Until Dawn

 PlayStation 4
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Aug 25, 2015
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3764 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,056 out of 3764
  2. Mixed: 462 out of 3764
  3. Negative: 246 out of 3764
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  1. zwickyuoh
    Aug 25, 2015
    7
    So this game boasts about how your choices greatly influence the outcome of the story. Here's some news that will shock no one: it won't. Sure you choose who lives and who dies, but the main premise is differed only slightly and incrementally. Not like Heavy Rain and certainly not like 999/VLR. Despite this, I still had an enjoyable time with all the campy horror nonsense going on.So this game boasts about how your choices greatly influence the outcome of the story. Here's some news that will shock no one: it won't. Sure you choose who lives and who dies, but the main premise is differed only slightly and incrementally. Not like Heavy Rain and certainly not like 999/VLR. Despite this, I still had an enjoyable time with all the campy horror nonsense going on.

    There are plenty of great games that don't have much interactivity, I don't get why these types of games get **** for that. The game should be judge based on how that level of interactivity is executed and how it serves the narrative. Considering this is a horror-based choose your own adventure, it works well. Great even. The slow initial build and generic set-up hinder the game somewhat, but shouldn't wave the players interest. We've been starved for horror games, Until Dawn does a decent job at satisfying the hunger until SOMA.    … Expand
  2. HGrimm23
    Aug 30, 2015
    5
    Until Dawn has some generalized charm through its overuse of horror films tropes, but because of this aspect it is also extremely predictable which came as a surprise considering the heavy marketing of being "choice" based.

    It is amusing to see it receive such praise for being a fantastic game, when you see that games such as Beyond Two Souls, and The Order 1886 were given such harsh    Until Dawn has some generalized charm through its overuse of horror films tropes, but because of this aspect it is also extremely predictable which came as a surprise considering the heavy marketing of being "choice" based.

    It is amusing to see it receive such praise for being a fantastic game, when you see that games such as Beyond Two Souls, and The Order 1886 were given such harsh reviews for doing almost identical things. Until Dawn is a walking simulator through and through with some quick-time events thrown into the mix so that it can claim to be a game rather than the film that it is.

    At least it looks good.    … Expand
  3. SystemGamerDJ
    Sep 6, 2015
    7
    Je ne peux pas appeler "Until Dawn" un jeu, mais plus un film interactif.
    Mais pourquoi un 7/10 ? La durée de vie est très courte si on veut rusher le "film" et rajouter peut-être une ou deux heures pour trouver tous les indices et les totems. Il est également très mal optimiser pour la "PS4", des chutes de framrate qui peuvent descendre parfois à 20 FPS. Le "film" ne fait pas très peur,    Je ne peux pas appeler "Until Dawn" un jeu, mais plus un film interactif.
    Mais pourquoi un 7/10 ? La durée de vie est très courte si on veut rusher le "film" et rajouter peut-être une ou deux heures pour trouver tous les indices et les totems. Il est également très mal optimiser pour la "PS4", des chutes de framrate qui peuvent descendre parfois à 20 FPS. Le "film" ne fait pas très peur, on peut prévoir ce qui va se passer dans certaine scène. Des voix VF qui sont moyens, la VO est bien mieux. Et beaucoup d'éléments scriptés.
    Je viens de dire que des points négatifs, et maintenant les points forts du jeu ! Nous ne pouvons pas nier que les graphismes sont très bien même excellent comme l'ambiance.. Grâce aux choix qu'on a fait, les fins sont à chaque fois alternatif comme dans "Heavy Rain" et "Beyond: Two Souls" et un scénario qui est bien pensée.    … Expand
  4. seventh_seal
    Sep 18, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One hour into this game, I had the unfavorable impression that this would basically consist in guiding a bunch of idiots through bad decisions. Everyone seemed unlikable and everything so predictable. After finishing, though, I have to give some credit to the writing - though the plot was still far from the most inventive, I enjoyed it, mostly because of one of my favorite legendary monsters.

    It does not come as a surprise that the butterfly effect mechanic is hugely overrated - once again, you do not get actual significantly different content in the game, you do not influence the overall story, you just choose who makes it through and who doesn't. One playthrough of the game is enough, is what I want to say, and you can quite fully understand the story even if you don't find all the clues. You can go back to the episodes and try to get your favorite character (not that there were many for me) to make it, but that's about it. You're not making very many moral choices (maybe one or two), most of them are just random and their consequences completely unforeseeable. I'm fine with that, but the opening sequence made me think the game posed as being more than that.

