Until Dawn (2015) (PS4) (Supermassive Games)
0Prior to release, PS4 exclusive Until Dawn was definitely not something I planned on buying since it seemed to be just a tasteless horror game based on moralistic teen slashers in the C-movie category. However, as it turns out there is more cleverness and innovation (if not necessarily nuance or class) to this story-oriented adventure game from Supermassive Games than I had expected. The lively script experiments with horror movie tropes in entertaining ways, while simultaneously giving the player real choice when it comes to which characters survive the obligatory serial killer attacks and which do not (and yes, it's technically possible to save all teens). The third-person gameplay involves a little too much hunting for clues/collectibles and trudging through snowy forests for extended periods of time, but the solid acting (from recognizable mo-capped thespians such as Hayden Panettiere and Sweden's own Peter Stormare), top-notch character models and effectively edited cutscenes make for a satisfying narrative experience.