Can you survive the night once more, or is this just another crappy remake? Find out in our Until Dawn Remake Review!

Ballistic Moon brings us a new level of immersion in the 2024 remastered version of Until Dawn. The enhanced visuals, refined gameplay mechanics, and added content beg the question: did
we really need another remake?

Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

Until Dawn Remake Review – Story

If you survived the horrors of Blackwood Mountain in 2015, you know what to expect: eight friends return to a cabin one year after the mysterious disappearance of twin sisters Hannah and Beth, following a cruel prank. What starts as a reunion quickly spirals into a web of secrets, violence, and the supernatural. Throw in a solid dose of teen drama, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a fan-favourite slasher.

Who needs grades when you’ve got ALL the natural advantages you can handle?

The story stays true to the cult classic, packed with twists and turns that are hard to describe without giving away spoilers. Think I Know What You Did Last Summer meet’s The Descent. Until Dawn is a decision-based narrative, and the remake enhances this with dynamic animations and impressive facial-capture performances, giving you a front-row seat to each character’s motivations. As you guide them through the icy mountain, perilous mines, and eerie sanitarium, you’re in control of their fates.

Come for the fun, stay for the creatures!

The remake introduces a revised prologue, offering deeper insight into character backgrounds. However, the pacing didn’t win me over; I found myself eager to get to the gore. The Washington family receives additional screen time, with more context given to the prank, as well as new character interactions. Still, it quickly becomes obvious that this group won’t be winning any “Friend of the Year” awards, and much like in my 2015 playthrough, I found myself disliking most of them.

Young love brought closer together by a splash of the sinister.

Subtle narrative tweaks, cinematic visuals, and ‘fresh environments’—which mostly turned out to be extra nooks and crannies—add some welcome depth to the original experience. However, the slow movement of the characters and plot made the game feel somewhat lethargic at times. Where the game truly shines is in its ability to make you feel like no character is ever safe. The flutter of butterflies, triggered by the infamous butterfly effect, keeps you constantly second-guessing: Did I make the right choice? That sinking feeling is only amplified as you’re psychoanalysed by the ever-charming Dr. Hill at the end of each chapter.

Hey, it’s cheaper than therapy, right?

New endings and an epilogue, unlocked by your choices, give veteran players a reason to play with strategy. Keeping Sam alive, in particular, unlocks a peek at the aftermath and a tantalising
teaser of what’s to come.

Until Dawn Remake Review – Gameplay

Until Dawn showcases branching story paths that hinge on the butterfly effect—what you do now will have consequences as the past, present, and future collide. The remastered version sharpens the game’s QTEs and decision-making mechanics, significantly reducing the frustration of missed inputs. Hands up if you’ve ever accidentally killed a character due to clumsy thumbs! However, as with all decision-based games, you might still wonder whether your choices truly impact certain events, and if every door really needed a few button presses to open or lock.

The Golden Rule? Be nice to animals

The Totem system returns with the addition of the Hunger Totem, along with a shuffle of the original totem locations, encouraging more thorough exploration of your surroundings. Apologies to those hoping to speedrun the remake—you’ll need to put in some groundwork first. The “Don’t Move” feature also makes a return, now with a new “Stay Calm” mechanic as an alternative option.

Hungry for some action?

Until Dawn Remake Review – Visuals

The movie-like cinematography will have you reaching for the popcorn as you snuggle up during shivering snowstorms, thanks to the dynamic weather effects. Some scenes benefit from revised framing, and the third-person camera creates an intimate, immersive feel. However, a downside is that character movement remains somewhat clunky, with characters getting caught in corners or struggling to interact with objects.

Hot Cocoa anyone?

Unreal Engine 5 blesses us with 4K textures, enhanced lighting, and refined character models, offering a crisper, more chilling view of Blackwood Mountain and its attractive cast—Rami Malek, need I say more? Despite this, I can’t help but miss the cool-toned, faded, fixed visuals of the original, which suited the survival horror genre well. Sometimes, it’s best not to see every pore and crack on a killer’s face.

The feeling when you accidentally open the front facing camera.

On the flip side, the added visibility of injuries—cuts, bruises, and all the grisly details—definitely made me squeamish. There’s also an extended peek at Sam during her bath scene, showcasing more skin and a flex of the Unreal Engine as water drips off her. Was it necessary? Probably not. But who isn’t a little scared of being caught in the nude with a big, scary killer lurking around?

Stronger than any friendship on Blackwood Mountain – Sam’s towel never quits!

Until Dawn Remake Review – Audio

The 2024 version retains its original voice cast, but their performances have been refreshed with clearer audio and enhanced ambient soundscapes, meaning no more metallic dialogue, and some dissonant creaks and screams to keep you on edge.

Bask in the chaos, or crumble in the quiet.

Until Dawn features a new score by Mark Korven, renowned for his work on horror films such as The Cube and The Witch, and this influence is evident in the unsettling soundtrack. We are also introduced to a new bespoke intro, Out of the Shadows, by Mae Stephens, which gives the game a next-gen feel.

Until Dawn Remake Review – What Else?

The release of Until Dawn isn’t without its controversies, as Ballistic Moon has added itself to the growing list of game studios announcing layoffs. In a LinkedIn statement, the company said, “It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that we must make the tough decision to significantly scale down our team to secure the future of our studio.” This leaves us wondering, despite the epilogue tease, if a sequel is likely at all.

Me too Em, me too!

Until Dawn Remake Review – Conclusion

While Until Dawn (2024 Remake) doesn’t break new ground, it successfully revitalises the original. For newcomers, this is the definitive version of the game. For veterans, it’s a nostalgic return to Blackwood Mountain, but I would suggest waiting for a good sale.

Break of Dawn.

So, why should you play Until Dawn Remake?

• 4K visuals and atmospheric upgrades
• Extended prologue, new endings and an epilogue
• Enhanced gameplay

But why shouldn’t you play Until Dawn Remake?

• Core mechanics remain largely unchanged
• Limited new content for those familiar with the original
• Slow pacing

A review code was kindly provided by Playstation Australia for the purpose of our Until Dawn Remake Review.  You can check out our other reviews here and if you haven’t already, be sure to join the Qualbert Discord to find out about the latest game and review updates!