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Until Dawn

While some find its linearity and familiar horror tropes repetitive, Until Dawn generally thrills with its branching narrative, chilling atmosphere, and top-notch production values. It’s a cinematic horror adventure that will have you screaming and scrambling for the controller, questioning every choice you make.

Game Info

When a trip to a remote cabin leaves eight friends stranded on a mountainside, sinister events make them suspect they’re not alone…Gripped by fear and with tensions in the group running high, step into the quaking boots of each of the eight terrified characters as you search for clues to the deranged killer’s identity. By making life or death decisions using the sophisticated “butterfly effect” system, everything you do will drastically alter the course of the story – and the fate of each character.

Recommended

Average Score

Total Reviews: 77

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47% of scored reviews fell within the range of 80 to 87 / 100

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Ratings & Reviews

77

Critic Reviews

79

Average Critic Score

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All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.

High Score

95%

Median Score

80%

Low Score

40%

What did you think of Until Dawn?

Player Reviews0 Votes

Louise Blain (GamesRadar+)

August 24, 2015

3.5/5 stars

As cheesy horror goes, you’ve never had it this pretty or entertaining but when it comes to a one off experience, Until Dawn is expensive interactive terror.

Dan Whitehead (Eurogamer)

August 27, 2015

Recommended

Weird, gory and surprisingly moving – Sony’s long-delayed slasher tribute is a flawed but memorable step forwards for “interactive movies”.

Lucy O’Brien (IGN)

August 24, 2015

7.5/10

Until Dawn is an inconsistent horror game, but it’s still a heck of a lot of fun.

