If the menu of butterfly effect moments is anything to go by I'm about 1/3 of the way through the game which suggests it's not that long as so far not much has happened but I'm assuming there's more to the games length or such effect moments will grow less frequent as the storyline goes on. Still, it's been enough to get an idea of how the game is going to pan out from a gameplay point of view.
So, Until Dawn is Sony's PS3 Move title which was generally overlooked as a schedule filler and has popped up on PS4 as a Heavy Rainesque title. Who knows beyond the devs how the game would have been as originally set out but in the finished title the style they've gone for feels like a perfect fit. The left stick controls your movement through the fixed camera scenes whilst the right shifts the view slightly. R1 speeds up your walking pace whilst X interacts with objects you notice as you go.
The game offers QTE's and some other motions etc, the choice of using motion controls remains also but I've stuck with the more traditional style and had no issues. Your cast of characters is about 10 strong and it's your cliche bunch of late teen/early twenties peeps who many or may not survive the night. The game also seems to try and gauge your own horror tastes, though I'm not sure yet if that affects the experience much.
Visually it's really nice, character models are detailed and well animated whilst the tone set is consistent and pitched well. The main hook seems to be to experience a horror movie story but where you decide character actions, playing well on genre film frustrations. I've seen one or two route or decision choices where the instinct to avoid horror character mistakes clashes with your instincts as gamer to experience every area and choice outcome.
Where the game perhaps stumbles a bit is that it's a very simple affair when you think on the gameplay. Though it follows the same design Quantic Dream uses, your level of interaction is much more limited. The lack of freedom, especially when you're aware of foreshadowed hints etc might end up being frustrating as the body count increases.
So far though it gets by quite a bit by how charming an overall experience it is.
So, Until Dawn is Sony's PS3 Move title which was generally overlooked as a schedule filler and has popped up on PS4 as a Heavy Rainesque title. Who knows beyond the devs how the game would have been as originally set out but in the finished title the style they've gone for feels like a perfect fit. The left stick controls your movement through the fixed camera scenes whilst the right shifts the view slightly. R1 speeds up your walking pace whilst X interacts with objects you notice as you go.
The game offers QTE's and some other motions etc, the choice of using motion controls remains also but I've stuck with the more traditional style and had no issues. Your cast of characters is about 10 strong and it's your cliche bunch of late teen/early twenties peeps who many or may not survive the night. The game also seems to try and gauge your own horror tastes, though I'm not sure yet if that affects the experience much.
Visually it's really nice, character models are detailed and well animated whilst the tone set is consistent and pitched well. The main hook seems to be to experience a horror movie story but where you decide character actions, playing well on genre film frustrations. I've seen one or two route or decision choices where the instinct to avoid horror character mistakes clashes with your instincts as gamer to experience every area and choice outcome.
Where the game perhaps stumbles a bit is that it's a very simple affair when you think on the gameplay. Though it follows the same design Quantic Dream uses, your level of interaction is much more limited. The lack of freedom, especially when you're aware of foreshadowed hints etc might end up being frustrating as the body count increases.
So far though it gets by quite a bit by how charming an overall experience it is.
Not perfect but by god I enjoyed it.
Comment