Info about Until Dawn™:

Official game description:
Game Overview
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When eight friends return to the isolated lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, fear tightens its icy grip, and their mountain retreat descends into a nightmare with no escape.  
Face your fears and determine who survives Until Dawn in this seminal horror classic, rebuilt and enhanced for PC.
Cult horror rebuilt
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Immerse yourself in a gripping slasher horror rebuilt from the ground up with stunning visuals in Unreal Engine 5. Enhanced by movie-like cinematography, refined gameplay mechanics and more, venture into a thrilling exploration of an isolated mountain where nothing is as it seems.
Their fate in your hands
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Create your own gripping tale as you control a group of unique characters portrayed by an all-star cast, including Hayden Panettiere, Brett Dalton, and more, and decide their fate through your choices. Through dynamic animations and nuanced facial-capture performances, learn what makes each character tick, and who among the group has what it takes to survive.
Terror never looked so good
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Explore a rich and detailed environment that will leave you breathless with every step. With new visual enhancements for PC, the original game has been rebuilt from the ground up – utilizing cutting-edge visual technology to bring the nightmare to life.
Rebuilt for a new generation
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Discover new collectibles, all-new environments to investigate, and re-cut narrative sequences that deepen the mystery further. Get closer to the action with an all-new, immersive third-person camera, and enjoy a brand-new musical score and reauthored audio that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the journey.

Release date: Oct 4, 2024

Categories: Atmospheric Horror, Choice-based Narrative, Character Interaction, Quick-Time Events, Third-Person Perspective, Story-driven Gameplay, Branching Narrative, Exploration

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 70; verdict: Predatory Pricing; summary: The game is frequently criticized for being overpriced, with many users feeling that the cost does not match the value provided. There are also concerns about the monetization strategy, particularly regarding remakes and sequels, which are seen as cash grabs. Additionally, there is a notable disparity in pricing between different platforms, further exacerbating user dissatisfaction.
- Steam Deck: score 70; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with the Steam Deck experience, particularly in the areas of frequent crashes, controller and input problems, and performance issues. While some users appreciate the graphics and optimization, the overall experience is marred by stability and functionality concerns.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence consistently suggests that while the game is well-received, many users feel that the full price of $60 is too high, especially considering it is a remake of an older game. Multiple reviews recommend waiting for a sale, with specific mentions of $22 or less being a more acceptable price point. The general sentiment is that the game is worth playing but not at its full price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 9.0h
  - Story completion: 9.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides multiple mentions of playtime durations. The first quote mentions a playtime of 9 hours to complete the game, which can vary depending on player actions. The second quote specifies a playtime of about 10 hours for a full completion. The third quote, while primarily discussing account access issues, implies a significant time investment. The fourth quote suggests that the game does not offer substantial new content, implying that the playtime for game completion and story completion are similar. Session length and endgame content are not explicitly mentioned, so they are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Until Dawn has a slow and boring start but becomes more enjoyable after character introductions and in the later chapters, especially when played with friends.
  - Stance: Fun after a slow start
  - Anchor: After character introductions and in the last few chapters
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: slow pace; boring initial gameplay; technical issues
  - Unlock drivers: playing with friends; reaching the later chapters
  - Conditions: playing with friends; experiencing story revelations
- Player Archetypes:
  - Newcomer Horror Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking new and engaging horror experiences.
    - Playstyle: Explores every crevice and enjoys the tension and jumpscares.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: newcomer; horror fan
    - Reference games: Syberia; The Quarry
  - Critical Veteran (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking a faithful and optimized remaster of a beloved game.
    - Playstyle: Compares the remaster to the original and focuses on differences and optimizations.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: veteran; fan of the original
    - Reference games: Until Dawn (original)
  - Cautious Recommender (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoying the game but being mindful of its flaws and price.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys the story and gameplay but is cautious about recommending it due to reservations.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: fan of the genre; cautious buyer
    - Reference games: The Quarry; The Dark Pictures Anthology
  - Technical Considerer (sale)
    - Motivation: Evaluating the game based on technical requirements and comparisons to similar games.
    - Playstyle: Considers technical aspects and comparisons to other games before deciding to play.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: technical player; fan of similar games
    - Reference games: The Quarry; The Dark Pictures Anthology


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Enhanced graphics and visuals (weight 0.51): The game features improved graphics, including better lighting, textures, and character models. The visuals are described as beautiful, realistic, and immersive.
- Impactful narrative decisions (weight 0.46): Player choices significantly affect the story and gameplay, leading to multiple endings and consequences. This includes moral decisions that carry weight and influence character survival.
- Engaging and well-crafted story (weight 0.43): The narrative is praised for being engaging, well-written, and captivating. The story is enjoyable and rated highly by players.
- Effective horror atmosphere (weight 0.31): The game excels in creating a spooky and engaging horror atmosphere with high suspense and tension. It is well-suited for horror game fans.
- High replay value (weight 0.23): The game offers high replayability due to the many decisions and different outcomes. Players find it exciting to replay and experience various endings.
- Well-developed characters (weight 0.14): Characters are detailed, three-dimensional, and well-developed with distinct personalities. They are described as lovable, interesting, and charismatic.
- Smooth technical performance (weight 0.13): The game runs smoothly with no significant bugs or performance issues. It is well-optimized and free from errors or crashes.

