Until Dawn is an interactive drama survival horror video game. It was originally planned as a first-person game for the PlayStation 3's motion controller PlayStation Move, but the motion controls were later dropped when it became a PlayStation 4 exclusive game. Until Dawn is designed to be played multiple times, as players will miss out on quite a bit of content with a single playthrough. Each will last about nine hours in length and the game mechanics utilize a new in-game system called the "Butterfly Effect" in which any choice of action by the player may cause unforeseen consequences later on. For example, locating a weapon in an earlier chapter may allow the player to pick it up down the line when a chase scene leads back to the same room. Throughout the game, players will make difficult decisions during ethical or moral dilemmas, such as sacrificing one character to save another. The Butterfly Effect system blurs the line between right and wrong decisions and it is possible for players to keep all eight characters alive as well as having all eight of them die, allowing for many different paths and scenarios as well as offering several different endings. Until Dawn has a strict auto-save system to prevent players from reloading a previous save file to an earlier point in the game if they regret an in-game decision they have made. The only way to change the player's choice is to restart the game from the beginning or continue to the end and start a new game. In a developer interview, it has been said that Until Dawn has "hundreds of endings". Different endings have different variations depending on the combination of characters alive at the end of the game. The gameplay is focused on exploration, quick-time events and discovering clues as well as making decisions. There is an in-game system that will keep track of all of the clues and secrets players have discovered in total, even if there are multiple playthroughs; these clues will allow the player to piece together the mysteries of Blackwood. In terms of the gameplay mechanics and theme, Until Dawn has been noted to be similar to Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls. Until Dawn was met with a positive critical response upon release, with praise directed at the visuals, choice mechanic, horror elements, music, voice acting and gameplay design. Most of the criticism the game drew was concerning the story, mostly the second half, camera angles, character movements and partially linear plot.
About the story
When a trip to a remote cabin leaves eight friends stranded on a mountainside, sinister events make them suspect they're not alone... Gripped by fear and with tensions in the group running high, step into the quaking boots of each of the eight terrified characters as you search for clues to the deranged killer's identity. By making life or death decisions using the sophisticated "butterfly effect" system, everything you do will drastically alter the course of the story - and the fate of each character.
Platforms
PS4Genres
AdventureThemes
Drama Horror Mystery Survival
Critic Reviews
By Andrew Feistner
Until Dawn is a narrative game for the ages. Rarely is horror done so effectively that you feel you can not pull your eyes from the screen. You know that something is coming and there is nothing you can do but be shocked at you have just done.
- 14 Feb, 2019
By Dan Hastings
Until Dawn is a really impressive game. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of the typical teen horror genre, I still found this game seriously enjoyable. I would love to see more developers create games like this. The lack of guns, platforming and any other standard game play elements didn’t bother me at all. It was a fresh break away from the norm that was very welcome. The visuals were strong and it was backed up by great animation and acting. The level of polish here was very high. The story is very subjective and some people may absolutely love it. By the end of the game I loved it, but like all teen horrors you will be left wondering “why the hell are they splitting up!” and all the other typical stupid mistakes than teenagers make in these movies. If you are looking for a scare, pick this game up! It will scare the crap out of you.
- 11 Aug, 2017
By Jason Stettner
Until Dawn is one of the best horror games I've ever played being that next step for interactive experiences in terms of graphics and storytelling.
- 14 Jan, 2017
By Stephen Tordoff
Until Dawn is a game that knows exactly what it is - a gleeful mash-up of horror genre tropes that succeeds by wearing its influences on its sleeve, excellent casting, and using well-chosen gameplay elements that give the player choice but fit with the movie-like aesthetic of the game. Despite its flaws, Until Dawn is an easy game to recommend, both to fans of and newcomers to the horror genre.
- 07 May, 2016
