Developers completed the shooting of Until Dawn back in 2015, making it one of the unique horror games that lets players choose the fate of a group of teens in a mountain cabin. Skip to 2024, Until Dawn Remake by Supermassive Games is bringing back new graphics, extra stuff and possibly, some new changes in gameplay to make us play cabin in the woods again. But should you invest your time and money to support remaking this movie?

What Is Until Dawn Remake?

Until Dawn Remake is to recreate the feeling of the genuinely nerve-wracking movie-like experience that was engaging players almost a decade ago. As if obtaining a shot of paint and incorporating new conductions Supermassive Games has wished to rejuvenate this horror masterpiece picking its central pieces. The remake features better graphics, a more complex story, and greater player engagement, but today we will address whether these improvements truly enhance the game.

Gameplay Updates and Changes

In addition to redesigning the visuals of Until Dawn Remake, the developers have added new gameplay mechanics to enrich the player experience. For example, the game includes an additional scene that was only available in the pre-ordered version. In addition, there are two new endings which players can unlock as a result there are more narrative possibilities which alter the course of the game.

One more redesign concerns adding of the new “Hunger Totem” associated with the character’s background, which adds to the gameplay experience and brings to the game part of the grim atmosphere of the staking in the remote mountain cabin. These addition should increase its popularity among fans of the original story who are always eager to get anything that prolongs the gaming experience.

Credit: Super Massive Games

Visual Overhaul: How Does It Look?

The first thing that stands out in Until Dawn Remake as compared to the original game is that the graphics are even better, meaning that the character models are more detailed, the lights and background are more realistic and that the game environments are far more spooky. The graphic enhancements are a great boon for the horror experience—as are the disturbing environments that are presented, which makes it all the more fun when you want to get lost in a bad dream.

Credit: Super Massive Games

Supermassive Games applied current graphics engine solution to try and create a sense of depth in regards to the game’s setting, be it the forest or the cabins. The increased detail and better textures make each location more vivid, and the added detail helps during moments when a jump scare is expected. But then again, one might claim that even with the better graphics which has been done, the improvements are not enough to make the upgrade to the full edition for those who have played it at least once.

Credit: Super Massive Games

Storyline Additions and New Endings

Two new endings in the game help market the Until Dawn Remake along with other features. The original somewhere had branching paths, a concept which the remake does not abandon altogether. These new endings enable players to have other choices and endings apart from those initially considered predictable and therefore can be the new view for those players who have considered themselves really knowledgeable on game endings.

Indeed, apart from new scenes, the remake includes an epilogue focusing on one of the characters from the previous film, Sam. The epilogue provides a finale that might explain or solve something raised in the original. I think for players who just want more of a story; these scenes could make it feel like the game is a full and complete package.

The Camera Shift: Over-the-Shoulder Perspective

Another improvement in the remake is the enhance camera system. While developers considered the conventional fixed camera viewpoints effective, they upgraded it to the hot over-the-shoulder viewpoint in the Until Dawn Remake. This changes makes the player closer and gives them so much control of their environment as compared to in the football pitch.

However, the new perspective has its advantage, as well as its disadvantage. What’s also really apparent here is that the camera is over the shoulder and this can be good when you consider other contemporary horror games but it may make the game lose some of that fixed camera feel that made the first so much fun and scary. You might see this camera update as a positive change if you wanted it, or it might feel disappointing, especially if you enjoyed the initial look of the camera.

Exploration Expansions and New Interactables

The developers made survival a major facet in Until Dawn Remake to enrich the experience. The developers have opened up even more areas than before and added new objects and artifacts for players to enjoy. These additions extend some new interesting content and also grant players a chance to read more secrets about the game’s universe.

Now, does it really create more value? It is probable that the modifications may appear more intriguing than significant as compared with the basic concept. There’s even more to gather, more references to discover, but the events remain the same; thus, although the fans of the first horror may find something new in terms of plot here, those who played it once won’t be eager to face it again at its full price.

Credit: Super Massive Games

Performance: Is the Remake Optimized?

There has been criticism on performance aspects of the remake right from the time of its launch. Critics have criticized Until Dawn Remake’s nearly negligent optimization, especially on PC, despite its start on current-gen consoles and PCs. Most gamers reported issues like frame rate drops, stuttering, and other related problems. It’s quite sad to see this blurriness, especially in a remake that should render a smooth, contemporary feel for a game once regarded as very cinematic.

If you are playing on PC, then perhaps some of those problems seen are cannot be helped or needs should wait for the patches to be release to fix those problems. Essentially, the optimization problems throw a modicum of shade on the brilliant graphics in the game, dooming the remake into its present price range.

Credit: Super Massive Games

How Long Does It Take to Beat?

The first Until Dawn took about eight hours to finish, however, the time doubled if players would have to explore more and gather every possible trophy. This generation adheres closely to this runtime, but with new endings and extra content the playtime is about nine to ten hours.

If you’re like me and aim to collect every collectible, including the new Hunger Totems, then prepare to invest about 20 to 22 hours in playing. The placement of the collectibles may take you longer than in the primary game, as in this sequel, they are located rather differently.

Credit: Super Massive Games

The Price Tag: Is It Worth It?

In all likelihood, the most debatable thing when it comes to Until Dawn Remake is its cost. The game is available for a next-gen price of $59.99 in the US and £59.99 in the UK. To any one who finally feels this is a game which is practically a re-make of the real deal, many consider this as quite a tough nut to swallow.

In that regard, while the expanded content in the from of superior graphics as well as other extras will likely be of great appeal to horror fans you must consider that the price-tag has been aggravated thus limiting its fascination mainly to the more intense type of gamers. If you’re in Europe or Australia, the price is even higher, which might make even staunch fans wait until they get a discount on the game. Another piece of advice might be to wait for a deal if you want to get the most out of your money.

Player Opinions: The Verdict from the Community

People have varying views about Until Dawn Remake. As we have seen the review scores have been fairly average at worst they have been around 7 out of 10. This gives the game a ‘just okay’ sort of rating but if it’s not ground-breaking, then it definitely isn’t horrible. Mainly, the players’ feedback regarding the gameplay of the remake is positive, claiming that the game is pretty and, in comparison with the difference between the original and its remake, costa much too much.

This minimal change proves that old players of the first game may not have a strong reason to get back to the story again. But somehow, the lack of performance, a high figure, and even fewer enhancements all seem to downplay what could otherwise be an interesting remaster of a horror gem.

Final Thoughts: Should You Buy It Now or Wait?

What we get from today’s Until Dawn Remake is partially satisfying and partially disappointing. The developers have made things visually more appealing, added new endings, and introduced additional possibilities to explore, but these are just bonuses and don’t significantly alter the game. For those who are new to Until Dawn this might be a good opportunity to play the game at its best, at least if the price point doesn’t scare people away.

Still, for those who have played the first game, perhaps the only reason to invest in the new one at full price may not be enough. Due to the poor optimization, lack of substantial new content, waiting for a discount can be the best strategy to use.

In other words, creating the Until Dawn remake has resulted in a rather polished title, yet the developers spent a substantial amount to bring players back to the same mountain cabin. Until the price lowers or patches fix the issues, it’s probably best not to hurry back towards the cabin.