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. patolouco22
    Aug 28, 2015
    2
    Needless to play the game to know it's more movie than game.

    The typical game that you can play on youtube.

    Really very weak. Only valid if it comes offered in Plus.
  2. Deadite409
    Aug 28, 2015
    9
    If you like cheesy 80's horror/slasher flicks, and 'choose your own adventure' stories/games, this is for you.
    I am a huge horror fan, especially 80's. My favorite aspect of this game is the sound and cinematography. When you're walking down a snowy path, hearing footsteps in the snow, wind, trees, animals, and the camera changes to a view where someone on the hillside is watching your    If you like cheesy 80's horror/slasher flicks, and 'choose your own adventure' stories/games, this is for you.
    I am a huge horror fan, especially 80's. My favorite aspect of this game is the sound and cinematography. When you're walking down a snowy path, hearing footsteps in the snow, wind, trees, animals, and the camera changes to a view where someone on the hillside is watching your movements, and reacting by hiding, and heavily breathing, it really is an 80's horror film. Plenty of homage is paid to some classics as well. It's a "choose your own adventure" cinematic masterpiece. Some people may be upset that it isn't a "game" per se, but there's plenty of mechanics and exploration that are not QTE related. Really the fun lies in deciding who you want your characters to be, and playing them out as such.

    As I mentioned the sound earlier, that's where the real jump scares come from, and there's plenty. I really enjoyed the twists and scares, and if you have an open mind, you will too.

    I give it a 9 instead of a 10 because the movement can be slow sometimes (but not like Rapture), and you couldn't always make decisions that you feel your character would. There's usually only 2 choices, and some events could really benefit from more.    … Expand
  3. RayRay1992
    Aug 28, 2015
    9
    Great Game

    Amazing graphics, very very Atmospheric, Jump Scares

    Great Storyline, although gets a bit crazy near the end

    Will replay just to see what happens with the other choices, the characters are well written, the setting is creepy

    Top Marks
  4. gregoryLamp
    Aug 28, 2015
    4
    The developers could have made it a lot better....It has potential but the game is not so good.The graphics are stunning but the story is bad,the game play is too slow and boring and the butterfly effect does not work except a few times-all the other times whatever choice you make has the same outcome
  5. Mefisto_
    Aug 28, 2015
    8
    So guys, I am WRITING this review AFTER FINISHING THE GAME, must say it is beautiful. The beginning of the game is just amazing, leaves you confused as hell, trying to find the answer on what the hell is going on, exactly what any horror game needs to do, create curiosity.

    Character introduction is very good as well, by that they are trying to hook you up and make you feel emotionally    So guys, I am WRITING this review AFTER FINISHING THE GAME, must say it is beautiful. The beginning of the game is just amazing, leaves you confused as hell, trying to find the answer on what the hell is going on, exactly what any horror game needs to do, create curiosity.

    Character introduction is very good as well, by that they are trying to hook you up and make you feel emotionally attached to the protagonists, and I must say that losing Sam for me would have been a rap, I was really trying to save her and as the story goes you feel like that towards all the characters, even **** ones - you are still gonna feel like you must save them because they are your friends. Moreover, true personalities will be revealed as well which will change your attitude to these people because everyone will be under severe pressure making life mattering choices, and as the story went on I had no regrets having Sam as my favorite one!

    Do the choices matter? Hell yeah they do, minor things can mess the whole story up, even though some events(very few) are going to happen anyways(does not relate to the ending, the lives of the friends are entirely in your hands! Even being too slow while crossing a river may mess the situation up!

    As the story reaches its middle things get a bit less tense(may be different for you, everyone reacts differently), but emotional connection to protagonists keeps you feel stressed and involved cause after hours you played trying to keep them alive you don't want to make a mistake which will waste your efforts. There are many hints in the game which may help you to make right choices(danger, fortune totems) and I want to tell you straight away - if you pick up death totem that does not mean the character is going to die anyway, it is just a possibility, everything is in your hands!

