Until Dawn Review: To Die For

Game Reviewed: Until Dawn

Release Date: August 25th, 2015

Developer: Supermassive Games

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Platform: PlayStation 4

Genre: Adventure, Horror

Rated: M for Mature

Supermassive Games is attempting to release the scariest game of the summer with the PlayStation 4 exclusive, Until Dawn. Until Dawn has been teased to have a butterfly effect to the story where every action will have its own reaction, being either good or providing consequences of some sort. But the only way to find out is by making a choice, plenty of them. Whatever you do, don’t die.

Square Enix have Life is Strange, TellTale have a few and there’s even Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain; a few examples that demonstrated this very breath of Until Dawn. But we can only wonder from here does Until Dawn truly provide scare tactics that will leave you breathless?

Like any psychotic and horrific storyline it all begins with a group of friends coming together in an isolated cabin in the woods on a cold winter night to celebrate at what they call the Annual Blackwood Pines Winter Getaway. But what awaits them is unimaginable.

Hannah finds herself looking for love while Mike and the rest of the group are looking to scare and humiliate her. Embarrassed by the group, she runs off, with her sister Beth chasing after her. What happens next is literally up to you. And though it doesn’t end well, the outcome is inevitable.

Skipping ahead, a year to be exact the group again decides to come together yet again. You play as Sam, Hannah’s best friend. As you approach the gate to Blackwood Pines you find yourself jumping over quite a bit and dealing with a few quick time events. Also before entering the cabin you learn a few tactics in a less frightening manner like being completely still, not moving your “controller” at all. From there, you’ll find yourself interacting as others in the story, and every decision matter.

Until Dawn also have what, or rather who is known as the analyst that at times shifts your train of thought and operates as your walkthrough, sort of. At times you may be asked a random question of how you feel when thinking or looking at specific items. As he asks for honesty, anything here may also affect the future. Totems will also help predict future outcomes and offer guidance.

Hayden Panettiere being the main character only makes me think, “Save the Cheerleader, save the world.” Only in this story the cheerleader, while making major decisions, will be deciding who lives and who dies. There’s an awesome cast as Brett Dalton (Agent Shield), Rami Malek (Need For Speed & Night of the Museum, Meghan Martin, Nichole Bloom and more gives Until Dawn recognizable faces as well as amazing voice cast to drive the story.

The personalities in Until Dawn at times made me laugh, pissed me off and made me think, gameplay features that were being implemented at the exact moments of emphasis.

Great job scarring the heck out of me at times Supermassive Games! While I won’t ruin any of those moments that will make you jump and/or capture you on the PlayStation Camera, there are definitely moments that this game does a shocking good job at putting a bit of fear in you.

The early tutorial explaining the options when making choices became a slight offset as I never had the option to read the choices and made my first decision without reading them. It wasn’t all as bad however, as you have the ability to make fast decision in QTE’s and utilize your touch pad (unless you’re utilizing your controller).

Until Dawn is a must have. If you’re looking for a game that will leave you jumping more than the early Resident Evil series, Supermassive Games have created it!

The Scores

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Visuals: 4.5/5

Audio: 4.75/5

Controls: 4.5/5

Replay Value: 4.25/5

Overall Rating: 4.25/5