Until Dawn Review: A Remake Bringing Fresh Screams to PS5 and PC

Horror fans have something to scream about as Supermassive Games revisits their beloved PS4 thriller, Until Dawn. This isn’t just another quick polish job – the studio has rebuilt their narrative horror masterpiece from the ground up for PS5 and PC using Unreal Engine 5. With promises of enhanced visuals and clever use of the PS5’s DualSense features, this remake aims to terrify a whole new generation of players. But with so many remakes flooding the market these days, does this one deserve your attention?

Visual Overhaul

Until Dawn’s remake and you’ll immediately notice where most of the development effort went. The jump to Unreal Engine 5 transforms what was already an impressive-looking game into something that truly feels next-gen. The isolated mountain setting, which served as the perfect backdrop for horror in the original, now feels eerily alive. Snow doesn’t just fall – it drifts and settles with convincing realism, while ground textures have enough detail to make you feel the crunch under your feet.

The environmental lighting system really shines here too. Thanks to ray tracing, your flashlight beam cuts through the darkness with unsettling precision, creating sharper shadows that’ll have you second-guessing every dark corner. Even simple things like light bouncing off wooden floors or glass windows add to the atmosphere in ways the original couldn’t match.

Character models have gotten their fair share of attention too. When the camera zooms in for those intense close-ups, you’ll spot details that were simply impossible on PS4 – natural-looking skin textures, individual strands of hair, and subtle facial features that make characters feel more human than ever. It’s not all perfect though. While static models look great, some facial animations still come across as stiff, especially during emotionally charged scenes or quick movements.

Performance and Technical Aspects

Let’s talk about how the game actually runs. While Until Dawn remake generally delivers a smooth 60 FPS experience that makes the original’s performance look dated, it’s not without its bumps in the road. You’ll notice frame rate hiccups pop up during particularly busy scenes or when the game transitions between cutscenes and gameplay. These issues become more apparent when multiple characters are on screen in complex environments. While these stutters won’t ruin your experience, they can be jarring during tense moments when immersion matters most.

DualSense Features

The PS5’s DualSense controller adds some neat tricks to the horror experience, even if they’re not revolutionary. The haptic feedback does a solid job of putting you in the moment – you’ll feel those footsteps in the snow, the impact of sudden scares, and various environmental effects right in your hands. The adaptive triggers bring their own subtle touches to the experience, adding resistance when you’re handling weapons or making crucial decisions. It’s not going to change how you play the game, but these features definitely help pull you deeper into those scary moments.

Gameplay and New Content

The core of Until Dawn remains unchanged – you’re still making split-second decisions that can mean life or death for your characters through the butterfly effect system. Quick-time events continue to divide player opinion, but they’re as much a part of the game’s DNA as ever. What’s new here is a completely reworked prologue that gives us more time with the characters before everything goes wrong. The opening sequence involving Beth and Hannah hits differently now, with expanded dialogue and interactions that make the tragic events feel even more impactful.

The game’s totem system has gotten a meaningful update too. Beyond the original 30 totems that offered glimpses of possible futures, there are six new ones that add fresh perspectives to the story. They’ve changed how you interact with these mysterious objects as well, making each discovery feel more intentional than before.

Despite occasional technical hiccups, the Until Dawn remake succeeds in bringing this horror gem into the modern era. The visual improvements and DualSense features create a more immersive experience, even if some performance issues occasionally break the spell. Whether you’re revisiting the mountain or braving its terrors for the first time, this version of Until Dawn offers plenty of reasons to lose sleep all over again.

Verdict

After spending time with Until Dawn’s remake, it’s clear this isn’t just a simple graphics update – it’s a thoughtful reimagining that respects what made the original special while pushing it into modern gaming territory. The visual overhaul through Unreal Engine 5 is the star of the show, transforming every snow-covered path and dimly lit corridor into something that feels fresh and unsettling all over again. Those enhanced graphics, combined with the clever use of the DualSense controller’s features, make for a more visceral horror experience that can still get under your skin even if you know what’s coming.

That said, it’s not all perfect in this winter wonderland of terror. The occasional performance hiccups, particularly during hectic scenes, can snap you out of the experience at precisely the wrong moments. Some character animations still feel a bit stiff, especially during emotional peaks, reminding us that even modern technology has its limits. However, these issues feel more like minor bumps in an otherwise smooth ride rather than deal-breakers.

The new prologue and expanded totem system show that Supermassive Games wasn’t content with just prettier graphics – they wanted to add meaningful content that enriches the story. For newcomers, this is undoubtedly the definitive way to experience Until Dawn’s branching narrative of survival horror. For returning players, the visual upgrade and new content additions make this mountain worth climbing again, even if you remember where all the scares are hiding.

Until Dawn Remastered

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Developer: Ballistic Moon

Release Date: 2024-10-04

PlayStation 5, Steam

When eight friends return to the isolated lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, fear tightens its icy grip, and their mountain retreat descends into a nightmare with no escape. Face your fears and determine who survives Until Dawn in this seminal horror classic, rebuilt and enhanced for PC.

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