    What it comes down to is that you don't do much here as a player, almost half of the action seems to take place in cut scenes, except for the times you do some quick QTE button pushing or you're asked to make a choice or quite boringly wander around under cinematographic camera angles. So if you're feeling like a eight-hour long horror movie, which is sometimes my case, go for it. The plus side is that you can get rid off all the annoying characters who seem to swarm this is sort of genre and I did rise up to the opportunity.    … Expand
  5. horrorreviews
    Sep 22, 2015
    7
    The first half of this game was awesome. Loved the whole murder mystery plot and the butterfly affect. But then things started getting supernatural. The whole Wendigo thing really hurt the game for me. They weren't scary and it didn't feel like they belonged in a story like this and that they were just added to lengthen it and give the player a "real" threat, but all that meant was aThe first half of this game was awesome. Loved the whole murder mystery plot and the butterfly affect. But then things started getting supernatural. The whole Wendigo thing really hurt the game for me. They weren't scary and it didn't feel like they belonged in a story like this and that they were just added to lengthen it and give the player a "real" threat, but all that meant was a bunch of QTEs and "don't move " parts. The butterfly affect was a interesting ideal, but it's execution was awful. Most of the choices either result in the same outcome, or affect the story in an insignificant way, and this is especially apparent if you play through the game a second time. It's a shame because this looked like one of the best horror games in years for the first few hours, but by the end, I can't say I was totally satisfied. Still not a bad game by any means, but I really feel like it had potential to be great, and yet, I can't say it's any better more than a slightly above average horror title.… Expand
  6. NewYorkIsMinez
    Sep 14, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Contains spoilers

    Premise:
    A group of young college students (aged late teens) travel to a cabin one winter which happens to be in the middle of nowhere, no electricity, but plenty of candles and a hot steaming bath filled with cucumber melon salt. The evening does not proceed as expected and ends with the disappearance of two twin sisters. To try to move forward in their grieving, the group decide to get together the following year in the same cabin. Unfortunately for them, this trip will quickly turn into a nightmare. The choices you select will have a weight on the outcome of the scenario.

    So I have played it and I must say and I didn't have the highest expectations for it. The marketing is exactly how it turned out but it's not the route I would have taken for the game. I think something more ballsier and I am talking about the short QTEs thrown in, surveying the environment, exploration, character development. All these things that make it what it is: An interactive movie - It is formulaic in a lot of ways, and it still felt like that same T.V slasher-cheese fest formula we are used to.

    Let's talk about the good things: multiplayer engagement - playing the game is best played cooperatively imo. Someone assumes the controller and there is hot seat rotation. As you progress, so does shouting unanimously and voting between the choices that appear as a group - creating an atmosphere of participation and engagement that works well with the survival horror themes the developers have geared it towards - rotating around eight playable ensemble characters throughout the game.

    Now about the gripes and things: as the characters are introduced in the beginning, I could not help but feel this showcase of friendship seems forced and not genuine and random. I don't buy it. It is as if the dialogue is the same kind of quirky dialogue and the voice of one strong writer buried under others. Character archetypes and narrative writing mashed together to create this friendship circle. Yet somehow, none of the characters really share many compatible social traits borne of real emotion for one another. Seldom there are some really great concepts going on for the characters but they never really develop. It doesn't help that the mo-capped actors' ages range larger than their in-game counterparts, but the script and dialogue for me personally is not there.

    Also - WTF - most of the characters have a tendency of scaring each other, verbally abusing one another, screaming. Both rather funny and deeply unnerving; perfectly calm one minute and then melodramatic. There is a good amount of tension but for goodness sake. The quirks are no substitute for actual character traits. These jump-scares combined with cheesy line reading, the game is reminiscent of slasher films: Cabin in the Woods, Saw, Scream, but I mean like we are reacquainted with some of the most obvious recycled tropes going. But it does not really commit to one of these films and is fun mess overall.

    There are romances and couplets happening too - the story follows a simple pattern based on this idea might look as follows: the storyline cuts between two characters at a time, most of the time, once the party are split. There's even friendship mechanics in the menu options with metres and emotions..., But for the most part this feature feels unpolished, cosmetic and filler - not really offering much to the gameplay. There is no real emotional core, no real development, nothing to learn from it. What is going on.

    The main girl character, Samantha (Hayden Panettiere) and the main guy character, Michael (Brett Dalton) develop interestingly. More so Emily who after giving the best worst manner of first impression I can remember in a long time becomes tolerable later on and centre of some cool QTEs. We all fall on hard-times I suppose.

    Seeing as how this is an movie blanketed as an interactive game, what really delineates from one another is the linear interactive progression with slapped-on, adrenaline pulsing QTEs. But the player-controller mechanics themselves are not particularly varied. Sprinkled throughout and repetitive in form.

    What's really bizarre is the reveal of "the stranger", aka Flamethrower man. What are you trying to do with this character. In the middle of nowhere we actually have this really cool guy. Something happens to him later on... he's managed to survive this crap. We want to invest time in him (because he's not a college student and has shifted in some power-control). It's kind of embarrassing for him... I feel bad for him... Yeah.

    In summary, this game is very weird in a likeable way but not in a way I would recommend it to someone who would play it alone. What I will say it is entirely watchable. The strength lies in the conceptual framework of group-play and bawling at the cheesy tensions it provides through to the very end.    … Expand
  7. fijiboy
    Nov 24, 2015
    7
    some things about this game were a bit disappointing, but there were also a lot of things that took me by surprise. One issue I have with this game is how the story unfolds. I was invested at first and then it took a very unexpected turn, which was clever but I think the experience would have been better if it would have stuck to the direction this game has you believe that its going,some things about this game were a bit disappointing, but there were also a lot of things that took me by surprise. One issue I have with this game is how the story unfolds. I was invested at first and then it took a very unexpected turn, which was clever but I think the experience would have been better if it would have stuck to the direction this game has you believe that its going, without spoiling anything there is a twist and even though it was fun I think the game went a bit too wild. The other thing I wasn't impressed by was its replay value, the developers had sad that most people will only get 50% of the experience the first time through and will imidiately want to play it again, without spoiling anything, this is simply not the case, even though there is reason to replay the game, it is not for that reason. that's really everything bad about the game, everything else is great, but one thing that really surprised me was the depth of the characters and how much I actually ended up liking them. this is a great game for those who are into games where your choices matter and those who also love horror clichés because this game embraces them in the best way possible.… Expand
  8. ragnarokew
    Nov 10, 2015
    7
    Wasn't scary thats for sure but i like this kind games you making choices and game depens what you choice characters and atmosphere is good woth buying.

