Developers need to find new ways to increase interaction

Aug 31, 2015 00:03 GMT  ·  By

Until Dawn will not pass the classic definition of video game for some gamers because the player is rarely the one driving the action and tends to experience a story almost entirely created by the development team at Supermassive Games, only occasionally delivering relevant input via his controller.

I generally like the title, but when it first prompted me to move my DualShock 4 around in order to show my character where to look at or to shift it to the left or right to make a dialogue choice, I was a little disappointed.

I understand that the development team needs to introduce all this interactivity in order to show gamers that they matter when it comes to gameplay, but many of their ideas feel forced, present just because they need to show off that aspect of the PlayStation 4 and its controller.

Soon after, Until Dawn also introduces Quick Time Events and my disappointment grows, but the mechanics, unloved as they are, are well implemented in the game, with tight timing that creates a lot of tension for players when the characters also feel it.

Emotional connections need to be earned, not forced

Supermassive Games is too eager to create links between the player and the characters and does not have the time to generate them organically, by allowing the player to spend time with each and discover what makes them interesting.

I already talked about how effective something as simple as a snowball fight can be when it comes to the creation of a connection and to setting the tone of the game.

QTEs and controller gestures force players to divide their attention, because of their artificial nature, and actually make it harder for them to stay connected to the story.

During a particular blood and tension-filled chase sequence I was thinking about the button that I would be asked to press next and I was failing to appreciate the over-the-top action star transformation that my character was suffering.

There are plenty of narrative moments in the Supermarrive horror title that should be experienced by more gamers, but I fear that the way the game is controlled will prove too much of an obstacle for some.

Take a look at a full Softpedia review for Until Dawn.