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Score Ranges

Read the Reviews (77 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
ACG	Jeremy Penter	Not Recommended	08-27-2015	Video Review	Read review
Arcade Sushi	Alex Langley	8.5 / 10	09-01-2015	Ultimately, Until Dawn is a bold experiment that pays off far more than it doesn’t. Though the story’s set pieces are set, the outcomes are not, and if you’ve got the snooping skills to find all the totem guides, the reflexes to ace every QTE, and the luck to pick Hide instead of running away at the wrong time, everyone just might make it out alive.	Read review
Ars Technica	Steven Strom	Recommended	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is entertaining in all the ways it needs to be, even if it isn’t perfect in all the ways I’d like it to be. Try it, or wait for a discount.	Read review
AusGamers	Grizz	8 / 10	08-28-2015	Niggles creep in due to the rudimentary control scheme	Read review
CGMagazine	Melanie Emile	9 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn captured the slasher flick perfectly.	Read review
COGconnected	Paul Sullivan	91 / 100	08-24-2015	While Until Dawn lacks complex gameplay, it counters with compelling characters, astounding visuals, and a thought provoking storyline. A masterful fusion of art forms, Until Dawn is a refreshingly self-aware experience that no thriller fan should pass up.	Read review
Cubed3	Drew Hurley	8 / 10	09-11-2015	Fans of interactive story experiences, or just horror in general, would be wise to give this a shot. Supermassive Games has done a great job and hopefully they will have the chance to experiment more with titles of this ilk in the future.	Read review
Daily Dot	Dennis Scimeca	3 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	The story feels as confused about its direction as Until Dawn feels confused about its identity.	Read review
DarkZero	Thomas McDermott	8 / 10	09-07-2015	It may not be a masterpiece, almost solely relying on jump scares to shock, but it is fun to play, and that’s what matters most. Once it gets going, it is a non-stop rollercoaster of visceral excitement. Letting players have control as they take a selection of disparate characters through the nastiness awaiting them is a fantastic idea that is also well executed. The fact these characters quickly go from looking fine and dandy to resembling someone that’s been dragged through a hedge backwards only adds to the fun!	Read review
Destructoid	Chris Carter	7 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn knows exactly what it is, and doesn’t pretend to be anything more. In that process it allows for some predictable plotlines, hammy acting, and lack of meaningful choices, but I’m glad that it exists, and every horror fan owes it to themselves to play it at some point — especially at a price cut.	Read review
Digital Chumps	Nathaniel Stevens	7.8 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn doesn’t hide what it’s trying to do. It’s a game that focuses on story and QTE heavy gameplay. It has linear design driving it, while only deviating from the course with player choices, which affect the direction of the story. If you can accept these things, and realize it’s not perfect, then you’re going to probably enjoy Supermassive Games’ horror show.	Read review
Digital Spy	Joe Donnelly	2 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Despite the butterfly effect’s premise, a ham-fisted story means you won’t care about who might live and who might die. It’s not enough to save the game from disappointment, and in the end, Until Dawn is its own self-inflicted nightmare.	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Matt S.	4 / 5 stars	08-26-2015	Until Dawn is a very, very fine game, with a quality, intriguing, and intelligent narrative rolled around the concept of player choice. It’s also another example of why Sony is the best blockbuster publisher out there because it’s happy to do stuff that breaks away from the safe conventions of expensive games.	Read review
DualShockers	Giuseppe Nelva	8.5 / 10	08-24-2015	While there are flaws here and there, Until Dawn is a very well put together experience, mixing great graphics and complex storytelling in a super-tight package. If you fit its very specific target, meaning that you enjoy the specific kind of horror it reproduces, and you don’t mind old-style adventure-like gameplay and quicktime events galore, you’ll find it a really exceptional and fairly unique game, that will scare the hell out of you in all the right ways.	Read review
EGM	Mollie L Patterson	8 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn doesn’t always live up to the potential Supermassive Games envisioned for its ambitious PS4 project, but the game succeeds in enough ways to make it a fascinating and engrossing twist on the horror genre.	Read review
Eurogamer	Dan Whitehead	Recommended	08-27-2015	Weird, gory and surprisingly moving	Read review
Fextralife	Lanzen	8 / 10	09-08-2015	Considering the number of cliches thrown in, it works surprisingly well, mostly due to exceptionally good voice acting. Bar some attempts at motion controls which don’t quite fit, the control scheme is sensible.	Read review
Forbes	Erik Kain	8.5 / 10	08-24-2015	I’m sure it won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy horror movies like Scream and want to experience the genre with some agency in the story’s outcome, Until Dawn is a great choice.	Read review
Game Informer	Jeff Marchiafava	9 / 10	08-24-2015	Supermassive weaves an intriguing and exciting mystery with all the right teen-horror trappings	Read review
Game Rant	Anthony Taormina	4 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Until Dawn puts player choice above everything else, and for a horror game that’s rather unique. But be warned that the game is more interactive movie than game.	Read review
Game Revolution	Jessica Vazquez	4 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Until Dawn delivers on multiple fronts and it’s a welcome addition to any PS4 owner’s library.	Read review
GameCrate	Robert Workman	8 / 10	08-24-2015	When Until Dawn was announced, expectations were low, because I was afraid that Supermassive would simply follow the same horror movie tropes without innovating. But how wrong I was, as, thanks to the “butterfly effect” and some savvy game design, there are multiple ways to experience fear here. Some groan-worthy moments do set in (especially when it comes to some character behaviors), but overall it’s an experience that horror fans will gleefully eat up. And that’s something you can’t really say every day with products from this genre.	Read review
GameGrin	Calum Parry	7 / 10	09-07-2015	Until Dawn is an excellent addition to any horror fan’s PlayStation 4 collection, even if borrowed or rented, you’ll still be satisfied with a single 9-10 hour playthrough, but the seeming unending paths towards terror, gore, death and salvation will keep you coming back to see if you can survive another night until dawn.	Read review
Gameplanet	Chris Brown	8.5 / 10	08-26-2015	Until Dawn is the best cinematic horror game to torment players this past decade. It doesn’t hit every beat, but by morning you will have experienced terror, tension, and tragedy, and killed a few of your friends – if you even survive that long.	Read review
