PlayStation Plus free critically acclaimed horror is a must-play

PlayStation Plus, as with other subscription services, is great because it provides you with the opportunity to try out games you might not otherwise have picked up. I’ll admit, I’ve always been too afraid to truly dabble in the horror genre. It’s odd because my favourite game is The Last of Us Part II and while that’s not truly a horror game, it certainly features several horror-fuelled sections. I’m looking at you Hotel Descent. Upon reaching the end of my last playthrough, I said to myself, ‘Perhaps I am brave enough to dabble in something a tad more intense,’ so off I went to PlayStation Plus.

I hugely enjoyed Supermassive Games’ The Quarry last year. Aside from a few ghostly sightings in the opening scene, it really wasn’t all that frightening though. Sure, I’d be lying if I said being chased by a werewolf didn’t raise my heartrate by a couple of beats, but I had a hoot of a time so naturally, I figured I’d be fine giving Supermassive’s Until Dawn a go seeing as it's handily included in the PlayStation Plus extra tier catalogue. While playing, I thought I’d made a colossal mistake but having now come out the other side, I can confirm that Until Dawn is the perfect getaway into the horror genre if you’re a scaredy cat like me.

Take a look at Until Dawn in action below.

With a runtime of around eight hours, Until Dawn is the perfect bite-sized horror snack for you to feast on. It is almost spooky season after all. Saying that, do be prepared to spend almost the entirety of those eight hours on high alert. If you too sampled The Quarry first, you’re in for a much jumpier time when it comes to Until Dawn. My god, this game is jam packed with jumpscares. In the opening chapter, it felt as if there was a fresh one landing every two minutes.

I realise that may not sound like me selling the game to my fellow scaredy cats. Thankfully, the vast majority of Until Dawn’s jumpscares are silly. The character’s will play a practical joke, or an aggressive beaver will launch itself at you. That doesn’t mean that you won’t yelp at the screen, but you’ll at least likely laugh about it. We’re not talking about nightmare fuel here. Well, not yet anyway.

As the game develops, you’ll eventually come face to face with the ‘big bad’. For me though, it was the sense of mystery surrounding this big bad that made it so menacing. The Quarry informs you within a couple of chapters that you’re dealing with werewolves. Once you’ve seen the werewolves, you know what you’re up against, although not that that made dealing with werewolf related QTEs any easier. Sorry Kaitlyn.

Supermassive Games

In contrast, Until Dawn holds its cards much closer to its chest. Imagining a potential foe can be far scarier than actually knowing what’s after you. I can’t say it’s very calming being chased by an unknown being - particularly when you’ve spent chapter upon chapter picking up on grisly hints as to what this being may be.

Still, you learn to cherish that sense of mystery after a while. When The Quarry was released, many said it failed to live up to Until Dawn but it really depends on what kind of experience you’re after. The Quarry caters to all - you don’t need to be a horror enthusiast. You certainly don’t need to be one to enjoy Until Dawn either, but it’s definitely going to test your resolve more.

Supermassive Games

I spent a decent chunk of time hiding behind my DualSense, cursing, texting my friend for moral support, and having just an all-around clammy time but oh lawd, you will feel sweet, sweet relief when you do actually make it to dawn … or should I say if. I may not be itching to dive straight into another horror release, but I am itching to dive into Until Dawn again. I unlocked a trophy for successfully saving all the men … not my intention. It seems only fair that I try and save the gals. So, if you are looking for a fun bite-sized dollop of entertainment this Halloween, Until Dawn is most definitely for you.