Chilling, well acted and with a lot of jump scares. It's just like watching a scary '80s-'90s horror movie (very much an homage to classics such as Scream, The Descent, Saw, or The Cabin In The Woods), but you control the action, and this "movie" is over 8 hours long. Although the game mechanics are very different, in terms of theme, quality, and how each playthrough can result in different characters surviving, it's similar to the classic Xbox 360 game "Left 4 Dead".
The first few minutes really gets you emotionally involved in the plot, and while the plot setup is a bit forced, it works in terms of the scary movie genre that the game is paying homage to. The introduction is slow-paced (not for those with a short attention span), but for the rest of us, the tension starts right away, and it does not let up for a moment. The game really gets the atmosphere right. Also, you care for each character, and while it's true that some of them are not wholly likeable (in horror movie tradition, some are immature and they can be unkind, self-centered or unthinking), you really feel as if you want to get them all through the horror that is about to overtake them.
The game controls are simple, intuitive and effective, and movement is smooth. The graphics are amazing, from the facial textures to the snowfall, lighting and shadows, this game really takes advantage of this latest generation of consoles to bring out detail and atmosphere. Music is very atmospheric and extremely well integrated into the action. The clues and collectibles in the game are very effective, and the in-game menus work well to help the player assess how well he is doing. During the action sequences, the player needs to make split-second decisions and controller inputs, and in my opinion (speaking as an older but experienced gamer) these are perfectly balanced to appeal to players of most abilities.
Replay value is wholly focused on survival, not on a branching plot. This is not a bad thing: while the overarching plot remains fixed, the fate of each character is very much decided by your actions and choices: any character or all of them can die. Conversely, any or all can be saved, but saving everyone is very hard: I only saved two of the eight characters the first time around (Sam and Emily). I'm looking forward to restarting in the hope that I can somehow get at least a few more people through "until dawn".
The most innovative aspect of the game is "The Butterfly Effect": a build-up of small, seemingly insignificant changes that may have devastating consequences down the line. This feature shows itself even in the first play through, as an in-game menu screen tells you which decisions you've made and gives subtle hints as to how you're doing. It's not just the illusion of choice - if you mess up too often, friends may become enemies, making it harder for characters to survive. Sometimes, a small mistake will be recoverable, but the mistakes do mount up, and sometimes the choices made leave no way out. At the game's end the sun rises, but who will be there to see it is up to you.
My only criticisms so far (all but the first one are very minor nitpicks):
1: It's a PS4 exclusive. I know, it's just business, but I think everyone should be able to play it on whatever platform they happen to own. Sony's sales of their console should be based on how good their hardware is, not on how many games they can offer as exclusives.
2: The camera sometimes doesn't feel as if it's showing enough of the scenes, and it can make movement tricky in darker areas, but then again, that may be a conscious decision because of the need for a survival horror game to be claustrophobic.
3: The voices are sometimes out of sync with the characters' mouth movements (happens a lot when replaying chapters).
4: The characters' heads seem kinda wobbly at some points (it's obvious during the map scene in the basement). It's very subtle, but it is noticeable.
5. There is no way to adjust the screen size in the game - on my TV it's still playable, but some items on the screen edges are clipped.
6. The pre-order DLC is just a small inconsequential scene tacked on to the end of chapter 2. It's almost like a deleted scene in a movie and it kinda messes with the pacing. I was kind of expecting a little more.
7. Each character's menu screen shows how that character is getting along with the others, but while this is nice, it isn't really clear how this is factored into game play or how (or if) you can rebuild a faltering relationship. On the other hand, maybe making it too clear would make the game too easy.
Common criticisms I've seen:
1. It's "just" an interactive movie. Okay, even if that were the case, so what? It's a great experience and a lot of fun. But the criticism has no merit - unlike most interactive movies, this one keeps the player fully engaged. At no time did I feel like I could sit back, uninvolved, and just watch the drama play out.
2. Two of the characters are predestined to get to the final scene. The developers sometimes mask this with quick time events that focus on saving other characters. Is this a flaw? I'm not sure. However, I think it's a better solution than the alternative, which is a game that would end very quickly for less skilled players.
