The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
As the Iraq War draws to a close, Special Forces operatives stumble upon a long-buried Sumerian temple harboring a horde of otherworldly beings. To make it through the night, they must form an unlikely alliance with their adversaries from the surface world. Players will take control of five characters (four of whom are Americans and one of whom is from Iraq), guiding them through situations and quick-time events and (hopefully) helping them survive. Narrative themes in this game include war, death, vampirism, and sacrifice.
- Release date: 10-22-2021
- Developer: Supermassive Games
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Triggers for this game
Animals & Wildlife
Fictional Creatures
Bat-like creatures
- Can't be avoided
Insects
Beetles, scarabs, flies
- Can't be avoided
Mutated Animals
Bat-like creatures
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Snakes
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Pazuzu has a snake decoration on his outfit
- Can't be avoided
Crime
Attacks on Law Enforcement
Creatures attack military personnel
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Explosions & Bombs
Dynamite
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Murder
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Jason shot an unarmed civilian at a checkpoint and expresses both grief and guilt
- Can't be avoided
Stalking
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Player characters are stalked by vampire creatures
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Death & Loss
Abandonment
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You can choose to abandon other characters at various times.
- Is avoidable
Death of Friend
Depending on player choices
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Joey dies in the gunfight with enemy forces that starts the main storyline. Others deaths can occur, depending on player choices and responses to quick-time events. POSSIBLE DEATH SPOILERS: Players can be killed by being ripped apart by creatures, turned into a creature, shot before turning into a creature, accidentally suffocated by a friend trying to keep them quiet, impaled, crushed (heads), blown-up, shot, disemboweled, eaten, and by lighting themselves on fire.
- Is avoidable
- Can't be avoided
Death of Loved One
Depending on player choices
- Is avoidable
Death of Parent
Depending on player choices
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Salim is shown spending time with his son at the beginning of the game. If he dies, the son will lose his father.
- Is avoidable
Death of Spouse or Partner
Depending on player choices
- Is avoidable
Family Estrangement
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Rachel and Nick have been estranged for some time
- Can't be avoided
Suicide
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A dying character may commit suicide. A character is heard shooting himself on a tape recorder.
- Can't be avoided
Disturbing Sounds & Sound Design
Bone Crushing
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Player characters may have their arms broken or necks snapped during death scenes
- Can't be avoided
Clicking Sounds
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Creatures make screeching and clicking noises
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
High-Pitched Prolonged Tone
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A portion of the game involves playing tunes on a musical item, and the initial music sounds similar to 'playing' wine glasses full of water. As characters turn into creatures, there is also a prolonged high-pitched tone.
- Can't be avoided
Misc. Eerie Noises
Screeching
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Drugs & Alcohol
Casual Drug Consumption
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Morphine
- Can't be avoided
Misc. Drugs & Alcohol Content
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Blocks of heroin are found. Characters joke about one being a stoner, and another mentions stoned during a story.
- Can't be avoided
Tobacco & Smoking
Nick smokes briefly
- Can't be avoided
Gore
Beheading
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Decapitated heads are on a table in the prologue. There is also a scene of decapitation.
- Can't be avoided
Blood
So much blood
- Can't be avoided
Body Horror
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A minor NPC gets dragged into a tight cave, crushing him to death.
- Can't be avoided
Cannibalism
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Humans infected by the creatures attempt to eat other characters
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Misc. Gore
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The creatures can kill characters by smashing their heads. Salim can help prevent creatures from coming back by stabbing them through the heart.
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Hate & Discrimination
Appearance Discrimination
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One character tells another to "eat fewer cakes" and that they are "too heavy"
- Can't be avoided
Dehumanization & Objectification
Jason is extremely Islamophobic
- Can't be avoided
Islamophobia
Jason is extremely Islamophobic
- Can't be avoided
Misogyny
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Two characters make sexist and sexual jokes, then are berated for doing so
- Can't be avoided
Racism
Islamophobia
- Can't be avoided
Sexism
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Two characters make sexist and sexual jokes, then are berated for doing so
- Can't be avoided
Horror Themes
Aliens
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The parasites are from another planet
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Infection Horror
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Humans infected by the creatures attempt to eat other characters
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Mind Control
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Via parasite
- Can't be avoided
Monsters
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The creatures in the game are somewhat vampiric, somewhat parasitic.
- Can't be avoided
Possession
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Via parasite
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Zombies & Undead
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Characters who die can turn into creatures, attacking the group
- Can't be avoided
Law Enforcement
Police Brutality
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Jason shot an unarmed civilian at a checkpoint and expresses both grief and guilt
- Can't be avoided
Prison & Incarceration
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In the prologue
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Mental Health
Dissociation
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Nick is heavily implied to have PTSD, exhibiting dissociation when recalling past memories
- Can't be avoided
Grief
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Jason shot an unarmed civilian at a checkpoint and expresses both grief and guilt
- Can't be avoided
Misc. Mental Health
Guilt
- Can't be avoided
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
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Nick is heavily implied to have PTSD, exhibiting dissociation when recalling past memories. Jason shot an unarmed civilian at a checkpoint and expresses both grief and guilt.
- Can't be avoided
Relationship Management
Through choices
- Can't be avoided
Natural Events
Misc. Natural Events
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An eclipse occurs at the end of the game, allowing the creatures to come up from their den
- Can't be avoided
Non-Sexual Abuse & Violence
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Phobias
Aerophobia
Riding in helicopters
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Claustrophobia
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Must crawl in tight caves as well as underneath heavy rocks
- Can't be avoided
Emetophobia
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Gagging turning into vomiting (Clarice and Rachel)
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Megalophobia
Large statues
- Can't be avoided
Merinthophobia
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A player character may have their hands tied behind their back or handcuffed to a table briefly
- Is avoidable
Misc. Phobias
Decidophobia (Fear of making decisions)
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Acousticophobia (Fear of noise), Atychiphobia (Fear of failure), Autophobia (Fear of being alone), Basophobia (Fear of falling), Sanguivoriphobia (Fear of vampires), Spectrophobia (fear of specters or ghosts), Tapinophobia (Fear of being contagious), Zelophobia (Fear of jealousy)
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Ommetaphobia
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Monsters can claw out the eyes of NPCs and player characters
- Can't be avoided
Traumatophobia
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Jason wears a hat that reminds him of 9/11 and talks about how the event encouraged him to sign up for the army.
- Can't be avoided
Physical Health & Body Issues
Acquired Disability
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One character has a prosthetic foot
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Religion & Sects
Ritual Sacrifice
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Prologue
- Can't be avoided
Sex & Erotica (Consensual)
Adultry
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Rachel is cheating on her estranged husband Eric with Nick. Depending on player choices, Nick and Eric will act jealous towards each other and fight.
- Can't be avoided
- Can't be avoided
Sexual Commentary
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Two characters make sexist and sexual jokes, then are berated for doing so
- Can't be avoided
Traumatic Events
Accidents
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A car crash is shown in a flashback, helicopter crash
- Can't be avoided
Apocalypse
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The group is trying to prevent an apocalypse
- Can't be avoided
War & Military
- Can't be avoided
Misc. War & Military
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WAR CRIMES: Discussion of whether or not to bring white phosphorus weapons (illegal to be used near civilians) on the mission — the player can make the ultimate decision and doing so will affect the rest of the game
- Can't be avoided
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