    7/10
  9. Archulysses
    Dec 13, 2016
    6
    Story - The story centers around 8 friends in their return to Blackwood mountains after one year from the day of accident that occured to the sisters of Josh (One of the main characters in game) and the horrors and secrets they will all uncover and experience and must survive until dawn.The game is based on the classic B rated Slash/horror films that was really popular on the 90s and itStory - The story centers around 8 friends in their return to Blackwood mountains after one year from the day of accident that occured to the sisters of Josh (One of the main characters in game) and the horrors and secrets they will all uncover and experience and must survive until dawn.The game is based on the classic B rated Slash/horror films that was really popular on the 90s and it pays homage to its story cliches. Therefore, you can both say it is a lazy effort by the developers or that they are just loyal and gave good research to those classic horror genre in its golden era. due to this, it will be very common for you to feel frustrated to the usual stupid decisions teenagers make in this game. However, what really interests me is that you as a player can decide for them in certain aspect of the game, and by doing so. You may or may not help them survive until the end. It will not change the general story however, it will give you more interactions since more characters will be alive by then. However, my main problem is that for a horror game, it never was scary for me at all. Yes there are a few jumpscares here and there and creepy places. But after finishing the game i never felt any reluctance to play it again like what games like alien isolation gave to me, i couldnt feel any more of this scary moments or pressuring moments. With these, a fair score of 6/10 will do.

    Gameplay - Gameplay also returned to the days where Resident evil and Silent hills dominates the horror genre with its fixed camera in your exploration. As to the interactivity of the game, i can say that it is good despite its lack of quantity esp. those scenes where you should not move since most of them will usually result in your character being put in a bad spot or may jump to their deaths. Another to thing to add that the whole campaign is short but since it is a story driven which changes based on your choices, it has a great level of replayability. You can decide to kill them or try to challenge yourself to make them all survive. With this regard, a good score of 8/10 deserves this aspect of the game.

    Graphics - As to the environment, it is almost perfect. The places are haunting, creepy and will really give you the goosebumps in your exploration. As to the character design, i liked how the developers really put effort in the motion captures of its characters. Their facial expression are realistic and detailed. However, my main problem is the FPS drops that comes more often than not in its cutscenes and due to this, delay of sounds or voice sounds occurs which gives me major problems since it is a game where you spend most of the time watching than playing it. Therefore, a score of 7/10 deserves such plus and minus.

    Music and Sound - The music of this game overall is good. The timed sections has that loud music which puts more pressures to you and the haunting ones are properly inserted in those creepy areas which adds to its uneasiness. As to the sound, Id say it has its ups and downs, as to the ups, voice acting of the characters is good and also the sudden sounds that comes in within jumpscare moments are spot on. In fact, i had more jumpscares from the sound rather than from the game's visuals. The downs is the same with the cutscenes that sudden framedrops occurs which makes the sound delay and not following the mouth movements of the characters. Considering all the factors i have said. it deserves a score of 7/10.

    Average score = 6.75 (I dont round off my scores since i dont give perfect scores and zeroes i.e. 9.6 rounded off to 10)