Common complaints:
- Performance issues and stuttering (weight 0.27): The game suffers from frequent stuttering, frame drops, and occasional crashes. Players report persistent performance issues including micro-stutters and lagging.
- Slow character movement (weight 0.16): Character movement is reported as very slow and unresponsive, with some players describing it as clumsy and tank-like.
- Visual and graphical issues (weight 0.14): The game has various visual artifacts and glitches, including graphical anomalies and errors.
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.14): Players experience severe and frequent game crashes, with some reporting the game is broken due to these issues.
- Poor PC optimization (weight 0.14): The game is poorly optimized for PC, leading to subpar performance and frequent complaints about the quality of the PC port.
- Loading screen issues (weight 0.13): Players report infinite loading screen errors and long loading times, which can hinder the gameplay experience.
- PSN account requirement (weight 0.12): The game requires a PSN account to play, even on platforms like Steam, which has been a point of contention among players.
- Presence of bugs (weight 0.08): Players encounter a decent number of bugs and errors, which sporadically affect the gameplay experience.
- Excessive jump scares (weight 0.08): The game features too many jump scares, which some players find cliché and unnecessary.
- Control issues (weight 0.07): The game has less precise controls, including camera and mouse control problems, which affect the overall gameplay experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Choices impact story outcomes (weight 0.45): Player decisions significantly affect the narrative, character fates, and endings. This includes dialogue choices and quick-time events that shape the storyline.
- Story-driven and interactive narrative (weight 0.27): The game emphasizes a strong narrative with interactive storytelling elements. It blends decision-based gameplay with a cinematic experience.
- Horror elements and atmosphere (weight 0.21): The game features horror elements, including jump scares, atmospheric horror, and a slasher/gore aesthetic. It creates a suspenseful and thrilling experience.
- Quick Time Events (QTEs) (weight 0.19): QTEs are a significant part of the gameplay, requiring precise timing and affecting the story outcomes. They are integrated with the narrative and choices.
- Character interactions and development (weight 0.15): Character interactions and relationships shape the narrative. Characters are well-written and gain depth through player choices.
- Totem mechanics and exploration (weight 0.14): Totems provide foresight and influence decisions. The gameplay involves exploration and investigation to find totems and keep characters alive.
- Short to medium gameplay length (weight 0.07): The game's length varies from short storylines (less than 10 hours) to medium-length gameplay (10-20 hours for 100% completion).
- Confusing character controls (weight 0.04): Some players find the character controls confusing and slow, which can affect the overall gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Performance and optimization issues (weight 0.22): Players report frequent frame drops, freezes, and micro-stutters. There are mixed reviews regarding optimization, with some praising it and others criticizing it.
- Visual and graphical glitches (weight 0.14): Players encounter various visual artifacts and graphical glitches, including issues with textures and environmental glitches.
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.11): Several players experience frequent game crashes, although some report no crashes at all.
- Poor PC performance (weight 0.09): The game is reported to have poor performance on PC, requiring a fast PC and often underutilizing the GPU.
- Loading screen errors (weight 0.09): There are reports of loading screen errors, including infinite loading screens and long loading times.
- Performance impact of ray tracing (weight 0.07): Virtual shadow maps and ray tracing are noted to impact performance, with some players reporting bugs related to these features.
- Technical issues and stuttering (weight 0.06): Players experience initial technical issues and stuttering, affecting the overall gameplay experience.
- Bugs and errors (weight 0.04): General bugs and errors are reported, affecting the overall stability and gameplay experience.
- Pathfinding and movement issues (weight 0.04): There are reports of pathfinding bugs and movement issues, impacting character navigation and gameplay.
- Performance on lower-end PCs (weight 0.04): Suggestions and reports indicate performance issues on lower-end PCs, with calls for better optimization.
- Shader loading times (weight 0.04): Players note that shader loaders and preparation take a significant amount of time.
- Controller input issues (weight 0.04): There are reports of controller input and detection issues, affecting gameplay for some players.
- Game launch issues (weight 0.04): Some players experience issues with the game not launching or being buggy upon startup.
- Black screen issue (weight 0.04): A black screen issue is reported by some players, affecting their ability to play the game.
- Unresponsive controls (weight 0.04): Players report issues with unresponsive controls, including mouse control problems.
- Audio sync issues (weight 0.03): There are reports of dialogue sync issues and desyncing audio, affecting the overall experience.
- PS4 frame rate issues (weight 0.03): The PS4 version is reported to have a lower frame rate target and frequent frame drops.

