Game review: Until Dawn (PS5)

One of my favourite recent gaming genres is decision-based video games that lead to different outcomes based on your choices. The game that got me hooked into this genre was the then-PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain, which came out in 2010. 

Five years after Heavy Rain, developer Supermassive Games put a horror spin to the genre by releasing Until Dawn in 2015 exclusively for the PS4. This was the studio's breakthrough hit as it went on to develop tons more horror games ever since on multiple different platforms. 

Due to the success of Until Dawn, it seems as if Sony and/or Supermassive Games wanted to rekindle people's interest on the game by making it a franchise. Aside from an upcoming film adaptation getting released sometime in the future, we have also received a PS5 remake of Until Dawn in 2024. 

I have to say, it is an odd decision to release a remake of Until Dawn since the 2015 PS4 original already looks like a modern game. Developers seem to be remaking/re-releasing a ton of older games on PS5 lately. This generation alone has already seen remake/remasters of The Last of Us Part 1, The Last of Us Part II, Uncharted 4, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Silent Hill 2 and even Metal Gear Solid 3 due out this November. 

Before I begin talking about the visual differences between Until Dawn PS4 and Until Dawn PS5, let's first discuss some of the new features that have been added to the remake. Fans of the original will be happy to know some new scenes have been added to the game. I won't spoil what happens, but there are some new scenes added that could tease a sequel to be released in the future. 

The PS5 remake of Until Dawn also comes with some improved camera angles while you are playing the game. Until Dawn adds a new over-the-shoulder camera perspective that should make it easier for players to explore the game's dark levels. The original had a fixed-camera point-of-view that somewhat made it harder for you to see and pick up certain items hidden in the environment. 

Now it's time to talk about the graphics which I think is the most divisive topic about the Until Dawn PS5 remake. The PS4 Until Dawn original had a noticeable blue colour film grade look that added a horror-like appearance to the entire game. Not to mention, the PS4 was powerful back in the day, so the character models didn't look outdated like in the PSOne and PS2 generations of games. 

Controversially, Until Dawn PS5 removes the colour grading and the horror-like atmosphere is gone. It's hard to explain in words, but the remake just looks bland in comparison to the original game's atmospheric appearance. You need to look at YouTube comparison videos to know what I mean. 

It's also worth mentioning sometimes the remake makes the game look so dark that I cannot even see where I am going. I remember controlling the character named Chris, and I needed to go to the bathroom to find deodorant. It took me ages to find the bathroom because the cabin was way darker than it was in the original game. There are even some scenes in the remake that look worse than the PS4 version!

The other thing that might scare off returning players is that they aren't getting a discount if they decide to play the remake. Horizon Zero Dawn players only have to pay $10 if they want to upgrade to the PS5 remaster that is coming out in late October. Until Dawn PS5, on the other hand, has no upgrade option for PS4 owners as you still have to shell out $124.99 NZD for the remake!

As for the game itself, I still think Until Dawn is a great game despite the odd decisions that have been made from this unnecessary remake. The game starts off with a group of friends hanging out in a lodge, but two sisters mysteriously die, and nobody knows what exactly has happened to them. 

One year later, the sisters' brother invites the same friends back to the lodge again to try and remember the good old days. Little does everyone know a killer is back at the lodge so the group of friends has to survive the night, and also solve the mystery behind the sisters' murders 365 years ago. 

What I like most about the gameplay in Until Dawn is that there are many ways you can survive (or die) in this game that keep the story fresh and unpredictable every time you play it. I remember trying my best to accurately press the QTE buttons to make sure Hayden Panettiere's character survived the entire game. If you play as a character you hate, you could choose to see them die a gruesome death instead. 

One playthrough of this game lasts around eight to nine hours, but there is a lot of replay value if you want to see all the scenarios play out. For example, a perfect run is if you manage to play the game without any of the major characters dying. On the other hand, you can do a humorous run where everyone in the game dies!

The only type of people who might not like Until Dawn is those that hate cutscenes. You cannot skip cutscenes, and walking around feels slow and sluggish compared to action games. Not to mention there are lots of QTE events so people who hate pressing one button might not like this game either. 

While I still think the original Until Dawn is an 8.5 or even 9 out of 10, sadly, this remake doesn't do the original game any justice. Arguably the visuals and atmosphere are worse in this remake and there isn't enough new content for returning players to pay full price for it. I think only new players with a PS5 will benefit by playing this 2024 remake. 

Verdict: 6.5/10