    This is an amazing game, goes to one of my favorites, don't understand people who are very critical about it, if you question price tag just think about how much work has been done of finishing paths for all different choices and the beautiful graphics this game has. You feel sorry that this game is only for PS4? There are games for PC or Xbox or Wii U only as well, don't be hating.

    So why I give it an 8? In my eyes, ending made it look so so. I was expecting much more emotions in the end, something that will make you very happy after all the difficulties you have overcome. Friends hugging, loving couples(of which there are 2 in this game) rejoining, kissing each other, that kind of stuff. However, game ends less emotionally, just going to the titles with video interview of survivals, I think it is a bit wack for such tense and emotional game, should have done it better.

    Nevertheless, great game, seeing some people giving 0 to this game is just nonsense, this title has definitely achieved great success in making choice based horror game. RECOMMEND IT!    … Expand
  6. blazesportelli
    Aug 28, 2015
    4
    I was so excited for this game but I've got to say I'm more than disappointed. It didn't feel scary at all to me, the identity of the psycho was stupid in my opinion, the dialogue was just... meh.. and it felt like I was watching terrible 70's horror movie. The only good thing about this game was that it was a decently fun adventure game.
  7. ErgeX
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    My friends and I loved the cheesiness, cheap jump scares, and funny moments of Until Dawn. We decided to give it one point each-- so, eight-- including me plus two because my sisters enjoyed it as well.
  8. stevenexclusive
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    So much fun, the cliche horror film with tremendous butterfly effect storyline. I'm not sure why people would complain about the gameplay, it's exactly what it was marketed as. Overall, great!
  9. Joshuwo
    Aug 28, 2015
    9
    Really enjoyed this game - think that shows by how long it took me to play the game. Got it yesterday and finished it the day after. It was really addictive and hard to put down. Although, I'm left with the feeling of wanting more... Feel like the amount of money I paid was a bit too much for what you get as once you've completed it, there isn't really much more you can do/change unlessReally enjoyed this game - think that shows by how long it took me to play the game. Got it yesterday and finished it the day after. It was really addictive and hard to put down. Although, I'm left with the feeling of wanting more... Feel like the amount of money I paid was a bit too much for what you get as once you've completed it, there isn't really much more you can do/change unless you want the trophies.… Expand
  10. ctn1187
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    Game is really fun and different. I really enjoyed this experience. I don't really understand the hate. I think the people that are giving it bad reviews were expecting Resident Evil when it clearly wasn't even trying to be anything like that. It's about choices and it does for the most part, make it feel like you are guiding players through a horror movie. Definitely worth two playthroughs
  11. MarcoBB07
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    I'm in the third play trough this game and stil got surprises!. As a letter love to horror movies it is full of cliche scenes, but the fun and execution is perfect! A real masterpiece with gorgeous graphics and animation, terrific atmosphere and sound, fun gameplay. The choices you made really are important to the story. In spite of I didn't care about some characters, I still care aboutI'm in the third play trough this game and stil got surprises!. As a letter love to horror movies it is full of cliche scenes, but the fun and execution is perfect! A real masterpiece with gorgeous graphics and animation, terrific atmosphere and sound, fun gameplay. The choices you made really are important to the story. In spite of I didn't care about some characters, I still care about to achieve different endings and it push me to choice different paths, that didn't match my own morals or taste! It is for horror games what the first Scary movie was for horror movies at its time, a new breath of air! It worth buying a PS4 to play it and you can have so much fun until Uncharted4 arrives!!!… Expand
  12. xTHUNDERSHOCK
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    This game is a masterpiece apart from the camera angles but from everything else this game is an absolute masterpiece anyone can live anyone can die in this game for me only 3 people survived but the graphics are amazing the gameplay for a survival horror interactive game is great and the story is awesome its focused on one part of the story then it completely changes it to a differentThis game is a masterpiece apart from the camera angles but from everything else this game is an absolute masterpiece anyone can live anyone can die in this game for me only 3 people survived but the graphics are amazing the gameplay for a survival horror interactive game is great and the story is awesome its focused on one part of the story then it completely changes it to a different point People say they dont understand dr hill I kinda do its all in josh's head with the therapist its his conscience or something like that so ye 10/10 for this game… Expand
  13. Verdas
    Aug 28, 2015
    9
    Until Dawn is a amazing game!
    Surprised me in so many aspects, good story and tensions. You cant shut down the game until the end.
    Awesome graphics, 9/10.
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. redsuns
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    Very amazing well done game. Great atmosphere. Plenty of scary moments. Great graphics and voiceovers. Good pacing throughout the game that makes you keep playing to see what happen next. Several plot twists/reveal near the end. I love this game. Its a MASTERPIECE. Its perfect. One of the best games on the ps4.
  17. evgeniibad
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pros: - Borderline photo realistic graphics (seriously)
    - Excellent voice acting/motion capture
    - Great writing (there is more to this than it seems)
    - Choices are plentiful, and meaningful; a plethora of outcomes
    - Replayability (ties into the above point)
    - Bonus features (think special features you'd find on a Blu-ray movie)

