Before Dawn

About

"Before Dawn" is a black and white, noir movie-styled horror game set on an isolated island where you are apprenticing with a lighthouse keeper. The game features Lovecraftian elements and challenging puzzles, with PS4/XboxOne controller support. Players must navigate the eerie atmosphere and isolation, as most men don't make it "before dawn" due to the madness-inducing environment.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews

story8 positive mentions

optimization2 negative mentions

The acting is well done, particularly the performances of the lead couple, which add depth to the story.
The zombies are unique and well-designed, featuring fast, animalistic behavior that sets them apart from typical zombie portrayals.
The film offers a fresh take on the zombie genre by focusing on character development and relationship dynamics, making it more than just a standard horror flick.

The pacing is slow, with a significant amount of time spent on character development before any real zombie action occurs.
The characters are often unlikable and their decisions lack logic, which detracts from the overall experience.
The low budget is evident in the film's production quality, including poor camera work and limited zombie appearances.

story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The story revolves around a couple attempting to mend their marriage during a weekend getaway, but it suffers from pacing issues and a thin plot that some found disappointing. While the film features original ideas and strong emotional elements, opinions are mixed on its execution, with some praising the unique take on the zombie genre and others criticizing the lack of depth in the storyline. Overall, the narrative is seen as a blend of good acting and special effects, but it struggles to fully engage viewers.
- “The story was original and the acting was good.”
- “Realistic emotions coupled with a plausible storyline.”
- “Great story, fantastic makeup and effects and a really tense atmospheric feeling throughout the whole film.”
- “This movie is, first and foremost, a story about a husband and wife that are taking a weekend away to fix their marriage, and the first 60 minutes are painfully slow at times because of it.”
- “This new character exists solely to tie up the plot of the movie in the last five minutes, and it's jarring to try to watch.”
- “Boring, slow, disappointing... a lot of hype for very little storyline.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The optimization of the game is criticized for its poor performance, with users noting a lack of coherence in the acting and overall production quality. The cast's performances, particularly in key roles, are described as unconvincing and lacking depth, leading to a disjointed viewing experience. Overall, the game fails to deliver a polished and engaging experience, leaving players feeling disappointed.
- “The 'twist' at the end isn't a twist at all, just another embarrassing piece of laughable performance by the two leads.”
- “Very hard to understand what they were saying; the zombies were laughable. All five of them, Dominic and his wife were the main two people in it. Very cheap performance, budget film not worth the money. I don't think I would pay 50p for it. I feel cheated; filming was all over the place and hard to really focus on anything. Don't buy it, Dominic Brunt, stick to Emmerdale!”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The music in the film received mixed reviews, with some praising the powerful ending and effective sound design, while others criticized the poorly recorded soundtrack and its jarring placement, particularly during key scenes. The attempt at an arthouse aesthetic was seen as overdone, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The powerful ending, with its excellent camera work, music, and effects, truly enhanced the overall experience.”
- “The highlight of this experience was the sequence where the pseudo-hero battles an infected person in the garage, accompanied by thumping techno music that added a unique energy to the scene.”
- “As soon as I saw 'Paddy' from Emmerdale as one of the starring roles, I was dubious but thought I'd give it a chance. My patience was stretched by the 30 minutes or so of 'setting' a very thin storyline up to an extremely annoying, badly recorded soundtrack.”
- “The director obviously aspires to go all 'arthouse' with shots of clouds and grass a bit too often set to the annoying piano music; this just stretches the pain out a bit longer.”
- “The highlight of this headache was the sequence where the pseudo hero battles an infected person in the garage to head-thumping, out-of-place techno music. The scene is so terribly staged it's like something from a Benny Hill sketch.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its dark and clever moments, such as the amusing portrayal of a zombie wife fixated on a cell phone. However, some reviewers feel that the overall tone leans too heavily into melodrama, lacking warmth and comedic balance.
- “It is darkly, brilliantly, hilarious that the zombie wife makes a big deal about the cell phone.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The atmosphere of the film is characterized by a tense, tightly-wound feeling, enhanced by effective humor and impressive makeup and effects, making it a standout in the zombie genre.
- “A violin-string-tight atmosphere and the occasional outbreak of humor make this film an outstanding entry in the slowly disintegrating zombie genre.”
- “Great story, fantastic makeup and effects, and a really tense atmospheric feeling throughout the whole film.”
- “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, failing to immerse players in the game world.”
- “Despite the potential for a rich setting, the atmosphere is flat and lacks any real tension or excitement.”
- “The game tries to create a dark atmosphere, but it ends up feeling more tedious than thrilling.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the film is criticized for its slow pacing, particularly in the early stages, which is a common issue in low-budget productions. While there are some redeeming qualities, the sluggish start hampers the overall engagement with the characters.
- “There's a few things to appreciate about this film; but we'll start with the bad: like most low-budget movies, it starts off very slowly for character development.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, as it often involves dealing with disdainful interactions among characters before facing zombie encounters, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.