The series of various horror movies where you find yourself yelling at the people on the screen to just do the simplest action in order to avoid getting killed is one of the most frustrating aspects for horror fans! But thanks to the decision based story games, we are finally given a library of games that give us the chance to make the characters actually make the choices we think are best!
One of the latest free games on the Playstation Plus store is Until Dawn, a choice based, story driven game that will put you on edge and make you feel like you don't actually know the best choices that they should be making, given the circumstances!
Story
Eight campers make their way up to a lodge owned by one of the families of the multiple spoiled teenagers that are taking advantage of the winter break with the free vacation. Once they get up there, they find that they have to put some effort in to make everything work properly within the lodge and separate.
It's not long after the separation that each of the characters find themselves in serious danger thanks to the dangerous creatures lurking within the mountains!
Gameplay
While you are able to freely move along the guided pathway, usually set between thick forest areas, you can find things like totem pole pieces that show different variations of upcoming fates or other items that are interact-able, but not always helpful.
Most of the game is based on choices that all have their own timing and consequences that range from saving yourself, saving their friend, or getting somebody, or themselves, killed! The same goes with the quick time events, because if you mess up one part of the event that could ruin the opportunity you had to save someone!
You will be faced with multiple tough choices and will likely need to choose a set of favorite characters that you want to focus on not getting killed, because there are times where a sacrifice will look like your only option. The thing is, it's not and your choice reflects how you really feel towards the other characters.
One bad choice can lead to a bad result for way later in the game, while a good choice can seem to have little-to-no effect. Just know, even if you don't see that something good happened that is because you didn't see something bad that was going to happen!
Here's some gameplay from my old channel:
Graphics
Visually, everything is pretty well done. It has a very obvious cartoon-like look to all the characters and the surrounding, but gives off enough to make you really understand the events that are taking place. The surroundings are very fitting for a winter, mountainside forest setting with the various log cabins, constant footprints being left behind, snow fall slightly happening at all times, and lush green pine trees surrounding dead, snow covered ones.
Sounds
The music and sound effects chosen are perfect for the type of scenarios that are given. It is really like being in control of a horror movie with the intense music, crazy sounds from the lurking creatures, and accurate gunfire or melee smacks!
Replayability
This game has some replayability. While the story is the same, you can in fact save every person just as you could lose every person! There is multiple possibilities and every choice you make counts.
What Could Be Better
I noticed that the first four or five chapters choices have little-to-no effect on the overall outcome of the game. While I could be wrong to how effective these choices are, they didn't have a strong impact from either of my playthroughs of the game. I would understand the first two chapters, but I would love to have had more consequences based on my choices from early on in the game.
Final Verdict
It is a fun game that will take skill, reaction timing, and smart choices to be able to get through. I still hope to make it through a full playthrough without losing any of the characters!
"It's like being in control of a horror movie and still be unable to get it right!"
