Customer Ratings & Reviews

This game is so much fun! My wife is not a very big gamer, but this is the game we can finally enjoy together. It plays just like a horror movie, and the voice acting is simply superb. It was so easy to become invested in all the characters that we just had to see what happened to them all. The controls are very simple, so it's easy to play even for my wife, who had never touched a PS4 controller previously. Every experience is different depending upon the choices made, so there is a good amount of replay value to be had with a game that takes approximately only 9 hours to finish. I even bought a PS4 camera so I could replay our scary moments over and over using the "Cheap Shots" feature, which allows the camera to start recording just before something scary happens. The expressions on our faces were priceless! So glad I found this game!

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, Ravenous, Saw, or modern movies like The Cabin In The Woods), but you control the action, and this "movie" is over 8 hours long. The first few minutes really gets you emotionally involved in the plot, and while the reunion is a bit (a lot) forced, it works in terms of the scary movie genre that the game is paying homage to. The tension starts right away, and it does not let up for a moment. Even in quiet moments you're worried about what might be around the next corner. 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 likable (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 intuitive and effective, movement is smooth and unlike a few other games that have appeared recently, the characters move effortlessly from one place to another, without getting annoyingly caught up on furniture or architecture. The clues and collectibles in the game are very effective, and the in-game menus work well to help the player assess how well or poorly the game is going. 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. The graphics are amazing, from the facial textures to the snowfall, lighting and shadows, this game really uses this latest generation of consoles to bring out detail and atmosphere. Music is very atmospheric and extremely well integrated well into the action. 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 what the developers call "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, people's allegiances change and their options may narrow, making it harder for them 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 are very minor): 1: 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. 2: The scenes with the psychiatrist take the player out of the action to some extent, but on the other hand, they do offer the player a break in what might otherwise be a very tense game, at least until later on, when even these scenes acquire some tension. 3: There is some very minor image freezing that lasts a split second, usually when performing an action (I think I noticed three examples throughout the whole game). 4: The voices are occasionally slightly out of sync with the characters' mouth movements (again, I noticed this maybe three times). 5: The characters' heads seem kinda wobbly at some points (whenever it's a close-up and two or more characters are close to each other and talking). It's very subtle, but it is noticeable. 6. 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. 7. I would have liked a little more humor to break the tension at some points - it's a very tense game (I think I mentioned that). 8. 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. 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.

This game is very similar in idea to the choose your own adventures books of old. You make decisions for the group of characters with the goal of having them survive til dawn. The game play consists of making big decisions of character actions and who to save as well as guiding characters along paths and doing quick time button presses. If you have decent reflexes they are not difficult. The challenge in the game cones from making the correct decisions, and that is where the replay value comes in, to go back through multiple times and find items you missed that you collect and make different decisions with characters. It is possible to loose all characters or save them all. The horror in the game is great at building tension, and is pretty effective in enemy design and scares. I loved the game and am playing a second time, after a 10 hour first playthrough. I definitely recommend.

If you want something slower paced than all of today's shooting games, especially if you like horror films, this is the game for you! It's more of an interactive movie where the gameplay is mostly based on walking around and exploring the environments and quick time events. The decisions you make in this game really do affect the outcomes of the story. It has a lot of replay value because of this factor since you can play it differently each time. I highly recommend this game, but be forewarned, if you're into action and aren't big on story, this game probably isn't for you. Bonus: the graphics are amazing and the characters are all perfectly modeled after their real-life actors and actresses!

I wasn't sure if I was going to buy Until Dawn until reading reviews right before it came out. I read mostly positive things, even from non-horror fans (which I am), so I was intrigued. I am happy to say the positives from these reviews were right. Until Dawn is one of the best experiences I've had on my PS4. Your choices have real consequences that can drastically impact the story. There is no "game over" or "try again." Your decisions are your decisions and you have to live with the consequences. The story has many twists and turns. The atmosphere might be the best I've played in a game. It truly feels creepy. Graphically, this is, once again, possibly the best I've seen.