Gamerheadquarters	Jason Stettner	8.5 / 10	01-14-2017	Until Dawn is one of the best horror games I’ve ever played being that next step for interactive experiences in terms of graphics and storytelling.	Read review
GamesBeat	Dean Takahashi	90 / 100	08-24-2015	The game really lives up to its promise and vision, and that’s a rarity in an age of hype.	Read review
GameSkinny	Matt Paprocki	8 / 10	08-28-2015	If Until Dawn were the movie it was trying to be, it’s Rotten Tomatoes score would be single digits.	Read review
GameSpot	Alexa Ray Corriea	8 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is a thoughtful game that exploits its tropes and sets up a system of mechanics and branching narrative that make for a chilling, irresistible experience.	Read review
GamesRadar+	Louise Blain	3.5 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	As cheesy horror goes, you’ve never had it this pretty or entertaining but when it comes to a one off experience, Until Dawn is expensive interactive terror.	Read review
Gaming Nexus	Charles Husemann	7.4 / 10	08-24-2015	If you like this genre, then Until Dawn is worth checking out for its outstanding production values and its solid, but somewhat predictable, writing.	Read review
GamingTrend	Eric Van Allen	90 / 100	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is the proper slasher game fans have always wanted, and succeeds at creating a wildly unique and enjoyable narrative experience. Beautiful graphics and sound, amazing performances and engaging stories make this a must-play for any horror fan.	Read review
GBAtemp	Thomas Hugh	9 / 10	08-30-2015	If you like adventure and horror games or cheesy slasher flicks you’ll be right at home with Until Dawn. It unashamedly uses every trope in the book but is so well developed that it will become the new standard that future adventure games are compared to. Overall I enjoyed it enough to play through again and see the alternate outcomes as well as find the missing collectibles.	Read review
Geeks Under Grace	Andrew Feistner	9 / 10	02-14-2019	Until Dawn is a narrative game for the ages. Rarely is horror done so effectively that you feel you can not pull your eyes from the screen. You know that something is coming and there is nothing you can do but be shocked at you have just done.	Read review
God is a Geek	Adam Cook	8.5 / 10	08-24-2015	If you like Quantic Dream’s games and think the idea of that style mixed with an “I Know What You Did Last Summer” or “Scary Movie” style narrative would be good, you’re probably going to really dig it.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Steve Hannley	4 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is gripping through its nine-odd hour running time and never lets off the gas. It’s scary — although sometimes cheaply so — and does a great job illustrating the butterfly effect. What Supermassive has accomplished so early in their tenure is impressive and something all horror fans should experience.	Read review
IGN	Lucy O’Brien	7.5 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is an inconsistent horror game, but it’s still a heck of a lot of fun.	Read review
Impulsegamer	James Wright (Impulsegamer)	4.7 / 5 stars	08-27-2015	Until Dawn may have gone through some development problems and lengthy delays but after completing this title twice, I can safely say that the wait was worth it. It’s also one of those games that heavily focuses on storytelling and even though the gamplay does take a back seat, the interactive plot is equally as satisfying. All in all, Until Dawn puts the player into the world the unknown which makes your choices a very hard chore that will leave you with mixed emotions when you “think” you’ve made the wrong decision. Until Dawn is the perfect interactive medium on the PlayStation 4 that succeeds at drawing you into your own personal horror story.	Read review
Kill Screen	Reid McCarter	78 / 100	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is a game constructed by people who understand how to manipulate its players’ sense of control. It’s informed by a deep study of horror films and smart in its consideration of how to employ this understanding in an interactive medium. It only fails in its uncharacteristic acceptance of a few outmoded tropes. In some ways that enhances Until Dawn as an attempt to properly translate its genre to a new form, while keeping its spirit intact. In others, it’s a disappointingly familiar problem to find in a game with so many novel ideas.	Read review
Kotaku	Patrick Klepek	Recommended	08-24-2015	A delightfully absurd choose-your-own adventure horror game that encourages multiple playthroughs.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	David Jenkins	6 / 10	08-24-2015	One of the more successful interactive movies of recent years, but that’s really not saying much given the lack of gameplay and horror thrills.	Read review
New Game Network	Josh Hinke	82 / 100	08-29-2015	Until Dawn is a fascinating horror experience, using the creativity of its gameplay to approach the genre in a new and surprising way. It’s well-paced and the blending of horror with choice-based gameplay is a fantastic union.	Read review
NZGamer	Bronwyn James	9 / 10	08-25-2015	With choices that have real consequences, Until Dawn is definitely a game to pick up. Especially since you can look back at what your choices did and try for a different outcome the next time you play.	Read review
Pardis Game	Sina Rabiee	7.5 / 10	08-31-2015	در نهایت باید بگوییم که Until Dawn در رده بازی های بزرگ سال قرار نمی گیرد و همچنین در رده بازی های بزرگ سبک خود در کنار عناوینی نظیر Heavy Rain نیز قرار نمی گیرد اما با این وجود حاصل خلاقیت ها و ایده های جاه طلبانه Supermassive Games ، یک اثر ایده آل ، دوست داشتنی با تجربه ای بشدت متفاوت شده است . بازی حدود 10 ساعت شما را در محیط جالب خود سرگرم می کند و در بسیاری از اوقات با چالش های داستانی خود شما را سورپرایز می کند و بدون شک تجربه آنرا به دوستداران سبک ترس با چاشنی گیم پلی درام تعاملی پیشنهاد می کنیم .	Read review
Paste Magazine	Cameron Kunzelman	9.5 / 10	08-25-2015	Until Dawn is genre-changing across the board, and I literally cannot wait for other games to pick up even 1% of what it brings to the table in terms of narrative and design innovation.	Read review
PCMag	Matthew D. Sarrel, Timothy Torres	3.5 / 5 stars	09-24-2015	Suspenseful, engaging, well-written horror story. Very good voice acting. Highly detailed world to explore.	Read review
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette	Max Parker	7.5 / 10	08-24-2015	“Until Dawn’s” overall experience is inconsistent. The production values are impressive, but too seldom did it rely on atmosphere and score to build its tension and regressed into predictable jump scare tactics. And as a game that bills itself as one of near endless possibilities, the choice system doesn’t change much of the story. It fills the horror spot in the PS4’s library that has since been vacant, but a better thriller is bound to take it’s place soon.	Read review