    Cons: - Some people may find it a bit short (my first playthrough took me around 7 hours)    … Expand
  18. tokyoe_one
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    The horror genre is probably the best for this style of game. It beats Telltale and Quantum Dreams games by far in entertaining me, which is obviously a very subjective statement and i like horror movies. Ever thought about teenagers making the wrong decisions in a slasher movie? Find out if you were right! The characters will seem cliché or stupid at start, but you will forget this fastThe horror genre is probably the best for this style of game. It beats Telltale and Quantum Dreams games by far in entertaining me, which is obviously a very subjective statement and i like horror movies. Ever thought about teenagers making the wrong decisions in a slasher movie? Find out if you were right! The characters will seem cliché or stupid at start, but you will forget this fast and grow fond of them fast, which is based on good performances, good actors and the devs talent in knowing their tools of psychological manipulation. SPOILER AHEAD - The one and only problem was myself not having any big connection to american native indians mythical or ghost stories, they fail to impress me much. Though i understand the writers choice to lay traps and try to lead you on a wrong path. Anyway, great game and also a new standard. When this game showed it's first trailers i was sure this would fail and i was very very wrong!… Expand
  19. GrandScale
    Aug 27, 2015
    9
    So much fun! During the game you get to make some really critical choices that actually have an impact later on (sometimes even under time pressure). And no one is safe! Everyone can die depending on your actions. Due to this fact you'll be on your toes for most of the time and makes you want to keep on playing!

    The atmosphere is perfect! It captures the creepy horrorfilm ambient really    So much fun! During the game you get to make some really critical choices that actually have an impact later on (sometimes even under time pressure). And no one is safe! Everyone can die depending on your actions. Due to this fact you'll be on your toes for most of the time and makes you want to keep on playing!

    The atmosphere is perfect! It captures the creepy horrorfilm ambient really well. The soundtrack fits perfectly too.

    The graphics are great, though the framerate can dip a bit during some scenes. And your character can get stuck in the environment sometimes.

    Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of this game and I can't wait to get the Platinum trophy for it.    … Expand
  20. 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
  21. iwhbyd
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    I really enjoyed this game. The story starts off sort of cliche, which is intentional, but once you get a few chapters in the mystery gets really good and the story picks up. It's basically the video game version of the Cabin in the Woods movie that came out a few years ago. One of the strong points of the game is the atmosphere, and a big part of that is the lighting effects, which areI really enjoyed this game. The story starts off sort of cliche, which is intentional, but once you get a few chapters in the mystery gets really good and the story picks up. It's basically the video game version of the Cabin in the Woods movie that came out a few years ago. One of the strong points of the game is the atmosphere, and a big part of that is the lighting effects, which are gorgeous in this game. The player choice element of the game make it worth doing a second playthrough, and even beyond that, as there is more than just 2 ways to do things with branching paths leading to other branching paths. It's a genuinely fun game that keeps you guessing and wondering what will happen next. Overall, i think this is a great game and probably my favorite game this year after the Witcher 3. Would recommend it to anyone especially fans of horror movies.… Expand
  22. virtuask
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    You get exactly what you thought, and more!

