Not all video game remakes are created equally. Some, like Final Fantasy VII Remake or Metroid: Zero Mission, completely reinvent the experience, while others—such as Shadow of the Colossus (2018) or Destroy All Humans! (2020)—focus primarily on visual upgrades without making meaningful gameplay changes. This new version of Until Dawn falls firmly into the latter category. While its cast of terrified teens and eerie, snow-covered mountain setting have never looked better, the core choice-driven gameplay remains largely unchanged from its 2015 counterpart. Unfortunately, a lack of significant improvements and some frustrating technical issues make it a tough sell, especially given its steep price tag. Instead of a must-play horror revival, this remake feels closer to a case of daylight robbery.
https://youtu.be/vQ5iD8ZVWOQ?si=NMjCqEGZNu98NGVd
A Familiar Story, A Fresh Coat of Paint
At its core, this is still the same Until Dawn. While later games from the developer—like The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes and The Quarry—have tried to capture the same magic, this remains their best execution of the interactive horror formula. It’s packed with entertainingly gory scenarios inspired by Saw, The Descent, and Poltergeist, and its cast—including Hayden Panettiere, Peter Stormare, and Rami Malek—delivers performances that remain just as compelling today as they were nearly a decade ago, even if some of the dialogue occasionally strays into cheesy territory.
The biggest change comes in the visuals, with everything rebuilt from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5. There’s no denying that the improved textures and lighting make a noticeable impact, adding a more lifelike quality to the environments. Small details, like snow crunching underfoot and the sun casting realistic reflections in windows, add to the atmosphere. However, these enhancements come at a cost: the frame rate is often unstable, making it feel as shaky as the panicked teens it follows. Worse still, crashes are a genuine concern. While I was fortunate enough to avoid major issues, others have reported multiple crashes within the first few hours. Until Dawn is supposed to be about trying to keep characters alive, not fighting against error codes.
A Shift in Perspective (For Better or Worse)
One of the more notable changes is the shift from the original game’s fixed camera angles to an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective, similar to the Silent Hill 2 remake. While this allows for a more detailed look at the environment and opens up a few small new areas to explore, it also detracts from the cinematic feel that made the original so immersive. Instead of feeling like I was inside an interactive horror film, it often felt like I was slowly guiding a character through a survival-horror game—just without the actual combat.
To make matters worse, the option to speed up movement has been removed. Characters will still run during chase sequences, but outside of that, they walk at a frustratingly slow pace. Combine this with sluggish and awkward controls that cause characters to stumble slightly after changing direction, and exploration becomes more of a chore than it should be. When you’re trying to guide a group of hapless teens to safety, a little more responsiveness would go a long way.
Totems and Tedious Tweaks
One of Until Dawn’s signature mechanics—the collectible totems that offer glimpses into possible character fates—returns, but now with an unnecessary and frustrating change. Previously, picking up a totem would instantly trigger its vision. Now, you have to awkwardly rotate it, waiting for a specific light reflection before the vision plays. This new mechanic doesn’t add depth; it just slows things down, making a once-simple feature feel needlessly finicky.
Beyond that, very little has changed. The same choices, quick-time events, and character fates from the original remain intact, and there are no major additions to gameplay beyond a slightly extended prologue and a brief new post-credits scene hinting at a possible sequel. Disappointingly, the fun pass-the-controller co-op mode introduced in later games is absent here, which feels like a missed opportunity.
Is It Worth the Price?
One of the biggest problems with this remake is its price. The original Until Dawn is still available on the PlayStation Store, runs at a smooth 60fps on PS5, and costs a fraction of the price. Unlike other PlayStation remakes, there’s no upgrade path for owners of the original version, meaning you’re expected to pay full price for what is, ultimately, a visually enhanced but mechanically similar experience. Given how minor the actual gameplay improvements are, this version feels more like an expensive remaster than a true remake.
Verdict
This Until Dawn remake offers a major visual upgrade that makes it one of the best-looking horror games on PS5, and its campy, gore-filled story remains just as fun as ever. However, its cinematic tension is weakened by the shift to an over-the-shoulder perspective, and the inconsistent frame rate, sluggish controls, and unnecessary gameplay tweaks make it feel like a step backward in some areas. Worse still, its high price is hard to justify, especially with the original still available at a fraction of the cost. Unless you’re desperate for a visual upgrade, you’re better off waiting for a price drop—or just revisiting the original. If any slashing is going to happen, it should be to this remake’s price tag.