A quick way to describe this game is a choose your adventure in a horror scenario. That alone sparked my curiosity of checking this game out, along with the butterfly effect system that is in the game. First things first, the graphics are AMAZING! Almost real life quality to be exact. What I also found interesting/crazy, was how closely some voice actors resembled their actual characters. The story itself did seem somewhat cliche, but it later gets considerably more interesting; can't say much more about it without spoilers. Gameplay itself was also good, especially if you're familiar with Heavy Rain or Beyond Two Souls. What I mean by that is the quick time events that occur throughout the game; these range from simple button presses, to aiming a crosshair at a target, or even keeping the controller still for a certain amount of time. There will also be decisions you have to make within given time frame, which brings me to the butterfly effect system. The system was put together nicely, the developers did an excellent job with that. Within the collectibles menu, you can see how a chain of events unfold through actions you do; it even goes as far as adding the option to do nothing, which is sometimes the right thing to do! The only complaint I have about gameplay, is that sometimes, there is a poor sense of direction; you may find yourself trying to acquire the collectible totems or clues in the game, but end up jumping down to the next area and not being able to backtrack to find the other clues and totems. Although a minor complaint, there is a good chance you'll run into that problem, which may affect your experience. In the pause menu, you can also see stats bars for every character you end up controlling. These include Traits, and Relationship Status. Traits reflects the personality of the character, like bravery or curiosity to name a couple. To be honest, I am not sure how the Traits affect the story; maybe so you can see how it changes as the story goes, but that's a stretch and still makes it seem irrelevant. The Relationship Status shows how a specific character's relationship is with another. This does have more impact on the story as it affects how characters may interact with one another as the story progresses; for example, a few characters run away from something and character A pushes character B out of their way so character A can get further, putting character B in danger. Relationship Status also affects the final scene. Also, take note that there will be jump scares in the game; there is a questionnaire in the game which will affect what will appear in the jump scares throughout the game. The collectible totems in the game give you brief visions of possible outcomes or what to do depending on the color of the totem you may find; you might see a possible death of a character or an object of importance. It's up to you to interpret the vision and decide how to go about a situation. The visions from the totems may or not occur based on how you play. If I had to rate this game from 1-10, I would give it a solid 8, maybe 8.5 out of 10. It's a great game despite its flaws pointed out earlier. It is definitely worth full price, even better if you get it on sale or even have GCU membership to get 20% off new games here on Best Buy. I'm confident you will enjoy this game.

Absolutely loved this game! From the voice-acting, suspense, and overall gameplay, this was by far the best game I played all year. Played it through in one sitting (about 10 hours). I just couldn't stop. :-) I loved how they utilized the Butterfly Effect for the game, which gives adjusts the game depending on your choices. I have yet to save all of the characters, but oh, it's so fun not to sometimes. :-) Has some pretty decent replay value. This is kind of an interactive movie experience, so the controls are very simple. Nothing complicated. It has a 80's style campy horror feel to it. If you love those types of movies, you'll enjoy Until Dawn.

This game plays out more like an interactive movie than your typical video game where the story is king in comparison to the gameplay. The graphics have been lauded as one of the best on any current gen console and the gameplay is quite satisfying. The story is engaging, although, a bit cheesy at times but it's what you would expect from this type of game. You make decisions in the game that have a butterfly effect and can't be changed after making them. If a character dies, they are gone. No way to bring them back. You choose who lives and who dies based on your decisions. Such a rewarding experience that offer a high replay value.

I know many will disagree but this game is for me the Game of the Year. The graphics are breathtaking, the soundtrack is beautifully haunting, the voice actors really make you care for the characters, and its amazing how much the characters look like their voice actors. Supermassive games did an amazing job. I love horror films and this game brings the horror motifs left and right. The butterfly effect is the best part of the game (especially when you are playing it for your first time). It really questions the moves you make and how they will outcome your whole game. Can't wait for Until Dawn 2.

