The Medium REVIEW: 6 Ups & 4 Downs
3. VERY Basic, Repetitive Goal Structure
Onto level design, and while everything looks stunning, the actual meat of what you're doing doesn't change throughout the entire game.
While I can get on board with a 90s horror throwback, even in those games we had combat mechanics to keep things fresh.
Here, not so much.
Wandering around insanely detailed environments, hoping for a button prompt is the order of the day, and besides super limited "platforming" like climbing or sidling along ledges, that's the bulk of what you'll be doing.
In addition, every level follows the same pattern: Get to a blocked entranceway or locked door, then set about "putting the power back on", "finding the bolt cutters", "finding the key" etc., until you can proceed. In the back third of the game, EVERY power outlet "needs juice"; EVERY door needs a key; EVERY valve handle is missing, and so on.
Even Marianne starts complaining about how little luck she has with this stuff, and it begs the question of why structure the game like this, if the writers themselves know it's so tedious.