PlayStation LifeStyle	Chandler Wood	9 / 10	08-24-2015	There’s a well written and unchanging lore here. It’s campy, but it’s horror and was never billed as anything else. The events on the mountain are set in motion and then wrapped around each of your decisions and characters’ fates. There are certain points and choices that will cause each character to die, some in a variety of nasty and horrific ways, and something about taking the reins of a character in a horror movie is just satisfying. Instead of yelling at the screen that they made a stupid choice, you get to beat yourself up for what you did to get them killed. When the sun rises and the final survivors are tallied up, you’ll realize Until Dawn isn’t perfect, but no matter which choices you make, it’s one hell of a ride.	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Kyle Prahl	8 / 10	08-24-2015	Equal parts teen slasher, action adventure, and psychological horror, Until Dawn throws a lot at the board and nails only some of it. But its biggest win is choice–permanent, unpredictable, and meaningful.	Read review
Polygon	Philip Kollar	6.5 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn isn’t a great game, but it’s compelling in spite of its huge flaws	Read review
Post Arcade (National Post)	Daniel Kaszor	8 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is a horror themed version of Heavy Rain or Beyond if they were made by talented work-for-hire journeymen instead of an inconsistent auteur	Read review
Push Square	Sammy Barker	8 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is a pleasant surprise, and something that fans of interactive stories will really appreciate. As a schlocky horror it’s a success, but its fiction actually goes beyond simple slasher – even if it remains intentionally silly throughout. The sometimes sloppy controls will irritate, while the performance capture could have been better, but neither of these issues are nightmarish enough to pull you out of the popcorn flick plot, which is buoyed by the impressive, if not gigantically impactful, butterfly effect. A ridiculous romp is what was promised, then, and this one will keep occupied all night long.	Read review
Shacknews	Daniel Perez	8 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn kept me intrigued from start to finish. I came for the campy teen horror movie feel and left extremely impressed with how well rounded and influential an experience Supermassive Games delivered. This is a game that you’ll be talking to your friends and colleagues about for years to come as you’ll find no two experiences are alike no matter how hard you try.	Read review
Slant Magazine	Aaron Riccio	4 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	It lives up to its title, as players will be glued to it all night, exhilaratingly racing to one of the many potential endings.	Read review
Softpedia	Andrei Dumitrescu	8 / 10	08-25-2015	Until Dawn is a video game that should jump to the “to-play” pile for those gamers who love classic horror and want to see the high-quality that the PlayStation 4 can deliver when it comes to faces and character interactions.	Read review
TechnoBuffalo	Eric Frederiksen	Recommended	08-26-2015	I really enjoyed my time with Until Dawn, and I’m itching to replay it. In many ways, it reminds me of Quantic Dream games like Heavy Rain, except it works and works very well. It respects its characters and the player while offering those same kind of immersive cinematic experience those games went for. If you’re a horror fan, Until Dawn is a must-play. It’s a love letter and a fresh creation of its own and worth seeking out.	Read review
Telegraph	Tom Hoggins	4 / 5 stars	08-28-2015	There is no doubting the actors commitment to their archetypes, though, and their performances are a big part of why you start to warm to even the coldest character. You end up wanting them all to survive, unlikely as that seems.	Read review
The Digital Fix	Luciano Howard	8 / 10	09-28-2015	What we have here is a fun story with actual impactful choices lending a level of replayability unseen to date in similar games.	Read review
The Escapist	Phil Hornshaw	3 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Until Dawn struggles with clunky video game elements and rough pacing, but mitigates it with B-movie slasher mainstays and a willingness to embrace player failure.	Read review
The Jimquisition	James Stephanie Sterling	9.5 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is everything that Quantic Dream games have tried to be – unsuccessfully – for the past decade. It emulates horror movies while demonstrating a clear understanding of what makes those movies work, its focus on consequence is nervewracking and intricate, and its story is silly but strongly delivered.	Read review
TheSixthAxis	Jim Hargreaves	8 / 10	08-24-2015	With its immersive world, branching narrative, and lifelike character work, Until Dawn will have players on the edge of their seats while pounding them with jump scares and a bone-chilling soundtrack. Having previously worked on ports and smaller titles for Sony, Supermassive Games have shown that they can play with the big boys and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.	Read review
Toronto Sun	Steve Tilley	3.5 / 5 stars	08-27-2015	It’s like an adults-only Scooby-Doo mystery with blood, swearing and sphincter-clenching scares.	Read review
TrustedReviews	Sam Loveridge	2.5 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	If you’re looking for an interactive horror movie, Supermassive Games has totally nailed it. The strong storyline is bursting with boo-scares, gore and stereotypically creepy settings – to the point I had to put my controller down to stop my heart racing several times. And I loved and loathed all of the characters in their own way.	Read review
Twinfinite	Ed McGlone	4 / 5 stars	08-29-2015	Until Dawn is an excellent change of pace from the norm. There aren’t a lot of games quite like it.	Read review
USgamer	Mike Williams	3.5 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Until Dawn is a horror movie where you control the plot. Think of it like a Telltale adventure with a much better presentation. If you’re looking for a deeper, more interactive title, this isn’t it, but it does its best to make your choices feel meaningful. And once you’ve played Until Dawn, comparing your story with your friends’ is pretty satisfying.	Read review
VGChartz	Karl Koebke	Recommended	08-30-2015	The multi-character adventure style of gaming that was spearheaded by Heavy Rain is a perfect fit for the slasher/horror genre, and few games, or media experiences in general, are as intense.	Read review
VideoGamer	Tom Orry	8 / 10	08-24-2015	If you fancy a gory treat that hits plenty of high notes, Until Dawn is highly recommended.	Read review
Wccftech	Alessio Palumbo	8.6 / 10	09-04-2015	Until Dawn is definitely a nice surprise. Despite not being marketed as a huge exclusive like Uncharted or God of War, it’s arguably the best one available on PlayStation 4 with the exception of Bloodborne; if you like horror/thriller movies and you don’t mind Quick Time Events, you’re definitely in for a treat.	Read review
We Got This Covered	Chad Goodmurphy	4.5 / 5 stars	08-24-2015	Until Dawn expertly combines choice-based gaming with horror movie mechanics, delivering a game that will be tough to forget. It’s so good, in fact, that it will be hard to overlook when it comes time to name this year’s best.	Read review
Worth Playing	Chris “Atom” DeAngelus	7 / 10	08-24-2015	Until Dawn does what it is aiming to do well. It’s a near-perfect adaptation of an average slasher/monster film. It’s a fun romp through a horror movie, and the tension of all characters being able to live and die contributes well to the overall feel. At the end of the day, though, it’s not exceptional and lacks replay value.	Read review

