The Casting of Frank Stone

About

"The Casting of Frank Stone" is a narrative-driven game where players navigate the life of Frank Stone, a struggling actor who stumbles upon a dark and terrifying world. The Deluxe Edition includes exclusive costumes, instant access to alternative story paths, and rewards for Dead by Daylight. Players will make decisions that determine Frank's fate and uncover the secrets behind the mysterious "Murder Mill." This edition is for those who want a richer and more expansive gameplay experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,136 reviews

story493 positive mentions

optimization154 negative mentions

story
1,419 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The story of "The Casting of Frank Stone" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its intriguing premise and connections to the Dead by Daylight universe, while others criticize its pacing and coherence. Fans of the original game may find enjoyment in the numerous Easter eggs and lore expansions, but some feel the narrative is convoluted and lacks depth, with choices often feeling inconsequential. Overall, while the game offers a compelling story for dedicated fans, its execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in character development and plot clarity.
- “I really loved playing it with a great story, cool decisions that affect the story, and interesting gameplay with top-tier graphics.”
- “The story was engaging and I will be going back for multiple playthroughs.”
- “The story is great, especially if you're into dbd. It provides additional insights into the world of dead by daylight with a gripping storytelling and creepy chilling atmosphere.”
- “Don't waste your money; the story is so bad and so short, only 5 hours.”
- “The game story overall feels like offensive and flagrant fan service for Dead by Daylight fans, and offers little for a casual player.”
- “The story felt boring and overly drawn out, making it hard to stay engaged.”
optimization
515 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
59%
30%
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some users have experienced smoother gameplay after adjusting settings or applying patches, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and requires significant improvements to enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers recommend waiting for further updates before purchasing, as the current state of optimization detracts from the game's otherwise engaging story and visuals.
- “Once it’s optimized, this game will truly rock the gaming world.”
- “Despite minor performance issues and some less than stellar lip syncing in places, this is a really fun horror romp from Supermassive.”
- “The game is generally well-executed, though it does have minor optimization issues.”
- “Calling it unoptimized would be a kindness.”
- “The game is so poorly optimized that even on the lowest possible settings the game chugs, drops frames barely running 20fps if I am lucky for that when I am on something that should run this at 60 no problem.”
- “The performance is terrible and the writing is not good.”
graphics
307 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
46%
8%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and atmospheric design, particularly in relation to the horror genre. However, numerous players have reported significant performance issues, including lag, stuttering, and poor optimization, which detracted from the overall experience. While some found the graphics impressive, others noted that they were marred by bugs and inconsistencies, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are beautiful and haunting, with environments that feel both grounded in reality and strangely otherworldly.”
- “The graphics are amazing! I can't count how many times I said 'look at those graphics, man, that's unbelievable.'”
- “The game is visually stunning, with exceptional graphics that are truly remarkable.”
- “The graphics themselves are also not the best for a game released in 2024.”
- “The game is literally unplayable on the highest graphics, incredibly buggy on lower graphics.”
- “I've spent more time playing with graphic settings than anything.”
gameplay
299 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
67%
13%
The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it leans heavily on cinematic elements and quick-time events, often feeling more like an interactive movie than a traditional game. While some appreciate the integration of Dead by Daylight mechanics and the narrative-driven approach, others criticize the gameplay for being simplistic, repetitive, and lacking meaningful interaction, leading to a less engaging experience overall. Performance issues, bugs, and a lack of depth in gameplay mechanics further detract from the enjoyment for many players.
- “I really loved playing it with a great story, cool decisions that affect the story, and interesting gameplay with top-tier graphics.”
- “The visuals are charming, the gameplay is engaging, and the narrative is surprisingly deep.”
- “The gameplay is familiar yet fresh, with nods to Dead by Daylight that will make fans smile with recognition.”
- “The gameplay loop became boring after the lack of engaging gameplay like the QTEs, and then the game became a glorified walking simulator with some bits of lore here and there. It was okay, but it really didn't make up for the fact that it was lackluster.”
