Until Dawn 2, save me. Save me, Until Dawn 2
Look, it has evil Neil Newbon in a tiger shirt, I don't know what else you want
Sony’s State of Play stream on June 2 was a mix of new announcements and previews of upcoming games, and most people seem to be the most excited about the Wolverine and God of War demos. I, on the other hand, am over here rending my garments and barking loudly, because we got a reveal that I did not expect: Until Dawn 2. I’m so excited! But I also thought about it for a bit, and I’m so scared! This is a game I very much want to be optimistic about, because there’s a lot to like about the reveal trailer.
The first Until Dawn, by Supermassive Games, helped popularize the choose your own adventure style of cinematic game. It was lightning in a bottle: eight young adults, all of whom share a past, head out to a party at the lodge on Blackwood Mountain. The last time they were all out at the lodge, a prank got out of hand, and a pair of twin sisters perished. Their brother has invited everyone back for a revival, and despite the tensions that have festered within the group, they’ve decided to come out and give it a shot. Things quickly spin out of control, and it’s up to the player(s) to guide the partygoers through a series of potentially fatal scenarios.
That game came out all the way back in 2015, and no one has really managed to recapture the magic. Supermassive continued working in the genre, making The Dark Pictures Anthology (which now contains five games: Man of Medan, Little Hope, House of Ashes, The Devil In Me, and Directive 8020) and The Quarry. These games have some high moments and lots of potential, but they’re frustratingly inconsistent. Wales Interactive is another developer working in the space; Dead Reset was a sci-fi FMV with a very strong start, but it lost momentum near the end. There was even a Until Dawn remake from Ballistic Moon in 2024, with a few tweaks to the story, adding elements that could potentially launch a franchise.
At this point, Until Dawn-alikes are a genre of their own, with a familiar formula. A handful of dummies get themselves into a sticky situation: stranded on a failing sci-fi ship, lost at sea, caught in a serial killer’s elaborate trap. The player watches a series of cutscenes, making decisions at pivotal points of the narrative. The game branches accordingly; every character can survive, everyone can die, or something in between. Add in some quick-time events, stealth sequences, and baby, you’ve got a stew going. As much as I complain about the uneven output of Supermassive, I keep buying their games because I love the format, and when it works well, it leads to some super entertaining times. I’m a simple gamer with simple needs: I like it when I have to make a choice, I panic, pick the wrong option, and then watch the poor character I’ve been herding get squashed by a glass wall or dashed upon the rocks or eaten by a monster.
But Supermassive isn’t working on this game; they are no longer in the business of making Sony exclusives. A new developer is an unknown quantity, but an interesting one.
The trailer for Until Dawn 2 sets up a compelling gauntlet for the cast to survive. A bunch of hot young influencers with a ghost-hunting show have arrived on a tropical island, and it looks like they’re spending as much time chasing likes as they are finding paranormal activity. As the party continues, they notice that a couple of unfamiliar faces have joined the festivities. There’s this one Danish horror film that I love called Speak No Evil, where a normal family are ensnared by a couple of killers while on holiday. At first, everything is hunky dory, but the other couple slowly begin pushing boundaries. Out of politeness, the protagonists ignore the jabs and smile through the awkward moments. It doesn’t end well for them.
The trailer for Until Dawn 2 seems to have some of the same dynamics in play, and I like that. Obviously, we didn’t see too much of the story — I’d imagine the ghost hunting thing probably turns into some kind of paranormal plot twist — but I want to be optimistic. The developer, Firesprite Games, have worked with Sony before, making VR experiences for Horizon and The Playroom. They haven’t proven themselves with this kind of branching narrative game yet, and the game doesn’t come out until 2027.
On the other hand: if world continues to insist on being a fuck, I think I am going to give myself the little treat of getting excited over a video game. Until Dawn 2 might eventually be a stinker, but for now, it looks promising enough to be my highlight from the State of Play.