    You want a fun and scary horror experience with (seemingly) cheesy horror movie characters and storytelling, a lot of blood, gore, atmosphere and jump scares? You got it! But Until Dawn offers you much more on the way: Sure you can enjoy the game on the surface, make quick decisions, see bloody deaths and have a good laugh now and then    You get exactly what you thought, and more!

    You want a fun and scary horror experience with (seemingly) cheesy horror movie characters and storytelling, a lot of blood, gore, atmosphere and jump scares? You got it!

    But Until Dawn offers you much more on the way:
    Sure you can enjoy the game on the surface, make quick decisions, see bloody deaths and have a good laugh now and then with the dialogue (actually funny stuff)! That's all good.

    But you can also dig into the story, help develop characters and for once really influence the game with what you decide.
    On a certain level the game plays like Heavy Rain, with it's decisions, quick button pushing but the thing is: in Until Dawn there are lots of paths, lots of choices that really change the course of the story and not only by presenting a different part of the story but actually by changing the characters, their relations with each other or the environment and your choices may even kill the characters you came to like (which can actually happen quite often if you make bad decisions).

    This is much more than just a horror game, this is the ultimate horror movie experience, in which you decide if people do stupid stuff and die, or you can bond with your characters, try to let them survive, develop their personality, their relations with each other and much more.

    Check this one out because you won't regret it!    … Expand
  23. MihaMatavz
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    Awesome game!

    It is something different I have ever played before!
    Characters are very unique, story is pretty good, jump scares are real.
    Atmosphere feels like watching a horror movie and a lot of horror movies that are published these years fail to scare You but this game is doing a great job at scaring You and keeping You wanting to explore everything!
  24. willmoy38
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    Very good game. I was very impressed. The "butterfly effect" system is out of this world, and the story had some interesting twists too.
    I am definitely going to be doing at least a second playthrough of this game. It runs smoothly and it's just an overall incredible game. If you like anything at all by TellTale games, you'll LOVE Until Dawn!!
  25. acid_reign36
    Aug 27, 2015
    10
    This game is fantastic, especially when played with others. A group of my friends get together every September and October for spooky movie month(s) each week to watch horror films and this was a great way to kick it off. We traded off the controller between chapters and it was super fun! The graphics are beautiful and the cinematography is great. I can't wait to replay it and see whatThis game is fantastic, especially when played with others. A group of my friends get together every September and October for spooky movie month(s) each week to watch horror films and this was a great way to kick it off. We traded off the controller between chapters and it was super fun! The graphics are beautiful and the cinematography is great. I can't wait to replay it and see what different choices result in. Support this developer for taking a chance on creating a game like this. It's a great take on campy horror flicks. If you like the movie Cabin in the Woods, you have to play this game. In collecting items and such we really felt like we were piecing together little parts of the story. I can't recommend this game enough.… Expand
  26. Jaybird
    Aug 27, 2015
    9
    This is definitely one of the better games out for the PS4. If you like Heavy Rain style games and like slasher horror style setting and story, this game doesn't disappoint. It's just a good game. I will be playing it some more to see what I could have done better.
  27. theNILE
    Aug 26, 2015
    2
    The "horror" is entirely jumpscares. There is a little brutality which I liked, but I thought the Wendigo rendered you immobile, and kept you alive and aware while ripping your skin off, before eating your organs; the old man says it so after learning that all the death scenes are just confusing. Even more confusing is when the old man is standing still, but somehow still gets killed.The "horror" is entirely jumpscares. There is a little brutality which I liked, but I thought the Wendigo rendered you immobile, and kept you alive and aware while ripping your skin off, before eating your organs; the old man says it so after learning that all the death scenes are just confusing. Even more confusing is when the old man is standing still, but somehow still gets killed.