- “The gameplay itself leaves much to be desired, and it's very difficult - sometimes even impossible - to enjoy it when the game is just not user-friendly at all.”
- “Gameplay is boring and uninspired, characters are written badly, the choices are pure 50/50, and there is no actual tension.”
stability
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game has been widely criticized for its significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, graphical glitches, and performance problems such as stuttering and frame rate drops. Many players reported that these issues persisted even after several months post-release, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some updates have improved stability, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized and buggy, detracting from its otherwise engaging story and gameplay.
- “Looks and runs great, no complaints!”
- “The game runs great for me and so far I'm enjoying the storyline.”
- “The game is so buggy and has massive stuttering through several areas of the game.”
- “That combined with the absolute bugginess of the game itself, I found myself stuck in a chapter towards the end and quite literally quit and uninstalled.”
- “Very buggy and has bad performance... while using a 4090.”
atmosphere
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
38%
5%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively creating a haunting environment that draws players in. While many appreciate the strong visuals and sound design that contribute to a sense of mystery and tension, some reviewers note a lack of genuine scares and variety, leading to moments of predictability. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, though it may not fully deliver on the horror experience some players expect.
- “Graphics and sound create an atmosphere of mystery and tension, and the gameplay is addictive from the first minutes of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic.”
- “The game’s atmosphere is hauntingly immersive, pulling you deeper into its world as the story unfolds.”
- “In this game, you will see no jump scares, no sharp sounds, or frightening atmosphere. I don't know why this game is labeled as horror.”
- “But I’m still disappointed by how it fails to create a spooky atmosphere; things shift from mysterious and intriguing to boring and predictable far too quickly.”
- “The atmosphere the game gave off throughout was eerie, but I felt that not much was done in the horror aspect of the game other than the music and environment.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
43%
6%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its atmospheric qualities and effective integration of references from Dead by Daylight (DBD). Reviewers noted that the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, contributing to tension and immersion, while some highlighted specific sound effects and musical nods that resonate with DBD fans. However, a few critiques mentioned that the music could be sparse at times, with mixed opinions on its overall impact on gameplay.
- “The soundtrack is also quite good.”
- “I enjoyed the music; as a horror/thriller soundtrack, it blew away any expectations and is a very well-crafted addition to the experience.”
- “The music and sound are fabulously creepy.”
- “The game is not worth its money; the beautiful wrapper in the form of graphics and music are the only things trying to save this abomination.”
- “The atmosphere the game gave off throughout was eerie, but I felt that not much was done in the horror aspect of the game other than the music and environment.”
- “There was also pretty much no music.”
replayability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its multiple paths and endings, while others criticize it for a lack of impactful choices and a short runtime. Many reviews highlight the potential for varied experiences through different playthroughs, but some express frustration over repetitive outcomes and the need for quality-of-life improvements. Overall, while there is significant replay value for those who enjoy exploring different choices, some players feel it falls short in delivering a truly diverse experience.
- “The replay value is unbelievable, the storyline is fantastic, and the music is great too; it literally cannot miss.”
- “This adds some replay value as you're bound to get a different experience each playthrough.”
- “Overall, I greatly enjoyed my time with the casting of Frank Stone and I would recommend this game to anyone who wishes to experience a short but extremely modular and replayable story.”
- “Parts of the game were completely unplayable from the get-go, and the game has very little replayability.”
- “Anyway, the story pissed me off to no end and the 'multiple endings?' b*tch please, it's that same ending regardless of who lives and leaves no room for replayability.”
- “Zero replayability; however, until they add a 'skip cutscenes you've already seen' feature.”
humor
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its numerous references to "Dead by Daylight," which players found amusing and enjoyable, even if some felt the callbacks were excessive. Many reviewers noted that the writing can be unintentionally funny, with moments of jankiness and bugs leading to laughter, particularly when playing with friends. Overall, while the game has its flaws, the humor—both intentional and accidental—provides a lighthearted experience for fans of the genre.
