Until Dawn PS4 Review
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Patch Version: -- 1.03
Until
Dawn begins with a message explaining the concept of the butterfly effect.
It
then elaborates on this, stating that your actions, be it large or small, can
dramatically alter the future, and as a consequence, shape how the story
unfolds. It then states that your story
is one of many possibilities before ending with a warning.
'Choose
carefully…'
The
opening cutscene then starts, detailing a large log cabin out in the snowy
expanse of some faraway mountainous wilderness.
Switching
inside, we discover a group of teenagers plotting to play a prank on another girl, who it seems has a massive crush on one of the other characters. The character in question though already a taken
man; this the spark that sets everything in motion.
Before
long we gain control of one of the characters who is the sister of the girl
that is to have the prank played on her. Movement is easy
and simple and I’m free to move around within the confines of the room; the
camera automatically switching positions for the most dramatic or optimum
vantage.
Instantly
I’m impressed with the graphics. It’s very atmospheric. Until Dawn switching to and from varying
cutscenes as I interact with certain objects.
Some I have control over, others I do not.
Eventually
we reach the first consequence point. Until Dawn allowing us to choose which
action we wish to take by selecting the corresponding direction and holding it
there for a fixed amount of time to confirm the choice.
Before
long though I’m running through the blizzard that is the dark and snowy forest
in pursuit of my sister, who, in her embarrassment having
had the prank played on her, has burst out of the cabin and ran off. This interactive cutscene further allowing player involvement with timed quick time events that occasionally pop up that further
shape the action unfolding.
Before
long though I’m back in full control, that is to say after I have turned on the torch on my phone; Until Dawn tasking me with doing so by using the touch-pad on my controller. After which I push on through the cold that is this eerie night. The next series of events
being a mixture of:
- live action where I have full control over my character’s movements
- more consequence points that are a mixture of timed and untimed
decisions
- interactive cutscenes with quick time events
- non-interactive cutscenes
The
mixture so far at least feels about right.
I at least do not feel like I’m out of control for too long which is
good.
Before
long though we reach the end of this opening scene; my character’s fate it
seems linked to that of my sisters.
Initial
Impressions
The
first two hours have impressed me, and I must admit I’ve been enthralled and
entertained. It’s very clear right from
the start that Until Dawn has a very high production standard more in keeping
with a television show or a film, and I love that.
It is
definitely more of an interactive story than a typical computer game. Saying this though, you do have a lot of
freedom, not only in how you move around
and interact with the world itself, but also in how your actions alter the
story. So much so in fact that I’ve
found myself second guessing every decision I’ve made. I’m dying to know what would have happened
if I had gone right instead of left for example.
This
sense of choice being Until Dawn’s key selling point. The first two hours filled with what I’m
calling consequence moments, each one giving me the power to decide how the moment
plays out. I love this, not only because
these moments of decision are well placed, but also because each and every time
they occur it gets me thinking.
However,
I’m unsure as to if I should be making my decisions based on what I would do,
or what I think my characters would do.
And I say this because in Until Dawn you don’t just play as one
character. The game allows you to play
and control the whole cast it seems. Until Dawn jumping back and forth between
different characters for dramatic effect, but also to allow you to experience different sides
and aspects to the story in different locations as the story plays out.
Another
reason behind my hesitation in regards to my decision thinking, is that when a new cast member is introduced, you are shown a little bio about them. Their
personality traits. Nothing too
in-depth, but enough information that suggests it should influence my
decisions. As well as this, if you pause
the game and visit the character info menu, this showing you the character info
relating to the character you are in control of, you can see their traits and
also their relationship status to the other cast members. Whether this impacts the story I do not know
yet, but it can change, that I do know.
A few of my decisions so far have increased and also decreased certain
attributes for certain characters.
I’m
not really sure at the moment what my motivation is though. This isn’t a story with a clear goal as
yet. However, I do have free reign at
any time to pause the game and see what my current objective is. What I like most so far though is the total
lack of manual saving and the ability to load or roll back to a previous save. I say this because it really does mean your
decisions, like in life, are set in stone.
There’s no changing them. So bear
that in mind!
Feature
wise, it's light. Instead, features come in a mixture of different interaction mediums, this all aiding in
shaping how the story plays out.