    Supermassive games really showed that they have potential to make story driven interactive games. It needs some improvements like its story and also that bad fps and needs more scary moments, but overall, i was satisfied with the game. I hope they would continue to improve in this aspect and release games in the future that would be in the level of quantic dream games. awesome and hope they live until dawn, lol.bad joke i know just kidding.    … Expand
  10. tariq_almandhar
    Aug 16, 2020
    7
    لعبة قصيرة ولا تقدم الكثير
    مجرد لعبة عادية
  11. Sceptic
    Sep 7, 2015
    7
    I really enjoyed Until Dawn.Although any story twists and shocks barely raised an eyebrow on this horror veteran.As an interactive movie,it's a great success,but as a video game it is less successful.It really needed more meaningful interaction besides QTE and conversation choices.Sadly,all of the characters were dull and predictable,though it was hard to dislike Sam and Emily wasI really enjoyed Until Dawn.Although any story twists and shocks barely raised an eyebrow on this horror veteran.As an interactive movie,it's a great success,but as a video game it is less successful.It really needed more meaningful interaction besides QTE and conversation choices.Sadly,all of the characters were dull and predictable,though it was hard to dislike Sam and Emily was obviously designed to be despised by every player( Just die you b**ch) .Still,it deserves a better sequel with better writing that doesn't treat it's audience like foolish horror amateurs...… Expand
  12. TyphoonHamster
    Sep 1, 2015
    7
    This game had great graphics, a pretty interesting plot, and kept me cringing everytime I made a decision. I kept asking myself, "Did I just send that character to murderville?". Overall, I had a great time with it. If you are not a fan of games like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, then you will probably hate this game. It has a lot of slow gameplay where you just explore theThis game had great graphics, a pretty interesting plot, and kept me cringing everytime I made a decision. I kept asking myself, "Did I just send that character to murderville?". Overall, I had a great time with it. If you are not a fan of games like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, then you will probably hate this game. It has a lot of slow gameplay where you just explore the environment and look for clues. However, if you do enjoy those types of games then this will give you an entertaining way to spend the evening. Even-though anyone can die in the game I feel that the replay value is still not too high. Once the big twist is revealed it just seems like who dies and who doesn't is not too important; it seems like the end result is roughly the same regardless due to the nature of the plot. Replay value isn't the purpose if you are in it for a pretty good story that plays out like an old school slasher flick and that is what I was playing it for so....mission accomplished!… Expand
  13. PsychoticCoast
    Aug 27, 2015
    7
    Don't let the yellow circle around the number fool you into thinking this game is only okay; Until Dawn is quite good, it just isn't good enough to warrant a $60 purchase.
    After reading some of the other reviews, I feel the need to mention a one thing before getting to the review proper: Until Dawn was meant to be a love letter to the horror film genre. To clarify, the characters, the    Don't let the yellow circle around the number fool you into thinking this game is only okay; Until Dawn is quite good, it just isn't good enough to warrant a $60 purchase.
    After reading some of the other reviews, I feel the need to mention a one thing before getting to the review proper: Until Dawn was meant to be a love letter to the horror film genre. To clarify, the characters, the different types of villains, and the setting as a whole were meant to feel familiar and stereotypical. Not unlike Joss Whedon's Cabin in the Woods, Until Dawn isn't really meant to be a standalone experience - you won't enjoy what you're seeing to its fullest if you haven't also seen at least some of the substantial source material.
    So the player controls 8 teenagers (portrayed by actors who most certainly are not teenagers) as they wander around a spooky house, a sanatorium, and the forest and such surrounding the two locations, picking up things and piecing together what happened at varying points of the mountain's past. The game jumps you from character to character to try and keep the narrative going. The characters have set attributes, as well as relationship meters with all of their friends, and your actions as each character alter how the others perceive you. Choices you make as one character resonate with the others, and change the story.
    On that note, the "butterfly effect" system the game is so proud of (it even gets its own intro cutscene), isn't as robust as the ones found in the Telltale games, or even that of Chrono Trigger. Supposed recaps of certain situations happened differently during my playthrough than they had when I was playing them. While the consequences were the same, there was an odd disconnect in seeing things that I didn't do work out the same way as the things I actually did. Similar problems arose regarding lines of dialogue that didn't make sense in the context of my actions.
    Gameplay-wise, most of the game is walking around looking at things and flipping them over. If you've played L.A. Noire, that's honestly the best way to describe it - right down to the over-the-shoulder camera when you pick something up and use the right stick to rotate it. Here, however, is where the most noticeable problem of Until Dawn shows itself: it doesn't control well at nearly any point in time. The game operates on a nearly fixed camera (think Resident Evil, or a Telltale game again), but the right stick is still used to move your character's light source around. Everyone turns too slowly, and the light sources, whatever they may be, are difficult to control, because it's hard to tell whether the game wants you to move the right stick in relation to the camera or the character. I'm pretty sure it changed sometimes, as well. But that's tolerable; the real problem is once the right trigger comes into play.
    Players use the right trigger (R2) to pick up objects, push buttons, open cabinets, and so on. To push a button, you must hold R2 until the character's finger presses the button, then release R2. To pick up an object and perform an action with it, you must hold R2 to pick it up, and keep R2 held while doing whatever else is required; releasing R2 will cause your character to place the object right where they found it and then just hold their hand in front of it, like they're trying to manipulate it with the Force. Furthermore, for some strange reason, all of the actions that involve movement in one of these R2 sections translate that movement to the right stick, not the left. Anyone who's played just about any 3D game will understand that the right stick is used for camera control, and that this is wrong. These sections appear often, but thankfully aren't usually time-sensitive.
    In all honesty, however, the thing that really lowered my opinion of the game was the lack of a consistent story in this story-based game. In trying to wrangle all of the horror subgenres into one game, the developers made a story with far too much going on at once; as though they were aware of this, they then sliced away every plot point previously mentioned, and put an entire new one in for the game's last third. With more than half the game involving a series of red herrings, the final, much more action-packed hours lack the tension and interest that was built up for the majority of the game. Furthermore, Until Dawn is, like the horror films it so lovingly emulates, predictable to the extreme. Every plot twist is foreseeable, even after the radical shift in subject matter in the last section of the game. And, as a side note, most of this horror game's "scares" are jump scares that have no context nor significance to the plot at all.
    Despite these concerns, I still enjoyed Until Dawn, as did my family and girlfriend who all sat down to watch the story unfold. But I think I enjoyed it more than some because I got it for about $30, rather than the full price. Like a bad horror film, rent it, or buy it on sale, and you'll have a good time.    … Expand
  14. thanatopsis
    Aug 28, 2015
    7
    I hate interactive movies. I hate the Telltale games, and I didn't much care for Heavy Rain. It certainly isn't worth $60, maybe $20, and it doesn't even have much replay value as there are very few differences besides the few different endings and some scenes where dead characters will be missing.
    Still, it was enjoyable and after the first fairly dull 3 hours I found it hard to put    I hate interactive movies. I hate the Telltale games, and I didn't much care for Heavy Rain. It certainly isn't worth $60, maybe $20, and it doesn't even have much replay value as there are very few differences besides the few different endings and some scenes where dead characters will be missing.
    Still, it was enjoyable and after the first fairly dull 3 hours I found it hard to put down. It literally kept me up until dawn, and then some.
    I killed off a few characters the first time and immediately though, "I shouldn't have done that. That was stupider than a teen in a typical horror movie." But other times all I did was miss a quick-time event sprung on me after a 10-minute non-interactive scene.
    The plot is a bit predictable, but slightly twisty and fun. The characters are typical shallow horror movie types, but I tended to care more about them as time went on. I was rooting for them to die at first, but trying to save them by the end.
    I just don't understand why the couldn't have built in a few real game mechanics. Why not let me run and climb like in Tomb Raider instead of pushing a triangle at the correct moment to jump to a higher ledger or slide under a tree? I don't get that.
    Still, it is something different and quite entertaining. Although there are passages where the characters look like the "zombie" children from The Polar Express, the acting and animation is usually quite good and many emotions are conveyed.
    It is far from perfect, but it is a milestone in the interactive movie genre.
    It is at least worth a rental if you have a PS4. Or buy it and lend it to friends when you are done. One or two times through is enough unless you really want to get all the collectibles, and have to sit through hours and hours of the same non-skipable scenes again and again.    … Expand
  15. TheBeastInMe
    Aug 30, 2015
    7
    Sure, this can hardly be called a "video game" as that term has been defined over the last 30 years, but whatever the hell you call it, it was a wonderful experience. I know this because (1) I completed the game over the weekend and (2) my wife was as engaged in watching me play it as I was. As a (now) casual gamer married to a woman who hates video games these two things never happen. ISure, this can hardly be called a "video game" as that term has been defined over the last 30 years, but whatever the hell you call it, it was a wonderful experience. I know this because (1) I completed the game over the weekend and (2) my wife was as engaged in watching me play it as I was. As a (now) casual gamer married to a woman who hates video games these two things never happen. I suppose that says more about how this experience is not a video game than anything else, but video games are evolving and I suppose this will be a case study on that point.

