As Dusk Falls

A highly recommended interactive adventure game with compelling characters, impactful branching decisions and unique visuals.

Not every interactive adventure game needs surprising, original or dense stories. As Dusk Falls is proof that a well-written and acted crime drama is enough to immerse us in a new universe. Even though the gameplay is simple, the interactivity in this game is manifested through the players' decision-making power and the impactful consequences of their choices.

As Dusk Falls wears its influences on its sleeve, from Telltale Games to those from Quantic Dream, and those that inspired its many awesome accessibility features. It shines brightest in its storytelling and how your choices reverberate throughout the remainder of the game, and no level of quirky animation can diminish that.

Flashy graphics, familiar characters and innovative gameplay are great assets, but not always necessary to make a game a winner. As dusk falls proves that you can also score with just a great story.

As Dusk Falls is worth your time, but only if you're deeply passionate about narratives, don't mind the limited gameplay options, and genuinely want to connect with the characters. The game aims to provide a spectator-focused experience, deliberately centered around storytelling. Occasionally, you'll make minor movements with the analog sticks or make important dialogue choices with a single button press.

As Dusk Falls delivers an interactive drama with branching narratives, allowing for a deeply engaging experience despite its familiar storyline and simplistic gameplay mechanics. Its inclusive control options and accessible themes make it suitable for a wide audience, but lack of technical improvements or additional content leaves it feeling unchanged from its original release.

The building blocks are all there, but As Dusk Falls veers between going overboard and playing it safe so frequently that the end result is just okay. [Issue#40, p.94]

As Dusk Falls is fair experience, but compared to the other representatives of its genre, it manages to stand out only as being the closest to a tv series, rather than a videogame. The plentitude of choices creates numerous ramifications that will encourage the fans of the genre to go through multiple playthroughs in order to discover every outcome. Still, compared to other relatively recent games like The Quarry or Detroit: Become Human, As Dusk Falls feels like an indie production that had to cut several corners due to budget restrictions. It is a commendable effort, but there is still a long way to go to reach the level of the best interactive dramas.