The Unwritten Rules of Until Dawn Explained

The Unwritten Rules of Until Dawn Explained

As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for narrative-driven horror games that harken back to the campy slasher flicks of yore, I must say that Until Dawn has always held a special place in my heart. The recent remake by Ballistic Moon only serves to further solidify its standing as a classic in the genre.


The 2015 horror game “Until Dawn,” produced by Supermassive Games, has been revamped by Ballistic Moon, perfectly timed for Halloween. Despite some notable alterations in this remake compared to the original “Until Dawn,” it largely offers the same adventure, with the same narrative, framework, and guidelines for players to follow.

Until Dawn is a narrative-driven game with an emphasis on high-fidelity visuals, true-to-life facial capture, and a branching story steered by the player’s choices. It’s rather similar to Supermassive’s more recent releases like The Quarry, with games from studios like Quantic Dream being another easy point of comparison. Inspired by campy slasher flicks and creature features of the 1990s, Until Dawn‘s narrative stakes are notably high, which is reflected by its implicit promise that characters can die at virtually any moment. Of course, this isn’t actually the case—players can’t decimate the cast in the first hour, for example—but this illusion is what drives engagement with the game, supporting its interactive elements. As such, understanding the intricacies of Until Dawn‘s choice-based mechanics can be the difference between virtual life and death, and can maximize player enjoyment.

Until Dawn 101

Until Dawn’s Quicktime Events Run the Gambit of Consequences

In terms of gameplay mechanics, Until Dawn largely revolves around quick-reflex challenges called Quick Time Events (QTEs). The severity of these QTEs can range from minor consequences for minor mistakes to major repercussions, even leading to the death of significant characters. It’s worth noting that some crucial QTEs can override all previous decisions, so if a player makes all the right choices but fails a critical QTE, they could still lose a character. Therefore, it’s essential to approach every Quick Time Event with the same level of importance, especially for those aiming for the best possible ending.

In the game Until Dawn, altering the results of quicktime events gives importance to decision-making because, similar to real-life scenarios, you never truly know if a specific choice might result in dire consequences.

Until Dawn Isn’t Designed To Be Played Just Once

In most games, they tend to be more enjoyable during repeat plays. However, “Until Dawn” stands out as an exception since a large portion of its content can’t be fully experienced in just one session. For instance, saving all characters in “Until Dawn” may lead to what some consider the ideal ending, but due to unforeseen or hard-to-avoid death scenarios that often require additional knowledge, achieving such an outcome on a first playthrough is quite challenging. On the other hand, these unexpected character deaths and interactions are a significant part of why “Until Dawn” is so enjoyable. Experimenting with various factors during subsequent plays will provide the most rewarding experience with the game.

Until Dawn Is Better With Friends

Playing “Until Dawn” is more about discovering the best way to experience the game rather than a strict rule. It’s most enjoyable when played in a group setting. Although playing it alone can still be entertaining, sharing the experience with others brings a unique twist. Each person contributes their thoughts and decisions, which often leads to unexpected and diverse outcomes. Interacting with other players can also lead to lively debates about what choices to make, encouraging discussions that help immerse you more deeply in the story. Since “Until Dawn” has minimal mechanical depth, playing it with others can greatly enrich the experience by adding varied perspectives on the decisions made throughout the game.

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2024-10-11 19:35