Saying this though, when you are in full control, exploring the world does prove fruitful
in the sense that there are clues and totems to find. The totems being the most interesting.
When
you find one of these totems and turn it over, you will be shown a foretelling
of a possible future event. Whether or
not these prophecies come true or not depends on your decisions it seems.
There
are five different types of totems:
- Death
- Guidance
- Loss
- Danger
- Fortune
Each
totem type foretelling a different aspect of some future event. You can also replay these scenes as many times as
you like from the totem menu.
Interestingly, each totem you collect also unlocks a fragment from a
video dubbed the events of the past.
I’m unsure what impact this has on the story right now, but again, I’m
intrigued.
As
well as these totems, all interactive points are highlighted to the player with
a subtle sparkle if a player is close enough. They are not overly obvious, so you still need
to be alert, but it does mean exploring the world is integral if you wish to
get the most of the moments where you have full control.
There’s
no sign posting though in the form of where you have to go. However, the game seems to guide you well
enough to your goal with the use of suggestive lighting and well-constructed
environments. I’m reminded of Uncharted
4 in this sense. It's a linear experience, but one that is disguised.
One
thing you do get to know though is when you have altered the narrative of the
game. This being highlighted when a
little butterfly effect occurs on the left hand corner of your screen.
I
have no clue as to how long I have left before I complete the game, but I can say one thing with absolute
certainty: I’m thoroughly enjoying this
experience. Never before have I given
more thought or regretted a decision in a game before, and I look forward to
seeing how things play out. Already I am
itching to play through it again just to see what would have happened
differently.
Initial Score after 2 hrs of play
Full Playthrough Score after 12 hrs of play
Overall Verdict.
Until
Dawn doesn’t disappoint as an interactive horror game, and I’m glad about
that. What’s more, the story as a whole
is decent and well told, and the fact the cast is comprised of real actors
definitely helps it.
There's
segments though that are a tad unrealistic. Moments where you are left alone or
set off alone when in reality no one in their right mind would do it. The
biggest of which being the main premise of the story in which everyone returns
to the cabin a year later after what occurs in the opening chapter. I'm
not sure people would. But if you set this aside and just except it, the
story shines in regards to the choices you make and how those choices affect the story.
And
it’s this that sets it apart from other alike games. The fact you can shape the story based on
your decisions as you play, works truly amazingly. As I already stated, I’ve never played a game
before where I second guessed my decisions so much, this being the case because I knew that there is no
second takes or chances. Once you make a
decision, that’s it, there is no turning back or reloading of a save, and I was truly happy that this was the case because it really does add more weight to the
moments of consequence.
However,
I can also see this being frustrating to some people. So if you’re the type of person that this
would offend, then perhaps this isn’t a game for you. Of course, if you wanted to get smart with a
USB, you could back up your saves to get around this problem. But I don’t recommend it to be honest. The story and the premise is best experienced
as it was designed.
Another
very positive thing about Until Dawn is that it’s not just one long cutscene
where you occasional get control. The
balance between the two is probably equal, or at least feels it. The mixture of interactive moments also make full use of the controller, tasking you with making decisions quickly in
moments that matter most, but also throwing moments at you that allow you to
ponder. This serves the game very well. And having played through twice, let me tell
you this, the smallest of actions can and will indeed have very impactful
actions. One in which surprised the hell
out of me because my decision seemed so insignificant, but the end result? Wow… just wow!
However,
there is an elephant in the room; a mix bag so to speak. And that’s the reward, but also price of
playing Until Dawn more than once.
Firstly though I want to be clear,
doing things differently the second time round is super rewarding in the sense that
you get to see the differences; some of which being very surprising tis
true. And in fairness to Until Dawn,
I should also state that if you wanted to see all the differences, two playthroughs
would not cut it. You would have to playthrough many more times in fact to see
every little variance.
The price
I spoke of though is the illusion of the truth that Until Dawn tells us right
at the start.
You
see, if you playthrough it once, make your decisions, you will always wonder
what if, what if I did that instead of this. What if I hid instead of ran.
