by Keith Loh, staff reporter
Everybody feels annoyed when a group of friends decide to split up in a horror movie. This makes it easier for the killer to kill them since they are separated. A decision like that would result in the death of the characters, like in the horror game, “Until Dawn”.
People can now take the wheel and play as eight friends who have been trapped atop a remote mountain getaway in this horror game. Released on August 15th, fans have eagerly awaited for the game since the reveal of the trailer last year.
Until Dawn made by Supermassive Games is a PS4 exclusive game. It has been compared by many to “Heavy Rain”. They are both an interactive game, but the difference is that Heavy Rain is a thriller whereas Until Dawn is horror survival.
The game has a heavy emphasis on the butterfly effect, which is the theory that the smallest decision made can impact the outcome of what is to come in the future. This gives players the power of choice, but this can be a difficult task when under stressful situations.
The survival of the characters is solely dependent on the actions of the player. This means that each and every time the game is played, it is a unique story crafted by the decisions that the player has made thus far. With about 12 hours of gameplay, it is a relatively short game. However, some may argue that it is quality over quantity and that the game can always be replayed with different choices to see its outcome.
“The gameplay always felt fresh and kept me on my toes,” junior Vincent Casey said.
To some, the game may seem like just another cookie cutter horror cliche, but as progression is made, there is much to be uncovered. Mystery surrounds the history of the mountain which isn’t unraveled until all the collectibles that are scattered throughout the game are found.
“While most horror games don’t have the best story, this isn’t one of them,” junior Jonah Sampedro said.
Hype is important to the success of a game, but when a game is over-hyped, that is of another matter. An over hyped game can lead to fans being disappointed which could result in a loss of sales. Until Dawn may live up to its expectations, but it doesn’t exceed it.