Recommendations:
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.22): Several reviews suggest waiting for the game to go on sale before purchasing. This is to get the game at a more affordable price.
- Recommended for horror fans (weight 0.2): The game is highly recommended for fans of horror, narrative games, and psychological horror. It is praised for its unique horror experience and engaging storyline.
- Worth playing (weight 0.14): Many players find the game worth playing, stating it is worth the time and money spent. Some players even express interest in playing it again.
- Recommended for new players (weight 0.11): The game is recommended for new players, and even for both new and veteran players. It is suggested as a good entry point for those new to the genre.
- Consider the original game (weight 0.07): Some players recommend playing the original version of the game instead of the remake, especially if you are familiar with the original game.
- Technical issues and alternatives (weight 0.04): Some players suggest disabling certain graphics settings to improve performance. Others recommend watching a Let's Play instead of buying due to bugginess.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.25): Players are primarily frustrated due to a myriad of technical issues, including frequent game crashes, bugs, and poor optimization leading to performance problems. Additionally, awkward controls, excessive jump scares, and game mechanics such as slow walking speed and problematic camera angles contribute to the frustration.
- Excitement (weight 0.17): The engaging and tense storyline, along with the possibility of multiple endings and impactful player choices, excites players. The improved graphics, immersive atmosphere, and intense gameplay mechanics also contribute to the excitement.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Players feel disappointed due to the lack of significant changes from the original game, poor optimization, and various technical issues such as crashes and bugs. Additionally, the high price and lack of emotional connection with characters contribute to this sentiment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): The engaging story, decision-making aspects, and interactive movie experience are key factors contributing to players' enjoyment. The high-quality graphics, immersive gameplay, and fun narrative also enhance the overall positive experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players are satisfied with the smooth performance, improved graphics, and engaging plot. The high replayability, impactful decisions, and well-polished updates also contribute to their satisfaction.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.05): The remake brings back memories of the original game, evoking a sense of nostalgia among players. The enduring charm, atmosphere, and personal significance of the game from years past contribute to this feeling.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Players experience joy due to the overall positive experience, lovable characters, and immersive world. The tense plot, high replayability, and stunning graphics also contribute to their joyful experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the game for its depth of character motivations, narrative, and graphical improvements. The game's uniqueness, quality, and impact are also highly regarded.
- Fear (weight 0.01): The effective jump scares and horror atmosphere in the game induce fear among players. The scary game experience and moral weight of choices also contribute to this emotion.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Players find amusement in the humorous dialogues and character relationships. The funny and corny dialogue options, as well as specific animations, add to the entertainment value.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): The engaging story and mechanics of the game generate enthusiasm among players. The game's ability to keep players engaged and the positive aspects of the gameplay experience contribute to this sentiment.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Poor optimization and a multitude of bugs leading to the game not launching or performing poorly cause anger among players. The feeling of wasted money due to these issues further exacerbates this emotion.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players express love for the game due to its compelling story and the emotional connection they feel towards it. The game's ability to surpass the original in terms of enjoyment also contributes to this sentiment.
- Hope (weight 0): The desire for similar future games and the enjoyable gameplay experience instill a sense of hope in players. They look forward to more games of this caliber and quality.
- Engagement (weight 0): Meaningful choices and character development deeply engage players. The story's complexity and the challenge of protecting friends while making difficult moral choices contribute to this engagement.
- Boredom (weight 0): Non-intuitive controls and hours of boring teen drama lead to boredom among players. The lack of engaging content and repetitive dialogue contribute to this sentiment.
- Surprise (weight 0): Players are surprised by the smooth and atmospheric experience despite initial skepticism. The game's depth and quality beyond just being a horror game with scares contribute to this feeling.
- Empathy (weight 0): Players feel empathy towards the characters' fears and perspectives. The game's ability to make players understand and relate to the characters' emotions contributes to this sentiment.
- Guilt (weight 0): Making decisions that lead to character deaths induces feelings of guilt in players. The moral weight of these choices and their consequences contribute to this emotion.
- Confusion (weight 0): The motivation to save the group and the complexity of the story can sometimes lead to confusion among players. The non-intuitive controls and unclear objectives contribute to this sentiment.}