Pre-release hype for this game was unaccountably low. At a guess, Sony's marketing team just didn't know how to sell the game, so it received the minimum pre-release advertising. I'm guessing some marketing executives are being slowly tortured to death in Sony's secret underground lair.
Altogether, I had a blast with this game, and I think a lot of other players will too, even if this type of game is not their usual fare. For me, this is not just one of the best survival horror games I've ever played, but if it were a movie, I'd say it would be the best horror movie since The Cabin in the Woods. Yeah, it's that good. I will be very surprised if this game doesn't gather a few of the most prestigious Game of the Year awards.
Frequently bought together
- +
- +
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
From the manufacturer
Only Your Choices Determine Who Survives
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Choice & ConsequenceMake the impossible choices, where every decision in your terrifying search for answers could mean the difference between life and death, but for who? |
Next-Gen HorrorHarnessing the power of an evolved Killzone Shadow Fall engine, Until Dawn will shock you with realistic graphics and terrify you edge-of-your seat gameplay. |
Butterfly EffectCarve your path to survival with branching story lines that promise no two experiences will be the same. The choices you make may ripple unseen into moments of grave peril, or they may very well save a life. |
Gripping StoryImmerse yourself in a truly spine-tingling story written in collaboration with famed cult writer/directors Larry Fessenden & Graham Reznick. |
Special In-Game Features
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
Community Input- Broadcast Your Gameplay - Community Votes on Decisions - Play Out Your Story Together |
Camera FeaturesUse game context to capture players jumping in their seats – combine this with game footage for clips easy to share with friends (PlayStation Camera not included) |
Headset Profiles- Experience Until Dawn the way it was meant to be heard with a bespoke audio profile for the game. - Support for Silver, Gold and Pulse headsets. (PlayStation Headsets not included) |
Companion App- History of the Game’s Setting. - Phone Calls/ Text Messages to the Player. - Clue Line Pinboard - In-game Item Viewer |
**Hardcore, Brutal, Bloody and very Intense!
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2015
I just earned my (Platinum Trophy) in this game, and its hella hard and intense!This is the new kind of category for the sophisticated gamer. The cinematic interactive era has arrived. It’s nice to have a break from all the shooter stuff, and play a real video game that allows you to think, reason and figure things out, and face the consequences of your choices and actions. This game has cutting edge graphics and detail like no other. Shocking realism and detail for characters, monsters, creatures, props, sets, structures, the weather, snow, animals, plants, trees, water, all sounds and general surroundings and landscaping as a result of cutting edge graphics. The sound quality and lighting contrast are excellent. The bar has truly been set high in this game. This game is a horror game which centers on the survival of (8) characters. All characters must survive until dawn, based on your decisions or choices. This game has the best character development in any game I have ever played. You can become emotionally attached to each of the characters in this game; this is what truly makes it so amazing. Some areas of the game are reminiscent of the movie “Saw”. A chilling plot, this game is brutal, emotional, intense, graphic, scary, gory, bloody, and downright hardcore. For the trophy getters, this game will be very hard and intense, furthermore, you better (pass) all of your (QTE) or quick time event sequences, or people could die. However, for the novice gamer this will be a fun and amazing experience for you. I have played this game multiple times, backwards and forwards. I have enjoyed every square inch of it. This is the kind of game you never get tired of playing. This game is money well spent. I can’t wait to see what they put out next, because this style of gaming has limitless possibilities, the sky is truly the limit; they can put out, a western style game, criminal, mobster, space, military, zombie, or murder mystery. This game has 18 hidden trophies, plus Platinum. This is a beautifully crafted (adult) game, for the adult gamer, that sets the benchmark high! If you play this game be prepared to get rocked! This game is a brilliant masterpiece, hands down!
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2015
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Bought as a Christmas present
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 18, 2019
Fernando Loredo
Un Gran Juego de Terror exclusivo del Playstation 4
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on May 29, 2016Abhijit B.
Great game. Good replayability for playing different endings with friends/fam watching.
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on August 3, 2020
Francisco Ancona
El juego es muy entretenido.
Reviewed in Mexico 🇲🇽 on October 18, 2016
