/tiga-announces-games-industry-awards-2018-finalists. Retrieved 2026-10-04.