Blog 6: Until Dawn

Until Dawn creates tension in multiple ways.  The first way is the coloration because there are very few things that are brightly colored.  Considering most of the game is darkly colored, it makes the player feel very unsafe.  In addition, the only time that the player gets any bright colors is when you are seeing through the wendigo’s eyes, which is shown different oranges, reds, and light blue and white for the humans.  This vision adds even more tension because it is unnatural to see like this, unless you’re looking through a thermal camera.  The coloration is something that has been in everything we have read or watched during this section, except Uzumaki.

Another way that this game creates tension is through the usage of the quick time events and choices to make.  These quick time events and quick choices really add the tension because you do not have but a few seconds to react.  You do not have time to methodically think about the outcome, you just have to go with your gut instinct. During these quick times events, I did end up killing a few of the characters.  One of the characters that I killed was Jess.  Another character I killed was Emily. These deaths were caused because I am horrible at the quick time events. 

The last main way that this game creates tension is through the use of the supernatural and the strange.  This game uses the wendigo, which is a supernatural creature that is based on Native American mythology dealing with cannibalism. In addition to this, the wendigo is also evidence of mutilation of something natural because, as you can see in the picture below, it is very humanoid, but not fully human.  They have unnaturally sharp teeth, can only see movement, and are extremely tall and gangly. The themes of the use of the supernatural and the mutilation of something natural is seen in Uzumaki (with the twisting of bodies), Crimson Peak (with the spirits that are haunting the main character), and Through the Woods (as evidence in “The Nesting Place” with the fiancées face twisted and creepy).

Overall, I love Until Dawn.  The story telling in this game is some of the best I have heard. This is due in part because of the interaction level with the story telling.  Almost every choice or action the player makes effects the way the story progresses.  Even something as small as killing an animal can change the outcome of the game.  There are some things, though, that are set in stone.  For example, some of the characters’ deaths can only happen at the very ending.  Another thing that helped make the game so great was the use of the sound.  Sometimes there was absolutely nothing on the audio track, which made the story even more eerie.  Other times there was so much going on with the sounds of a flame thrower and screams from the wendigo.  All of these elements played a huge role in making this game a really good story and a horrifying joy to play.