    The characters are annoyingly stupid, and when they aren't being stupid, they're usually just being annoying (especially Emily). Why is there a Nathan Drake? And did the dialogue have to really be so bland? Some bad subtitling didn't go unnoticed. Another thing is when the camera is kind of close to a characters face, sometimes it looks awful... I'm guessing there are texture bugs or something. It's also really weird when they put in high res textures which are used in about 1% of your play time.

    While the general plot is fairly predictable - which is okay - it does give hints and attempts to use some lore stuff. If you bother to read then you'll understand why the Wendigo doesn't just slaughter everyone and it's appreciated.

    The totem thing is okay, but many were just irrelevant and it just seemed like a replayability excuse. I was sad you had to collect all the totems to reveal the movie of what happened the year before, I don't see why the story should be limited in this way after you've finished the game once. If anything, hunting around for totems is exactly what I don't want to do in this game.

    Some people think this even tops Heavy Rain, but tbh I thought both the characters and dialogue were actually compelling in Heavy Rain and actually the main reason of why the game was so enjoyable. It's quite shocking that nobody has as of yet has even been able to accomplish something similar, because I really enjoy these types of games when done right. Anybody can create jumpscares, but Until Dawn throws a lot of cheap ones at you, and the ghost one makes you wonder how exactly did Josh set that up so quickly? Some oversights and lack of polish is incredibly detrimental to this game and overall I'd say it was a failure considering the high bar already set.    … Expand
  28. Saint_Satan
    Aug 26, 2015
    9
    When I first heard about Until Dawn, I was a bit worried. Here we have a game that was supposed to come out on the Playstation 3, and yet it is just now coming out as Playstation 4 exclusive. This is almost never a good sign, as games made under these conditions generally tend to have outdated graphics and sub-par gameplay. It leaves one wondering why and how the game got stuck inWhen I first heard about Until Dawn, I was a bit worried. Here we have a game that was supposed to come out on the Playstation 3, and yet it is just now coming out as Playstation 4 exclusive. This is almost never a good sign, as games made under these conditions generally tend to have outdated graphics and sub-par gameplay. It leaves one wondering why and how the game got stuck in development hell. Topping it all off, Until Dawn is another "movie game", like The Order 1866; 1866 was met with a lot of mixed reviews, most less than flattering. All that being said, I am a big fan of horror, and so I decided to preorder it anyway. I went to GameStop in the morning to pick up my copy. "You look like you're here to pick up Madden" the GameStop employee said as I walked up to the counter...; the horror had already begun. Sports games!? My worst nightmare! As soon as I got my copy of Until Dawn I fled GameStop, then rushed home to give it a try. I delved into Until Dawn with an open mind, despite all of my worries. Right off the bat my worries began to fade. This doesn't look like a Playstation 3 game at all! The graphics are phenomenal; some of the best I've seen. The characters are very well rendered with superb acting behind them, and the storyline was immediately engaging. I braced myself for a long day of gaming. Oh boy here we go...

    This review will have no spoilers, with the exception for some very minor things from the first 15 minutes of the story. Until Dawn has it's tongue in it's cheek from start to finish. The game is intentionally silly, with dumb characters who want to explore strange noises alone. It includes cliches from teen horror movies ranging from the 80s to present day.

    The story starts off with a group of 10 friends who are going to a remote cabin retreat. A prank is played on one of them, and she becomes upset. In her bout of anger, she runs out of the cabin in disgust, with her sister trailing her. The duo never return, and their bodies are never found despite a search of the area. Fast forward to one year later. The eight remaining friends return to the cabin on the one year anniversary of their friends death. Upon arriving at the cabin, there is one thing on their minds - to put the past behind them, seek forgiveness, and have a good time. Too bad for them there is some maniac stalking them, wanting to kill them all. Who is this person? Is this the same person responsible for their missing friends one year ago? How many leave the cabin alive is up to you; you end up choosing how many of them survive; all, none or any variant therein. This ability within the game leads to many possibilities for the player, allowing each player can make the gameplay their own. I thought that was pretty neat, as well as effectively encouraging multiple play-throughs.