- “But the personalities of these characters also lead to funny moments.”
- “The writing is hilariously bad at times.”
- “I played with friends and we couldn't stop laughing.”
- “I don't know if that was supposed to be funny or not, but I found it funny because it reminded me of how hard it is to get four people to ready up, lmao.”
character development
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
42%
21%
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the depth and nuance of certain characters, while others criticize the lack of meaningful growth and relatability, particularly for main characters. Many feel that the pacing is uneven, with too much focus on character introductions and not enough on their development, leading to a disconnect with the story. Overall, while some characters are well-designed and engaging, others are seen as underdeveloped and unlikable, detracting from the overall experience.
- “Just finished this a few minutes ago - outstanding character development, story, and graphics. I really enjoyed the entirety of this, and for those of us who have played Dead by Daylight, the easter eggs and relics to find were such a treat.”
- “Those books slowly build, in little ways, with character development and nuance.”
- “- Character development is often something that people complain about, where a character feels as if they aren't relatable and it makes players drop the game early. I was on the verge of doing so myself near the start, but I decided to give the game more time to let me feel the characters, and in the end, there were some characters I felt a developed attachment to.”
- “While I like the flow of the chapters, the foundation of the story lacks any character development.”
- “Make each of them as playable as any other, add to their backstory, give them character development, and actually make the relationship feature have meaning - because as it stands, it doesn't.”
- “3 hours in and there's no character development and nothing really happens.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
37%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players feeling deeply engaged and touched by specific scenes and character portrayals, while others criticize the overall story and character development as boring and lacking depth. Despite high-quality graphics and immersive gameplay, technical issues and uninteresting narratives detract from the emotional impact for many players. Overall, while some find the game to deliver emotional highs, others feel it falls short of its promises.
- “The ending scene was beautifully done and was quite touching, really.”
- “Tobi Bakare as Sam Green and Diana Bermudez as Madi Rivera-Platt shine, while Idris Debrand’s portrayal of Robert Green adds emotional depth.”
- “It was amazing, I love DBD so much and I'm proud of this game; I'm getting emotional just thinking about the journey.”
- “The most boring story I had to go through; I kept hoping maybe soon it will get interesting, maybe soon the real story gets revealed, but no.”
- “It's just a boring story with zero interesting characters.”
- “Boring story, uninteresting characters, and lame puzzles.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
33%
61%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, primarily due to the lack of options to skip previously seen dialogue and cutscenes, which makes replaying sections for collectibles or different outcomes a chore. The formulaic gameplay and empty environments further contribute to the feeling of monotony, leading many to feel that achieving 100% completion requires an excessive time investment. Overall, while some appreciate the depth of multiple story branches, the grinding experience is often described as frustrating and lacking in excitement.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “All of the environments are empty and most hallways lead to dead ends with no collectible, which makes finding the one path that actually has a collectible a tedious chore.”
- “Lost my saves multiple times and I've had to replay the first few chapters at least 4 times now, and the opening scenes don't get any more interesting or any less tedious with each run through.”
- “Especially with no skip button when you go back through scenes you have already seen, going for a completionist route feels tedious.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized, with many reviewers describing it as a blatant cash grab primarily serving as an advertisement for Dead by Daylight and its DLCs. Players feel that the game lacks depth and originality, instead prioritizing promotional content over a compelling narrative, leading to disappointment, especially when compared to previous titles from the same developer. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels more like a marketing tool than a standalone experience.
- “I looked so forward to what I thought was going to be a horror game, not a money grab advertisement for an already existing game.”
- “Overall, if you were to compare this game to the quality of the Dark Pictures games also made by Supermassive, this is very clearly a forced side project cash grab sponsored by Behavior.”
- “This game feels like an easy cash grab from Behavior using their other IP, which made me hate it even more, and I was told the story is short and boring anyway.”