The Casting of Frank Stone

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,675 reviews
  • story
  • optimization
  • gameplay
The Casting of Frank Stone Game Cover
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"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.

Play Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,675 reviews
story400 positive mentions
optimization148 negative mentions
  • story1,138 mentions

    The story of "The Casting of Frank Stone" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative and connections to the Dead by Daylight universe, particularly for fans familiar with its lore. However, criticisms include a convoluted plot, pacing issues, and a lack of meaningful choices that impact the story's outcome, leading some to feel that it resembles a cinematic experience more than a traditional game. Overall, while the story has its strengths, such as intriguing twists and character development, it is often overshadowed by performance issues and a sense of incompleteness.

    • “The casting of Frank Stone is a unique story with interesting characters, a sometimes bizarre but consistently enjoyable plot, and enough references and ties to the game it is connected to that it feels right at home in the Dead by Daylight universe.”
    • “The story was great; I was really invested. I played from the first install all the way until the end of the game; I was that invested.”
    • “The story is engaging, there's fun Dead by Daylight easter eggs to be found, and I am looking forward to replaying again to see the different outcomes.”
    • “The story needed to be more fleshed out, the graphics and animations polished, and the mechanics overall were jarring to use.”
    • “The choices also have little to no meaning or real change to the story at all.”
    • “The story is very disconnected; you start with a prologue in the 60s, and then the story takes place in 2024 before having flashback missions in the 80s, then going back to 2024.”
  • optimization471 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and long loading times, even on high-end systems. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance through tweaks, the overall consensus is that the game requires significant optimization updates to enhance the experience. Many reviewers recommend waiting for patches or sales before purchasing due to these ongoing performance concerns.

    • “The game is generally well-executed, though it does have minor optimization issues.”
    • “Despite the initial release's bugs and lack of optimization, this is still a fantastic game and in my opinion the closest Supermassive has gotten to replicating the success of Until Dawn.”
    • “I am changing my review to be a positive one after the recent update fixed the optimization issues I was having.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized to the point that it draws attention to itself and takes you out of the experience entirely.”
    • “Performance issues aside, the game is suffering heavily with performance issues.”
    • “The performance is abysmal, with constant stuttering, real-time rendering during cutscenes that looked awful, and button delays that massively impact the story.”
  • gameplay248 mentions

    The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its heavy reliance on cinematic sequences and minimal interactive elements, often feeling more like a movie than a game. While some appreciated the integration of Dead by Daylight mechanics and the narrative-driven approach, others criticized the simplistic mechanics, lack of meaningful choices, and numerous performance issues, leading to a generally unsatisfying experience. Overall, the gameplay is described as linear and repetitive, with many players wishing for more depth and engagement.

    • “Overall, the story and gameplay were amazing.”
    • “The gameplay is very smooth for the most part.”
    • “The gameplay alternates between solving puzzles, avoiding the killer, and uncovering clues about the dark history of the place, which adds to the sense of immersion.”
    • “The gameplay is nearly nonexistent, and it felt more like I was watching a movie than playing a game.”
    • “Gameplay is boring and uninspired, characters are written badly, the choices are pure 50/50, no actual tension.”
    • “This game involved more walking to locked doors and cut scenes than actual choices and gameplay mechanics.”
  • graphics247 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and artistic design, particularly in capturing an evocative 80s aesthetic. However, numerous players have reported significant performance issues, including stuttering, low frame rates, and poor optimization, which detracted from the overall experience. While some users enjoyed the graphical quality on high-end systems, others found the game unplayable even on lower settings, indicating a need for further optimization.

    • “The visuals are phenomenal, there are a lot of cheeky nice/cute little homages to DBD.”
    • “The graphics and animations/facial expressions are a big step up for Supermassive.”
    • “The graphics are top notch.”
    • “Despite having a pretty good computer, even having the game on medium graphics, I still found the game stuttering at times which sometimes broke immersion.”
    • “Any immersion that the story or the characters could provide is broken because the game runs at very low FPS and the graphics look terrible.”
    • “The game has absolutely horrible graphics and barely can run at 30 FPS, literally looks nothing like the trailers, when the characters talk their teeth are in the middle of their mouths where their tongues should be, their mouths don't move properly.”
  • stability87 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly during scene transitions and in the final chapters. While some players found the experience enjoyable despite these problems, many felt that the game's numerous technical shortcomings significantly detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is currently too buggy and poorly optimized, warranting a wait for patches before fully engaging with it.

    • “Looks and runs great, no complaints!”
    • “The game runs great for me and so far I'm enjoying the storyline.”
    • “Every time the scene changes, there is a 10-20 second loading screen where the screen just freezes or lags until it's loaded.”
    • “The game is extremely buggy, with frame rate drops, game freezes, and lighting bugs when using a torch.”
    • “Very buggy and has bad performance, even while using a 4090.”
  • atmosphere53 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively creating a chilling environment that enhances the horror experience. Many reviewers noted the strong sound design and visual elements that contribute to a captivating mood, reminiscent of classic horror storytelling. However, some felt that while the atmosphere was compelling, it was occasionally undermined by a lack of engaging gameplay and a weak narrative.

