Until Dawn Remake Officially Launching in October, Adding to PS5’s Packed Fall Lineup

October 2024 is shaping up to be a thrilling month for horror game enthusiasts. PlayStation has just confirmed that the highly anticipated Until Dawn remake will be released on October 4 for PlayStation 5 and PC.

To mark the occasion, PlayStation and remaster studio Ballistic Moon have unveiled a new video showcasing a side-by-side comparison of the original and remastered versions. Rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, the remake boasts significantly enhanced visuals, with everything from character models to background environments receiving a major upgrade. The game now includes ray tracing, delivering more lifelike and dynamic lighting, along with advanced simulation techniques that create "more realistic real-time fluids." And yes, in a slasher horror game, that means a lot of blood.

But the Until Dawn remake isn't just about better graphics. According to Ballistic Moon’s creative director Neil McEwan, the studio has made a few narrative adjustments as well. In a PlayStation blog post, McEwan mentioned that they’ve added more context to the prologue, particularly focusing on the prank that led to tragedy a year before the game’s events, as well as providing deeper insight into the Washington family’s backstory.

A key feature of Until Dawn is the collection of totems that offer glimpses of potential outcomes. Players of the original game will notice that these totems are now located in different spots, and there’s even a new type to discover: the Hunger totem.

Additionally, the remake introduces new accessibility options. Until Dawn is known for its quicktime events, including the nerve-wracking "Don’t Move" challenges where even the slightest controller movement could ruin your progress. The remake now offers a "Stay Calm" mode, catering to players with controllers lacking a gyroscope or those who need a more accessible alternative.

The Until Dawn remake was initially announced during Sony’s January State of Play event. The original game, which debuted as a PlayStation 4 exclusive in 2015, featured a star-studded cast including Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, and Peter Stormare. It solidified Supermassive Games’ reputation for crafting interactive horror narratives, a style they continued in The Dark Pictures Anthology and The Quarry. Currently, Supermassive Games is collaborating with Behaviour Interactive on The Casting of Frank Stone and working on Little Nightmares 3. Additionally, an Until Dawn movie adaptation is in the pipeline.

This remake is set to bring a fresh, terrifying experience to both longtime fans and newcomers, making it a must-play this October.