Until Dawn; Dishonoured: Definitive Edition; Risen 3: Titan Lords Enhanced Edition, gaming reviews: Stunning visuals and creepy ambiance

A cast of well-worn horror tropes and clichés returns to the scene of a tragedy

Laura Davis,Oliver Cragg,James Tennent
Thursday 03 September 2015 12:08 EDT
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Until Dawn

****

PS4 (£54.99)

Beneath Until Dawn's B-movie horror set-up (above) lies a complex web of choice and effect decisions where even the most innocuous conundrum can have grisly consequences. After a cast of well-worn horror tropes and clichés returns to the scene of a tragedy, things start to go all 80s slasher, then a bit Saw, then a bit The Descent… you get the picture. Despite its mish-mash of influences and some painfully obtuse camera angles, Until Dawn's choose-your-own-fate 'butterfly effect' mechanic, stunning visuals and creepy ambiance make this schlocky interactive-drama well worth a stab. Oliver Cragg

Dishonoured: Definitive Edition

*****

PS4, Xbox One (£29.99)

The fantastic game is getting its next-gen make-over. Using your magic and weapons, you fight as Corvo – the disgraced royal bodyguard – as he and a gang of rebels try to take back the city from the conniving Lord Regent. Stealthily sneak up to targets and knock them out or go guns blazing and swords swinging into the flurry. A linear game with a less than linear style, how you complete each mission is yours to choose. Beautiful dystopian fun. James Tennent

Risen 3: Titan Lords Enhanced Edition

***

PS4 (£34.99)

I'm not entirely sure why Risen 3 got remade. If the 'un-enhanced' game was essentially the same but with worse graphics, it maybe could have survived on some ill-gotten retro feel. Instead, the narrative is contrived and dull, the fighting is, well, fine. It feels formulaic and a bit boring, and apart from the cool monsters, it doesn't even look that great. Otherwise the game is a fairly regular RPG pirate adventure with a little bit of magic – if that's what you're in to then you might be in to this. JT

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