    Unfortunately, the thing most likely to kill you in this otherwise tense experience are its first 2.5 hours. This part of the game just moved too slowly and the scares had no substance to them. As a fan of the horror genre, that “thing lurking in the shadows” can only turn out to be a harmless **** so many times before I stop taking you seriously. This isn’t to say that the scares should commence right out the gate, but too many false starts are what nearly caused me to put the controller down on this one forever. If the creators want to lull me into a false sense of security before unleashing the proverbial beast, I would appreciate it if they were quicker about it next time. This wouldn’t be so bad in a game where you can do more than walk at a snail’s pace, but with the exception of its set pieces, that’s really all you can do here. This has the effect of forcing you to endure 2-3 hours of slow, uneventful “gameplay” through the introductory chapters. I'm too damn busy to spend all that time doing nothing.

    Another gripe I had is that when you are in control of them, the players can never move faster than a slow amble. If you hold down the L1 button you go from moving at 1 mile per hour to moving at 1.2 miles per hour. However, the game rewards exploration, possibly more so than any game I have ever played. This sends mixed messages by encouraging you to check every corner of every environment, but also making it frustrating to walk your character's slow ass across the room. This frustration is exacerbated when the characters have to explore some of the larger locales. The experience would have been much better if you could at least jog. This would have allowed me to get through the game’s slower moments without sacrificing the tension I am sure the developers were trying to achieve with the whole walking thing. I’m left wondering why the creators of the game even gave you the option of “walking faster” by holding L1, when there was no meaningful difference in the character’s pace.

    Notwithstanding the above, there are many things I found in this game that I want to see in future video games. The setting is fantastic and the graphics are incredible. The game is just amazing to look at. I also appreciate how the choices you make have consequences that the game forces you to live with. The game is constantly saving, so if a decision you made results in a character’s death, or leaves the character without a weapon, you have to move forward with that. What made this feature so interesting is that the consequences of your decisions are not always readily apparent: sometimes the consequence of a decision you made much earlier in the game does not manifest itself until the game’s final chapters, when the **** really hits the fan. Another quality I found interesting is that the choices I made did not always turn out the way I would have expected.

    Despite what I am reading in other reviews: the story and characters are brilliant. Reviewers are complaining that the characters are one-dimensional stereotypes to which I say two things: (1) no, they aren’t really, and (2) so what? On that first point, the characters definitely start out as stereotypes, but they (and how you feel about them) will change based on the decisions you make. At one point early in the game, you rank the characters based on how you feel about them. Naturally, I made my choices based on the things I had observed up to that point. As the game progressed however, the way I felt about certain characters changed dramatically. I have never had an emotional attachment to video game characters quite like I did in this game. By the end of the game, each character was a byproduct of the decisions I had personally made. So, if you played the game and still think that the characters are stereotypes, then perhaps that says more about you than the characters themselves.

