Since Ballistic Moon announced the remake ofUntil Dawn, players have been wondering what changes are coming that will make the game different from the original release. Firstly, it’s important to remember that this is a remake, which is different from a remaster in that the original game is being rebuilt from scratch for next-gen consoles.
Essentially, you can expect some big changes in gameplay, some extra collectibles to find, some new interactions and other story changes that the developers have confirmed so far. The game largely stays true to the original, but there are some major differences in the remake that could warrant getting it for PC and PS5 if you so choose.
All Differences in the Until Dawn Remake
Ballistic Moon has confirmed that they are largely staying true to the original story ofUntil Dawnand the remake focuses mainly on giving the game a visual update. This doesn’t mean that they haven’t taken some liberties in reframing certain story moments and adding more things for players to find in the narrative experience, and there are quite a few changes you’re able to expect to come in the remake.
Overhauled Visuals
The first and biggest focus in the remake is an overhaul of visuals from the original 2015 release. More specifically, you will now be able to see effects like water and snow on characters, alongside improved body and facial animations.
Injuries have also been a big focus, with character deaths getting more gory and being able to see more detailed bruises, cuts, and tears after the hell they go through overnight. Lighting effects have also been changed significantly so the scenes and characters can have more of an emotional effect throughout the story.
New Camera Controls
One of the bigger changes in theUntil DawnRemake is switching to a mostly over-the-shoulder third-person view. The original stuck to only fixed-camera angles while the player was in control, and Creative Director of Ballistic Moon, Neil McEwan, said that they are changing this to “bring new life to characters and locations.”
This means that they are also revising the cinematography of the game and how scenes will play out. Fixed camera angles will still play a part in the Remake, but the camera angles have largely been adjusted to bring an entirely new experience.
Prologue Rework
TheUntil DawnRemake has a full rework to its Prologue, making it another big change from the original. McEwan explained that they made this decision so they could add more context to some scenes and give the prologue more of an emotional impact.
Specifically, the devs are looking at giving more context to the prank that started the whole story, and give more screentime to Beth, Hannah, and Josh so we can get more of an idea of what their relationships were like as a family.
New Collectibles
The originalUntil Dawnhad Totems that you can find as a way to guide your future choices, and they will be making a return in the Remake alongside a new branch of “Hunger” Totems. Hunger Totems will give a different kind of vision from the original ones, although Ballistic Moon have not confirmed exactly what this will look like just yet.
Additionally, all the original Totems will be present in the Remake, but they will all have a different location you need to look in to find them. So, even if you’ve played it before, the new totems and locations will give you more thanenough reason to go off the beaten path.
New Areas and Interactions
Alongside the new Totems, there will also be small new areas where you can explore and discover some new interactions between characters. These interactions will add some more context to Blackwood Mountain and the places you can find in it, expanding slightly on the lore ofUntil Dawnto add more context to scenes that may have needed some.
Stay Calm Mechanic
The Don’t Move mechanic inUntil Dawnessentially forced you to keep the controller as still as possible to change the outcome of certain scenarios. This will, of course, remain in the Remake, but players will also have the option to use a new ‘Stay Calm’ mechanic instead.
This is a new setting you can change if you own third-party peripherals that don’t have gyroscope mechanics, and it can also be switched on for veteran players who want something new to experience. Alongside the Stay Calm mechanic, Ballistic Moon is also adding new accessibility settings andextra PC settings for playerson that platform.