    • “The atmosphere is fantastic.”
    • “The game’s atmosphere is hauntingly immersive, pulling you deeper into its world as the story unfolds.”
    • “Every shadow, every flicker of light contributes to an atmosphere that’s both chilling and captivating.”
    • “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.”
    • “It feels more like a movie than a game where you are actively taking part, and I thought the atmosphere was a bit lacking.”
    • “If anything, it leans more towards being gory, but it never really achieves a truly frightening atmosphere.”
  • music42 mentions

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its atmospheric qualities and effective integration of references to "Dead by Daylight." While some noted that the soundtrack enhances the horror experience, others felt it was occasionally lacking in variety. Overall, the sound design and music contribute significantly to the game's tension and immersive experience, with scores ranging from 6 to 9 out of 10.

    • “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 game's soundtrack adds to the tension and suspense.”
    • “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.”
    • “Only thing spooky (only played chapters 1 and 2) was the music - which is one of the reasons why it's at least a 5/10.”
    • “There was also pretty much no music.”
  • replayability36 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, with many players appreciating the impact of choices, multiple endings, and the ability to revisit different paths. While some reviews note that the game is relatively short and may lack significant variation in outcomes, others highlight features like the timeline selector and director's cut mode that enhance replay value. However, a few users express concerns about the need for quality-of-life improvements to fully realize its replay potential.

    • “There's quite a bit of replayability in this game.”
    • “Overall, this was a fun, casual experience that has immense replay value.”
    • “It also has replayability due to the many decisions and resulting changes in the story.”
    • “Unfortunately, my biggest issue lies in the replayability.”
    • “Zero replayability; however, until they add a 'skip cutscenes you've already seen' feature.”
    • “It's a commercial for one of the next upcoming chapters, and with less than 7 hours of gameplay, it barely offers any replayability because you know what will change and what won't.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its unintentional comedic moments, such as bugs and awkward writing, which players found amusing, especially when playing with friends. Many enjoyed the numerous references to "Dead by Daylight," finding them both funny and nostalgic, although some felt the humor was hit-or-miss. Overall, while the game has its flaws, it offers a lighthearted experience that can lead to laughter, particularly for fans of the referenced franchise.

    • “I played with friends and we couldn't stop laughing.”
    • “The whole thing when the game released without the game files was actually kind of hilarious, and I won't be taking that into account in this review because mistakes happen.”
    • “I caught myself surprised, laughing and being happy several times by getting the references to their most famous game.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional18 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with some players feeling deeply immersed and touched by specific scenes, particularly the ending, while others criticized the overall story as boring and the characters as unlikable. Many noted that the game initially had a strong atmosphere that drew them in, but ultimately failed to deliver on emotional stakes, leading to disappointment. Despite some players finding it engaging, the consensus suggests that the emotional depth is lacking, with several reviewers feeling misled by promotional claims of "emotional gut-punches."

    • “The ending scene was beautifully done and was quite touching, really.”
    • “They get their emotional hooks into you, and once you're invested, only then do they hit you with something.”
    • “This is a deep emotional and dark game and a must-play for horror fans!”
    • “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.”
  • character development12 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it slow and unengaging, leading to early disengagement. While certain characters, like Frank Stone, have impressive designs and moments of depth, others, particularly the main antagonist, lack sufficient backstory and relatability. Overall, the pacing and execution of character arcs seem to hinder the emotional connection players can form with the cast.

    • “Those books slowly build, in little ways, with character development and nuance.”
    • “The attention to detail in the environments and character designs creates a hauntingly beautiful world that feels alive and reactive.”
    • “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, and 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.”
    • “Really oddly paced plot line and character development coupled with questionable features and mechanics that don't really amount to anything.”
    • “The character design is okay, but for me, most of them are unlikeable.”
    • “3 hours in and there's no character development and nothing really happens.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring multiple playthroughs to unlock all content without any options to skip or fast forward through previously seen scenes. This lack of convenience makes the experience feel repetitive and time-consuming, particularly for those aiming for 100% completion. Overall, while some appreciate the depth of the game, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game sports multiple story branches depending on your decisions, and it encourages you to play through key points again to check what you may have missed and see other outcomes - however, it's impossible to skip through already seen dialog or cutscenes, which makes that rather tedious in my opinion.”
    • “I've been playing to 100% this game and it gets pretty tedious at times.”
    • “Most people don't play these twice, let alone 20 times, and there's no fast forward when re-visiting scenes, so it's incredibly tedious.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been heavily criticized, with many players feeling it serves primarily as a promotional tool for Dead by Daylight rather than a standalone experience. Reviewers describe it as a cash grab, lacking depth and originality, and argue that it prioritizes advertising over engaging storytelling. Overall, the game is perceived as a disappointing side project that capitalizes on an existing franchise.

    • “I love Dead by Daylight, have had the game since its beginning, but this was, in my opinion, a $40-50 advertisement for a new DLC.”
    • “It felt more like a playable advertisement than a standalone game.”
    • “This game feels like an easy cash grab from Behaviour using their other IP, which made me hate it even more, and I was told the story is short and boring anyway.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
71hAverage play time
5-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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