    Lastly, I prefer conventional video games where the interactivity aspect manifests itself more in the gameplay and less in player decisions. I hated Beyond Two Souls and the minute I learned that this game was going to be much like that gameplay-wise I was seriously off-put. In fact, I un-preordered Until Dawn and did not buy it. Instead, I rented it and I am damn glad I gave it a shot because when the developers address its issues in future games, I am looking forward to giving them my money.    … Expand
  16. chr1so
    Sep 2, 2015
    7
    Basically an interactive movie. The gameplay consists of some quick time events. That's it. Very similar to tell-tale games.
    Personally it wasn't that scary, not like Outlast anyway. My wife tho, she crapped herself, but still loved watching me play, and wanted me to start again right after finishing the game.
    So depends what your cup of tea is. For me it was a bit meh
  17. fastdak25
    Sep 17, 2015
    7
    This was my first time playing a tell tale game, or what ever you call this type of game. I liked the idea of ripping off all the stereotypes of teen slasher horror movies, giving control to the player of each character's choices.

    As far as horror goes though, it's not scary at all. After first two chapters I knew there was nothing to be scared of in this game other than trying to    This was my first time playing a tell tale game, or what ever you call this type of game. I liked the idea of ripping off all the stereotypes of teen slasher horror movies, giving control to the player of each character's choices.

    As far as horror goes though, it's not scary at all. After first two chapters I knew there was nothing to be scared of in this game other than trying to predict the countless jump scares there are. And there are a lot, but ya that's it for horrow, no sense of dread at all. By chapter 4 I was just running though each scene w/o a care for what was coming up.

    I finally got through the game with 1 survivor. I doubt I will play it again though. The butterfly effect was very well executed during my play through, but at the same time you can pretty much guess what will happen if you play again and make the other choices. Game certainly has replayability, but only for completionist. Not worth the $60, get it used or in the sales.    … Expand
  18. TragicShow
    Aug 26, 2015
    7
    If you like games such as the "Walking Dead" or "Wolf Among Us", I would say that you should definitely consider buying this game.

    I wanted to give this game a better score, but it had too many shortcomings for me. The story is a little cliche for my tastes. It's basically one of the "bunch of college friends go to [insert isolated area] and end up getting chased around by [insert scary    If you like games such as the "Walking Dead" or "Wolf Among Us", I would say that you should definitely consider buying this game.

    I wanted to give this game a better score, but it had too many shortcomings for me. The story is a little cliche for my tastes. It's basically one of the "bunch of college friends go to [insert isolated area] and end up getting chased around by [insert scary monster(s)]" horror stories. A lot of the decisions you make are actually more of an illusion of choice in which you are presented with two options, but no matter what you pick the same thing happens. This is mainly used to keep the plot pushing forward, but it can still be annoying. Certain things in the plot just don't make any sense, but this is generally very minor. The voice acting is also pretty bad at times, and the dialogue makes me think I'm watching a high school play.

    The graphics are nice (even though it's usually too dark to tell anyway) and the game does a good job of constructing an atmosphere. If you are a big fan of interactive stories, you would probably like this.    … Expand
  19. itrain
    Aug 28, 2015
    6
    Are you a horror-game enthusiast? Did The Evil Within not go the distance for you? Do you want to control the fates of every teen horror archetype in one night? If you have responded yes to the above, this game will be a very pleasing play through for you. The best thing about Until Dawn I saw is, anyone can play it, and play it very effectively. The difficulty is sub-par, so if you areAre you a horror-game enthusiast? Did The Evil Within not go the distance for you? Do you want to control the fates of every teen horror archetype in one night? If you have responded yes to the above, this game will be a very pleasing play through for you. The best thing about Until Dawn I saw is, anyone can play it, and play it very effectively. The difficulty is sub-par, so if you are hunting for a horror-esque game with a high-level challenge, check out Bloodbourne. Until Dawn grabs you from the shaking events on the prologue and doesn't let go for more than a minute to "relieve" your nerves, and then shakes you even harder. Something great Until Dawn did was bring the player into the horror experience. You, the player, have to progress through the dark, dreary abandoned mine shaft. As the game has a great deal of positives, there are negatives I experienced. The characters in the cast fell short for me, none of them were memorable to me and when(if) they died, I shrugged and kept on going. Another issue I had with the game was how badly the story was told, lore wise. The game would give you facts about an event and not five minutes later would completely refute it. I understand the mystery aspect but as an avid mystery genre fanatic, giving the player clues to connect and losing the relevance of key "clues" I found through the game was really irritating. As a game with a new age horror experience, this game is worth a play through. Rent it on gamefly if you are able to...The replay-ability is abysmal and you will not like hearing the same dialogue and jump scares more than once.… Expand
  20. Storm1672
    Oct 10, 2015
    7
    Not so many impactful choices as there seem to be in the beginning. The irritating characters won't help either. The game is beautiful though the uncanny valley is evident throughout. All in all, it a nice game, but a bit overrated. The games from Quantic Dream and Telltale have more meaningful choices and much better scripts.