Great interactive/narrative driven horror experience. Considering the entire game revolves around the story, like an interactive movie, I found the tongue-in-cheek throwback sensibilities to be very fun - though also typical to these horror tropes, there are some cliches that will make your eyes roll. Many of these instances are more a result of not just the writing, but also the delivery by the actors - who look really good, even in 2022. The service provided by the actors can waver between great and terrible, ranging the spectrum in-between. However, as a whole, the experience is extremely well done, well acted, and definitely comes off more intentional than not. The gameplay is very basic, requires very little gamer experience to play, thus some might be turned off by this type of experience, as it comes down to walking, decision making, and some light puzzles. The challenge is keeping your characters alive through to the end, and there is plenty of opportunities to perish in some very cool ways. By the time of this writing, this game seems to have made its place as a classic, and the team has gone on to create The Dark Pictures Anthology - a series of very similarly structured games, of which have proven this original game to be something slightly more special. Here’s to hoping for another deep-dive narrative experience, whether it be The Quarry, or an eventual Until Dawn sequel…

I did not expect a lot when I purchased this game. I did not expect it to be that good, every time I play it, the story, characters just keep drawing me back in to play more. The Voice work in the game is one of the best. You get to make choices for everyone and comes with a price, it has a butterfly effect, which the choices you make can effect things later on in the game. Some games let you make choices without any consequences, but in Until Dawn, you really get to control what happens. Overall, this game has really met my expectations, really really fun and engaging horror game.

This game is such a unique game and geared for anyone who loves the horror genre. I feel as if I'm playing a movie when I play this. Many great moments that keep you on the edge of your seat craving more. The voice acting is great and the graphics are phenomenal. I absolutely love this game for a change of pace and for something different the the typical games I play. It is a tell tale style game so it may not interest everyone. I would say my only gripe is the game is somewhat short but it has replay value due to the butterfly effect system. So give it a shot!

This game has decent acting from the main cast, great visuals, and an awesome atmosphere with even better sound. For those of you looking for a great interactive narrative, pick this up. For everyone looking for a great adventure game, keep looking. While predictable and sometimes overacted, this game still packs a punch and delivers on jump scares with intriguing choices that will make you question your own morality. I will not get into a lengthy review, that's what the pros are paid for. But, if you're a fan of games such as Heavy Rain, Beyond Two Souls or anything by Quantic Dream and are having doubts about this game, doubt no longer. Pick this up and just enjoy the ride.

I went into this game knowing nothing about it and it is the way I would recommend everyone should play this. The more you know about the game, the easier it is to see through the twists of the story. I played through this game in 2 sessions within 24 hours. It’s not a very long game but I thought for the story they were telling it was the right length. The exploration is limited and often leads to new clues that expand the story. The voice acting is usually pretty good with some of the characters being recognizable actors. Most of your choices do matter and even finding some of the clues with cue extra dialogue during cutscenes. I’m glad that not all your choices matter because it helps keep you guessing if what you choose will have consequences or not. I was surprised by how much I liked the overarching story. Now this game isn’t without it’s problems. Depending on your choices, the transitions during cutscenes and dialogue isn’t always smooth. Certain clues you find can make the story too easy to figure out and the totems you find can really affect the choices you make and ruin the surprises and tension in the game. If you miss some clues the story won’t be as good because you won’t understand or know as much about what is going on. While using real actors brings a certain level of talent to the game, it’s kind of a distraction to who the characters are. The facial animations also feel a little uncanny at times but it didn’t bother me too much. The biggest problem with the game is just the type of game it is. There are a lot of variables at play that affect the story and you can either get a really good story or a not so good story based on how you play and the choices you make. Overall I really enjoyed Until Dawn. It is a beautiful horror game with a good story that is best played around the holidays. If you are someone who can turn off your brain for a bit and enjoy a story based horror game then I would recommend this for you. Your experience with the game may be different than mine based on how you play and the choices you make. But I hope that you will get the best experience that the game can offer for you when you play. 4 out of 5 Stars.

