Until Dawn Reviews
Until Dawn is the best cinematic horror game to torment players this past decade. It doesn't hit every beat, but by morning you will have experienced terror, tension, and tragedy, and killed a few of your friends – if you even survive that long.
If you're looking for an interactive horror movie, Supermassive Games has totally nailed it. The strong storyline is bursting with boo-scares, gore and stereotypically creepy settings – to the point I had to put my controller down to stop my heart racing several times. And I loved and loathed all of the characters in their own way.
It's like an adults-only Scooby-Doo mystery with blood, swearing and sphincter-clenching scares. Only the good kinds of fear.
It lives up to its title, as players will be glued to it all night, exhilaratingly racing to one of the many potential endings.
Ultimately, Until Dawn is a bold experiment that pays off far more than it doesn't. Though the story's set pieces are set, the outcomes are not, and if you've got the snooping skills to find all the totem guides, the reflexes to ace every QTE, and the luck to pick Hide instead of running away at the wrong time, everyone just might make it out alive.
Until Dawn is the proper slasher game fans have always wanted, and succeeds at creating a wildly unique and enjoyable narrative experience. Beautiful graphics and sound, amazing performances and engaging stories make this a must-play for any horror fan.
An easy recommendation for those looking to munch on some popcorn while you get the crap scared out of you.
Until Dawn struggles with clunky video game elements and rough pacing, but mitigates it with B-movie slasher mainstays and a willingness to embrace player failure.
Until Dawn captured the slasher flick perfectly.
Until Dawn is genre-changing across the board, and I literally cannot wait for other games to pick up even 1% of what it brings to the table in terms of narrative and design innovation.
Until Dawn doesn't hide what it's trying to do. It's a game that focuses on story and QTE heavy gameplay. It has linear design driving it, while only deviating from the course with player choices, which affect the direction of the story. If you can accept these things, and realize it's not perfect, then you're going to probably enjoy Supermassive Games' horror show.
The multi-character adventure style of gaming that was spearheaded by Heavy Rain is a perfect fit for the slasher/horror genre, and few games, or media experiences in general, are as intense.
With choices that have real consequences, Until Dawn is definitely a game to pick up. Especially since you can look back at what your choices did and try for a different outcome the next time you play.
Until Dawn may have gone through some development problems and lengthy delays but after completing this title twice, I can safely say that the wait was worth it. It's also one of those games that heavily focuses on storytelling and even though the gamplay does take a back seat, the interactive plot is equally as satisfying. All in all, Until Dawn puts the player into the world the unknown which makes your choices a very hard chore that will leave you with mixed emotions when you "think" you've made the wrong decision. Until Dawn is the perfect interactive medium on the PlayStation 4 that succeeds at drawing you into your own personal horror story.
What we have here is a fun story with actual impactful choices lending a level of replayability unseen to date in similar games.
Self-aware and deconstructive
Niggles creep in due to the rudimentary control scheme - and the option to reconsider decisions that are obviously heading a bad way would've been nice - but otherwise I still found I couldn't put this slaughterrific adventure down.
It may not be a masterpiece, almost solely relying on jump scares to shock, but it is fun to play, and that's what matters most. Once it gets going, it is a non-stop rollercoaster of visceral excitement. Letting players have control as they take a selection of disparate characters through the nastiness awaiting them is a fantastic idea that is also well executed. The fact these characters quickly go from looking fine and dandy to resembling someone that's been dragged through a hedge backwards only adds to the fun!
Until Dawn doesn't always live up to the potential Supermassive Games envisioned for its ambitious PS4 project, but the game succeeds in enough ways to make it a fascinating and engrossing twist on the horror genre.