And in truth, though aspects of the story can be altered depending on
your choices, the destination and the paths remain the same. You may get
there differently. Sure. You may get there with different people, yes,
but the story as a whole will play out ultimately the same.
The
difference being, not how it ends, but who you have left alive when it does.
And the more you replay it, the more this illusion or shroud if you will
does drop. It's still very clever. You still will see different
things and experience different aspects, not forgetting to mention noticing
things that you will see in a whole new light, but ultimately it's the not knowing all the answers part, and having that wonder in the end remain which is better. Seeing as to ‘who' is standing behind the curtain so to speak can sometimes be disappointing: Until Dawn in my opinion being a game best played once to that effect.
Another
aspect you’ll lose out on if you playthrough a second time is the scare
moments because obviously you know they are coming, well the ones you
can remember that is, and though I played differently, I did not encounter any new ones. Don’t get me wrong, a few still
made me jump! And to Until Dawn's credit, it does utilise
these moments to great effect, mainly because they are not overused or signposted to the point where you know they are coming. Match this with the game's excellent music and sound effect score, only the most stern of gamers will not be startled.
In
regards to the game’s length, it took me 7 hours to complete it first time
round. Until Dawn being made up of 10
chapters in total. Each chapter after the first beginning with a little recap
on what has taken place so far. I really
enjoyed this. It was like a Televisions series.
In fact, the whole game definitely has that feel about it. This might not be to everyone’s liking, but
for me, personally, I loved it.
Admittedly
though I only found around 50% of the extra content. So I could easily see it taking around 9-10
hours if you take your time. This of
course goes up if you plan to playthrough it again to see the different
outcomes and different choices.
But
exploring your environments in the moments where you can will always be rewarding. Why? Well Until Dawn is filled with clues;
clues on the Twins, Ashley and Beth.
Clues about the mining accident in 1952.
Clues on the mystery man who you will occasionally see throughout the game,
and last but not the least the totems.
These
totems to be honest were my main reason to explore, because the foretelling’s
about the possible futures made me think and question my moves even more. I was also keen to watch the full Events of
the Past video, which unlocks a new piece of the puzzle every time you find one
of the totems. There are 30 totems in
total. Add those to all the other
optional clues you can find, and that’s 107 individual items to find and
discover outside of all the moments of decision, which is rather a lot.
Another
interesting aspect about totems is that some of the foretellings can link to
immediate moments, just as much as they can moments far, far into the latter
parts of the game. So remembering them
is key. You can always watch and review
them though whenever you like from the totem menu if you have forgotten.
One
aspect though about the story that really grabbed my attention and piqued my
interest was the psychiatric moments. These occurred if memory serves at the end of
each chapter. They add a very eerie
level of intrigue and depth to the game.
I was never sure if the psychiatrist was talking directly to me, the
player, or to the mysterious person sitting across from him; Until Dawn doing
an excellent job of keeping this fact a mystery for as long as it needs.
There
are of course clichés a plenty and stereo types, sure. It’s a story about a bunch of
twenty-something’s alone on a spooky mountain in the middle of nowhere. What did you expect? But if you put that aside and just enjoy it
as the story unfolds, it won't disappoint. There's twists, turns and
moments that will scare, shock and surprise, all of which not being too
obviously sign posted, and then throw in the concept that you can impact and
influence the story too… it just all comes together as a quality piece of
entertainment.
Adding
further weight to this quality is the total lack of notable bugs. Then again, there’s not much room for bugs in
a game like this. But still, not once
did I crash or hang. The only issues I
noticed was occasionally the lip syncing would skip a beat and look a tad off,
but this only seemed to be a problem for a couple of the characters not all. On the whole though the quality of the game
is very high. Had I have purchased this on release at a AAA typical price tag I would not
have been disappointed.
If
you haven’t played Until Dawn and are a fan of interactive story based games, then
it should definitely be a game you will want to experience. It’s a fun and scary page-turner that will
make you second guess every move you make more than anything you have likely played before. There's plenty to collect to drive exploration for gamers who like to take their time and be rewarded for it. It also has diverse environments, surprising considering it all takes place at night on a snowy mountain range. The story is not only well told, but consists of a cast that act and sell their part well. And for gamers who like to playthrough their games more than once, your experience will certainly feel different if you make different choices.
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