For a game that got passed around in development and jumped from the PS3 to the PS4, Until Dawn has an impressive and polished production. The cast for starters is superb, and the characters they play are pleasantly multilayered despite their initial presentation as tropes. The writing is very aware of horror tropes in film and uses them to play with your expectations. The creators took that feeling of frustration you have with teens running around getting killed in slasher flicks and turned it into a game. You get to make those choices that determine who lives or dies. The whole thing feels Hollywood in the best way possible. The story is linear but so well-paced, slowly growing in intensity to make you paranoid before everything hits the fan. The characters are charismatic, I quickly invested and wanted to see (most of) them pull through. If you're like me and get scared easily, the jump scares will get you pretty good. Those kinds of spooks can easily feel tacky, but Until Dawn uses them well for the most part. The game trolls you hard. I would say it's best experienced with a friend or group--it's so, so fun to theorize and make choices together. There's no "multiplayer" per say, but you can pass the controller around and each play different characters. There isn't a lot of replayability, just to see different choices and 100% everything. I am planning to play with other people, but only to experience their reactions rather than the game itself. I would love more games like this, with a popcorn Hollywood cast and script!

I finished my first play-through about twenty minutes ago, and I was not disappointed. Half of my team died and it freakin' bugs me. I am a long time fan of games like "Silent Hill" (mostly the first three) and other games that promise a scare. However, it has been a long time since I felt anything actually delivered on that promise, but this one did it. What's more, once you complete it there are tons of alternate branching paths that I'm already wondering about and looking forward to playing through again. I can see this as the kind of game that I will do an annual play through around Halloween simply because there's so much to see and so many things that can change with each attempt. It has a few weaknesses, but not enough for me to want to detract from its score. The constant F-Bombs towards the end began to get farcical to me. It's not that I expect squeaky clean language when you're getting hacked to death, but I think too much and you actually get less realistic and it pulls me out of the horror. At the same time though, I get that it's a riff on teen horror movies and that's kind of par for the course in those. Many out there won't be troubled by this complaint of mine one bit. Finally, without spoiling anything I felt the writers tried TOO hard to be clever with their plot and added too much complexity. I can see the desire to do so to keep the game feeling deep and worth repeats, but the simpler tale it started as was much more terrifying to me. Your mileage may vary. All that aside, this is an awesome game and a great change of pace from shooting something in the head all day everyday. Especially with Halloween approaching, this thing will set the mood right.

After hearing many friends talk about this game. I decided to give it a try. The graphics are great, and the story drew me in. There are moments where you will jump out of your seat. Nearly sent my control flying a few times. I don't know exactly how long the story goes overall. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Every decision you make changes the way the story goes. So I would say that the replay value is high.

This game is spectacular for those who love story driven games and those who love horror! I definitely jumped quite a few times. I even had friends and family who enjoyed watching me play, because it is very much like an interactive movie. The choices you make matter and can sometimes have very dire consequences for the people in the game. The game also has an amazing cast.

I really enjoyed playing Until Dawn. I'm a big fan of Square Enix games, and I can honestly say they have delivered once again. Until Dawn offers a unique gaming experience of the sort we've come to expect from the studio that brought us Heavy Rain. An extremely satisfying mix of atmosphere and tough decisions. Each character's actions affect not only them, but the other characters and the over-all direction of the story as well. Can be slow at times in the beginning, but definitely worth the play.

I have two kids...3 and 1...I love love love video games and my ps4 but i don't have a lot of time to play it. so i tend to go for more action or point-click type games. i love to have fun with games but i just don't have time to build up a weapons stash, negotiate with enemies, strategize operations and plans...i need to be able to play my game while my kid takes a nap for the next hour and a half. i may not get back to it for another week. so what i love about this game is (as sad as it is to say) there's not a lot of thinking required. it's a choose-your-own-adventure type game. what helps is there is an intense atmosphere and the graphics are amazing! when i first paused the game and saw a closeup of peter stormare, it was unbelievable!! i'm a big horror film fan so to see the stale teenage slasher idea be used in an interactive way makes this pretty fun! and i don't have to remember what happened in the last chapter because , guess what, much like a serial tv drama, it reminds with a "last time, in until dawn" before you start the game...thank you!! my only downside is the controls. it's somewhat smooth but not perfect. much easier to navigate than some of the other camera-fixed games that change position (much like the resident evil or fatal frame series) but still pretty solid. also, i encountered a lot of skipping in the audio...not sure if that's my soundbar or perhaps my system, but kept happening quite frequently. but overall...pretty excellent in my opinion.