Until Dawn Credits

DIRECTOR(S):

Will Byles, Nik Bowen

PRODUCER(S):

Pete Samuels

DESIGNER(S):

Tom Heaton

PROGRAMMER(S):

n/a

ARTIST(S):

n/a

WRITER(S):

Larry Fessenden, Graham Reznick

COMPOSER(S):

Jason Graves

LINKS:

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MAIN STORY

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MAIN + EXTRAS

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COMPLETIONIST

hrs

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Embracer Group CEO Takes Responsibility for Restructuring, Announces Major Company Split

Assassin’s Creed Jade Release Likely Delayed to 2025 as Tencent Shifts Focus

PlayStation 5 Pro: Leaked Specs Reveal a Major Upgrade, Release Hinted for Holiday 2024

Xbox Games Hit New Platforms: Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded Coming to Other Platforms

Xbox Reaches Beyond Consoles: 4 Games to Rival Platforms, and What It Means

Until Dawn Credits

Will Byles, Nik Bowen

Pete Samuels

Tom Heaton

n/a

n/a

Larry Fessenden, Graham Reznick

Jason Graves

Time to Beat

Find the games you're looking for

Popular Keywords

Platforms

Until Dawn

Critics Consensus (Play It)

Game Info

Bronze TIER

Where to Play

Ratings & Reviews

77

79

Where to Play

Embracer Group CEO Takes Responsibility for Restructuring, Announces Major Company Split

Assassin’s Creed Jade Release Likely Delayed to 2025 as Tencent Shifts Focus

PlayStation 5 Pro: Leaked Specs Reveal a Major Upgrade, Release Hinted for Holiday 2024

Xbox Games Hit New Platforms: Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded Coming to Other Platforms

Xbox Reaches Beyond Consoles: 4 Games to Rival Platforms, and What It Means

Until Dawn Credits

Will Byles, Nik Bowen

Pete Samuels

Tom Heaton

n/a

n/a

Larry Fessenden, Graham Reznick

Jason Graves

Time to Beat

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