    Until Dawn is a "movie game". There is minimal gameplay; mostly quick time events and making difficult choices that affect the outcome of the game. You also get to explore some atmospheric areas and there are some elements of combat as well. Despite the minimal gameplay it's still a lot of fun and a roller coaster ride from start to finish. It's always intense, scary as all hell, and out to get you. Until Dawn is well paced, and by well paced I mean you'll be **** your pants every 10 seconds. The sound design and music are nothing short of top notch. The music will make you clench your butt cheeks. Every creepy sound will increase your heart rate and anxiety level. For the full audio experience, headphones are an absolute must when playing Until Dawn. The graphics, as I said before, are incredible from both a technical and artistic standpoint. The cabin is creepy and the snow drenched mountain wherein it lies is beautiful. You will, of course, explore a lot of other areas; but that would be spoiling it for you. Speaking of spoilers, there are a lot of good twists and turns within the game. Most of them are very smart, despite the aforementioned overall silliness of the game.

    I stayed up until dawn playing Until Dawn. I simply couldn't bring myself to stop until it was over and the credits rolled. When it was all over, which took around 7 hours, I was left wanting more. I never expected Until Dawn to be anywhere near as good as it is. It really shouldn't be this good; it's just another "movie game" like The Order: 1866. But it is obvious that the developers had a clear image in their mind of what they wanted the game to be, and they brought that vision to life. Their success even makes games like Heavy Rain seem somehow lacking in comparison. A lot of people will talk badly about all of these "movie games" but if they're learning from Until Dawn then bring 'em on. So was Until Dawn a Playstation 3 port as I first expected? Nope. Not even close. Until Dawn is a complete next gen experience from start to finish that is just as fun to watch as it is to play.    … Expand
  29. Molag-Bal
    Aug 26, 2015
    9
    Before I begin this review I must clarify I am not a fan of adventure, point and click, interactive sort of games. A good example on how these sorts of games can be considered mediocre and boring, just play one of David Cage's games and you will know what I mean. With the exception of Tell Tale Walking Dead Series. Usually games like the Beyond Two Souls and Indigo Prophecy in my eyes areBefore I begin this review I must clarify I am not a fan of adventure, point and click, interactive sort of games. A good example on how these sorts of games can be considered mediocre and boring, just play one of David Cage's games and you will know what I mean. With the exception of Tell Tale Walking Dead Series. Usually games like the Beyond Two Souls and Indigo Prophecy in my eyes are mediocre.

    Now I will not bore you will a long review, and state the many accomplishment Until Dawn has in it's game. But instead I will explain my reasoning on why you should purchase this game and enjoy the many wounder for yourself.

    1. It's not a corny and goofy wanna be game; as I first thought when i saw the trailer for it. To its core the game provides moments of great suspense and interesting view point on how the game will develop throughout your session. Moreover for the most part (except for 2 characters) the cast of Until Dawn are a likable bunch with their unique features to like and dislike.

    2. I am going to be honest with you if you are a fast paste, FPS, MMO, MOBA, or RTS type of gamer (like me), this game will not quite satisfy you because its an exploring game as well. Therefore you must set your mind in a way an RPG player might have who enjoys exploring and immersing yourself in. If you get that mind set you will start to enjoy the game, if you are stuck with a fast paste mind set you might hate the game or struggle through it.

    3. Simple to the point, it has many choices and they do weigh a great deal through the game. The choices in Until Dawn are not like some other games I played in which you might think it will impact the game progression but in reality it does nothing. (I'm looking at you Dragon Age Inquisition)

    4. Finally I would say you will get your moneys worth, I beat the game in about 18 hours in a relax paste, and I have no regret spending 60 dollars on it. So I would say you should buy the game and enjoy the game charm. Thank you for reading and sorry for my poor English I am not a native speaker.    … Expand
  30. 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
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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

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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.
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  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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