I don’t need to be The Shining‘s Danny Torrance to know what you’re thinking: “Why does Until Dawn—Supermassive Games’ 2015 horror hit—need a remake nine years later? And why should I even care?” Before you grab your pitchforks, let me tell you exactly why this new version of the classic interactive horror slasher should actually be on the radar of every horror game fan.
A Fresh Coat of Blood, Not a Sequel
While it’s true that nobody was screaming for a Pet Sematary-style resurrection of the original game (most fans were craving a sequel instead), Ballistic Moon (not the original developer) saw the opportunity to give this not-so-dusty classic a fresh coat of blood—or rather, a stunning new layer of shiny Unreal Engine 5 visuals. While some folks with Supermassive DNA were still lurking behind the scenes, the approach here isn’t to reinvent the game but simply to tweak the original and give fans an enhanced experience. The logic: prettier graphics + improved gameplay + new camera angles + same story + extra bits of cutscenes = new game.
For those of you new to this blood-curdling tale, Until Dawn tells the story of eight friends who reunite at a remote lodge on Blackwood Mountain. A year earlier, a nasty prank they had pulled on a friend turned deadly. Haunted by the past, the group soon realises that something or someone wants them to pay for their transgressions. It’s up to you, your fast instincts and clever decision-making, to decide who lives to see the dawn and who dies a scream-worthy death. It’s a shaken and stirred cocktail of Scream, Cabin in the Woods, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Final Destination – all the teen horror classics, actually.
New Camera Angles, Same Horrifying Story
The first thing you’ll notice when loading up the new version of Until Dawn is the sharp new visuals. Everything looks better: the skin textures, the clothing materials, the lighting, the atmospheric environments… Everything. The 2015 version was already impressive. But the skin lift here makes the game feel even more realistic – enough to make you feel engrossed by the world all over again.
The remake also introduces new camera angles and fleshes out more of the story here and there. The intro, for example, gives us more insight into Hannah’s character and the cruel prank that sets off all the events. But, honestly, comparing cutscenes here is a bit like comparing The Shining to Doctor Sleep. While the latter certainly improved on the visuals, there’s a certain charm to the original that can’t be matched. They’re different and good in their own ways.
But, unfortunately, it’s not all good news for the Until Dawn remake. With all the improvements, there are some monsters lurking in the code, too. Frame rate drops, characters walking through each other, and delays with the subtitles occur often enough to pull you from the terror. While it doesn’t ruin the title as a whole, it seems unnecessary.
On the plus side, the accessibility options are a welcomed addition, allowing you to adjust settings for motion sickness (which I suffered through with the original). Also, playing on the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller enhances the experience so much more, allowing you to feel every heartbeat and movement. Honestly, the haptic feedback is an absolute game-changer.
Is The Until Dawn Remake Worth the Price?
All in all, Until Dawn on PS5 still offers a frighteningly good time. The real question is whether or not it is worth the price of a new game. For those who’ve played through the game before, I’d wait for a discounted price. Those who haven’t should grab this as soon as they can. Until Dawn remains the best horror game available, even all these years later.
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Until Dawn (Video Game 2024) |
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Until Dawn is a branching narrative survival horror game in which any choice of action by the player may cause other consequences later in the story. It was rebuilt from the ground up with stunning visuals in Unreal Engine 5. |
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| Release Date: 4 October 2024 |
| Platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows |
| Developer: Ballistic Moon, Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| Genre: Survival horror, Interactive drama |
The Review
Until Dawn Remake
The Until Dawn remake boosts its visuals, adds an exciting new ending, enhances immersion with an over-the-shoulder camera, and remains the top "interactive horror movie" game.
PROS
- Beautiful graphics
- Fun scares
- Great characters
CONS
- Still mostly the same game
- The price point