    Having said the above, I enjoyed my first playthrough as    Not so many impactful choices as there seem to be in the beginning. The irritating characters won't help either. The game is beautiful though the uncanny valley is evident throughout. All in all, it a nice game, but a bit overrated. The games from Quantic Dream and Telltale have more meaningful choices and much better scripts.

    Having said the above, I enjoyed my first playthrough as much as I enjoy a teen horror movie with a not so great 3rd act. But this (movie) genre tends to have a bad third act almost every time. At least now you get to choose which one will die.

    tl;dr
    Enjoyable first playthrough, a bit overrated    … Expand
  21. Kauneon
    Aug 25, 2015
    7
    A video game obsessed with its own narratology, detracting from the overall immersion. As far as interpretation goes the Butterfly Effect motif is spoon-fed, when it should be implied. The conceit found with the nuanced campiness is that it's actually not to a fault, but what ruins this subtlety is the flimsily implemented motion-controls.
  22. Vik1ng
    Aug 28, 2015
    5
    One undeniable factor about Until Dawn is that the graphics are simply amazing, you can really see emotions on the characters faces and especially on their mouths (unlike the up and down motion on a lot of games) so that definitely adds to the game for me.

    It is a VERY cinematic experience (littered with cut scenes) that focuses on you making decisions to engross you, rather than all    One undeniable factor about Until Dawn is that the graphics are simply amazing, you can really see emotions on the characters faces and especially on their mouths (unlike the up and down motion on a lot of games) so that definitely adds to the game for me.

    It is a VERY cinematic experience (littered with cut scenes) that focuses on you making decisions to engross you, rather than all out action. For me personally, it was a bit too much of the former although it does have its moments. The story isn't bad, nor is it good but it does rely on jump scares (like a classic horror film),

    If you enjoy Telltale games then you'll probably love this or, and this may sounds strange, a couple looking for something to do at night! You can argue over the decisions ;)    … Expand
  23. Ordy
    Sep 10, 2015
    5
    Not overly impressed by this game but will give it more of a go to see if it gets better...
    Really dont expect much after everything thats on the PS4 so far though. PC gaming looks far better and a lot more actual quality games so far.
  24. jfinnegan
    Nov 27, 2015
    5
    So, here we have Until Dawn, an interactive video game that revolves around a group of characters trying to survive a night in a remote estate. You the player take control of various characters, and in turn have to make choices that will impact who survives in the end. It's a pretty straight forward story akin to 1980s slasher films.
    The game's biggest strength is the voice work turned in    So, here we have Until Dawn, an interactive video game that revolves around a group of characters trying to survive a night in a remote estate. You the player take control of various characters, and in turn have to make choices that will impact who survives in the end. It's a pretty straight forward story akin to 1980s slasher films.
    The game's biggest strength is the voice work turned in by the actors. Although the dialogue is at times cringeworthy the delivery is done well by most of the cast. The other thing that stands out in this game is the visuals. The game looks downright gorgeous at times, and it maintains a solid frame rate throughout the experience.
    That however is where the positives end. Truth be told I have a hard time calling this a game at all. It is more of an interactive movie where sometimes you get to walk around, and sometimes you get to make a mundane choice. This could possibly be forgiven if the game had any significant scares in it, but the only this this has going for it in terms of scares are the thousands of jumpscares it throws at you near the end. I was expecting good things from this for the fact that it was an exclusive, but what I got was an extremly dull, and at times boring experience. Something no gamer wants to go through while playing a game.    … Expand
  25. lordraxta
    Jul 5, 2016
    6
    Nice butterfly effect but no playability, the story is linear so u make the choices but the story still the same no big changes, the graphics are ok, but not spectacular, at the mid game i was just wanting to reach the end of the game. I WONT BUY THE SECOND PART IF THERE IS...
  26. LinkTriforce
    Apr 22, 2016
    5
    me duele darle esta calificacion porque realmente me encanto este juego pero si somos justos a parte de la toma de decisiones no hay nada atractivo en este juego, la historia es la misma de siempre, chicos alocados que se quedan solos en una cabaña y un asenino o varios los persiguen para patarlo, la misma formula de viernes 13, masacre en texas, y en cierta parte tambien halloween, y elme duele darle esta calificacion porque realmente me encanto este juego pero si somos justos a parte de la toma de decisiones no hay nada atractivo en este juego, la historia es la misma de siempre, chicos alocados que se quedan solos en una cabaña y un asenino o varios los persiguen para patarlo, la misma formula de viernes 13, masacre en texas, y en cierta parte tambien halloween, y el gameblay es muy aburrido parace mas bien puzzle que terror y aun asi la toma de decisiones ya existía en silent hill shattered memories el cual lo considero 10 veces mejor… Expand
  27. Drake_Gunjin
    Apr 22, 2016
    5
    ¿Película interactiva o Juego casual?

    Cuando alguien me pregunta que *#$%"& es Until Dawn es la interrogante de mi título la que se viene a mi cabeza y no me hes fácil de contestar, ya sea la persona no entiende los conceptos o porque yo mismo no tengo la claridad de como clasificarlo. La historia es el clásico thriller de terror de los 80s-90s que llenaban las salas de los cines,    ¿Película interactiva o Juego casual?

