Random Video Game Review - Until Dawn

 

So as I reviewed The Quarry, it suddenly occurred to me that I have never actually reviewed the game that it was a spiritual successor to. At least a proper, in depth review, anyway. So going to remedy that today, as it was the first game to establish the style of Supermassive's later games. Decision based gameplay with cinematic quality and intermissions featuring a mysterious narrator. Usually frowned upon by lots of gamers due to how it's effectively a game trying to be a film. Yet somehow, unlike other developers (yes Quantic Dream, I'm looking at you), they managed to get it right with great acting from its mo-capped stars and gameplay that isn't going to bore us any time soon. So let's see how this game holds up, 8 years later:

A party in a lodge on Blackwood Mountain is in full swing, until a cruel prank leads to twin sisters Hannah and Beth Washington (both portrayed by Ella Lentini) running outside and tragically falling off a cliff following an arson incident, with their bodies nowhere to be found. One year later, their brother Josh (portrayed by Rami Malek) invites everyone back for another party. Despite reservations regarding what happened previously, everyone accepts the invitation and upon arrival, do the business of partying. Remaining unaware of what Josh has planned and also other dangers that they all may encounter. So you get to control 8 young adults who must survive until help arrives at dawn (hence the name). As with most of Supermassive's games, you get to make decisions, find collectibles and also find items that will give us an idea of what to expect depending on the decisions made by us the players. That and also exploring in a non-linear third person way and having the occasional quick time event to deal with. All 8 characters are at risk of dying at any point and with each play through, their deaths become permanent once happened in a single play through.

Yeah, not much to it if you are already familiar with Supermassive's games. But for a game that was released 8 years ago, it still holds up reasonably well. The facial capture is a bit distracting in places, but we know that's something that Supermassive did improve greatly on in their later games. Apart from that, it's still very unsettling, got decent gameplay and definitely set the tone for other games like it that Supermassive would one day create. 9/10