    Cuando alguien me pregunta que *#$%"& es Until Dawn es la interrogante de mi título la que se viene a mi cabeza y no me hes fácil de contestar, ya sea la persona no entiende los conceptos o porque yo mismo no tengo la claridad de como clasificarlo.

    La historia es el clásico thriller de terror de los 80s-90s que llenaban las salas de los cines, donde los protagonistas poco importaban, la historia era sólo la base necesaria para introducir a la verdadera estrella "El Villano". Sagas como Pesadilla o Viernes 13 no son recordadas por la joven valiente que sobrevivió al final de la cinta, sino por el emblemático villano que será recordado como un icono de la cultura pop.

    Until Dawn tiene todos estos elementos menos el más importante un villano carismático que recordaremos al final del viaje.

    Nos presenta un buena historia donde nuestra tensión como jugadores es mantener con vida a los personajes típicos del estereotipo estadounidense.

    La jugabilidad es casi nula y mi evaluación es un punto por sobre The Order porque al menos en este título los QTM (Quick Time Event) sí están bien implementados.

    Until Dawn es un titulo prescindible al cual no recomiendo su compra por el precio completo, pero si esta la opción de conseguirlo a un muy bajo valor o prestado sería 100% válido como actividad grupal. La verdad es que es una película, y por lo tanto puedes disfrutarlo con tu familia o amigos.    … Expand
  28. ason313
    Jan 27, 2016
    7
    Impressive presentation and graphics that make you feel like you entered a horror movie. The game is ultimately about trial and error to achieve its full potential. Lots of quick time events and tough decisions that can mean life or death for characters whose personalities vary greatly on play throughs depending on your choices which aren't always clear or easy to make, Would get a higherImpressive presentation and graphics that make you feel like you entered a horror movie. The game is ultimately about trial and error to achieve its full potential. Lots of quick time events and tough decisions that can mean life or death for characters whose personalities vary greatly on play throughs depending on your choices which aren't always clear or easy to make, Would get a higher score if they found a way to extend the games play-ability after you reach the "true ending." If you like the survival horror genre i would recommend it, but I can't say the full $60 is worth it since I'll probably never play it again. I got it used for 25 bucks and feel it was well worth that though.… Expand
  29. TheAlwaysJhon
    Oct 19, 2015
    5
    If i wanted a true horror game, i would play Resident Evil for the Gamecube or Dead Space again.
    Until Dawn have a great idea on paper, but the execution being the "cinematic" approach, it falls short on my taste.
    It looks great, but true horror doesn't comes from jump scares, it comes from making you fear what can or cannot happen in the moment, but being a video game, you need to make    If i wanted a true horror game, i would play Resident Evil for the Gamecube or Dead Space again.
    Until Dawn have a great idea on paper, but the execution being the "cinematic" approach, it falls short on my taste.
    It looks great, but true horror doesn't comes from jump scares, it comes from making you fear what can or cannot happen in the moment, but being a video game, you need to make people also feel this in terms of gameplay, making the person question if it is worth fighting or not enemies, wasting ammo and items for minor enemys you might not have enough against a boss monster.
    If anyone want those Light Novels games with horror elements, i would suggest playing this, but if you want a true horror game, try to find the Resident Evil Remake for Gamecube which is a far superior GAME than Until Dawn.    … Expand
  30. everin
    Oct 1, 2015
    7
    Tier 2
    + One of the most visually impressive console games released to date, particularly concerning lighting and animations
    + Demonstrates incredible cinematic prowess that pushes the adventure game genre to a new level + Engaging, visceral, and fun in its execution and delivery ? Suffers some pacing issues in its attempt to cover so many genre tropes and characters ? Interesting    Tier 2
    + One of the most visually impressive console games released to date, particularly concerning lighting and animations
    + Demonstrates incredible cinematic prowess that pushes the adventure game genre to a new level
    + Engaging, visceral, and fun in its execution and delivery
    ? Suffers some pacing issues in its attempt to cover so many genre tropes and characters
    ? Interesting exploration mechanics, though in many instances they distract from the cinematic immersion by making the experience feel like gamey "search for the glowing objects"
    - Treats its players like idiots in its tutorials and communications of the objectives
    - Ending feels rushed and cheap compared to the story building up to it, greatly undercuts the achievements of the game's earlier chapters    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best PS4 Game of 2015
9
#9 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
10
#10 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 103 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 86 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 103
  3. Negative: 1 out of 103
  1. CD-Action
    Nov 14, 2015
    65
    A barely interactive horror film about typical American teenagers. You know, with a cabin. In the woods. And a psychopath. We’ve all seen that, we’ve heard these dialogues, we all know these characters. Still Until Dawn has a pretty good story and is a nice homage to horror flicks and despite being a collection of simple QTE’s can both engage and surprise. [11/2015, p.44]
  2. SpazioGames
    Oct 28, 2015
    80
    It's tense, smart, and able to arouse the player's curiosity until the end. Some design choices are a bit controversial, and the acting is not always spot on, but it's definitely a great homage to horror movies.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Oct 16, 2015
    80
    Gameplay-wise, not exactly a killer app, but anybody who looks at those visuals will be dead impressed. Short, but plenty of reasons to replay, and it’s the spookiest game since Alien: Isolation. [November 2015, p72]
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