As Dusk Falls – a choice-based narrative experience launching on Tuesday for PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X – comes from newly formed developer Interior Night. Even though it’s new on the block, the team behind Interior Night has been responsible for gems like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls in the past. Expectations were high for this game, and I’m here to tell you that it didn’t disappoint. As Dusk Falls’ excellent storytelling quickly leads you into a crime drama similar to Breaking Bad and fargo. Plus, its branching storyline will keep you coming back for the best possible outcome for characters that will grow on you, even if they don’t make good first impressions.
Before we delve deeper, I’d like to confess that I’m not particularly a fan of choice-based narrative games. I also had reservations about the developer’s artistic choice, which opted for a graphic art style rather than fully animated cutscenes. It took me a while to get used to this style, but I’m glad I stayed with As Dusk Falls.
The Champion of As Dusk Falls is, unsurprisingly, its story that finds the Walker family and the Holt family crossing paths and becoming embroiled in a decade-long ordeal. The voice acting is excellent too, with the background score and sound design elevating the stressful situations these characters find themselves in – sometimes due to their poor choices.
As a review of Dusk Falls: The Story
The story of As Dusk Falls is explored primarily from the perspectives of Vince Walker and Jay Holt. Vince is a former aircraft mechanic who was fired from his last job under dubious circumstances. He is forced to embark on a cross-country road trip with his wife Michelle, daughter Zoe and estranged father Jim to move to St. Louis. Louis, Missouri, looking for a fresh start. A small accident on the way forces them to make a stop at a roadside motel in Arizona. It is at this unsuspecting motel that the Holt brothers, including Jay, take the Walker family and a few other civilians hostage after a failed robbery attempt.
From here on out, every decision you make will affect the fate of these characters – relationships can end, new alliances can be formed, or a character can lose his life. I advise you not to be hasty with your choices, as characters may not reveal their true selves initially. As Dusk Falls’ narrative is non-linear and will provide depth to the characters – revealing their motivations and dire circumstances – through flashbacks.
For example, on my first playthrough, I let a character die way too early in As Dusk Falls, only to regret it later when more was revealed later. It’s these morally ambiguous choices that will have you coming back for a new playthrough to make amends and experience a completely different storyline.
As Dusk Falls review: Gameplay
As Dusk Falls prompts you to make most choices quickly before time runs out. You can increase the timer limit if you want to reflect a little more while making those fateful decisions. The game also warns you when a choice puts you at a “Crossroads” – a branching point in the narrative with unalterable consequences. There are also quick events scattered throughout to keep you engaged throughout the game. However, more often than not, these events are wasted on tedious tasks like fixing an AC or sawing a piece of wood.
The game is divided into six chapters, each taking over an hour to complete. At the end of each As Dusk Falls chapter, you’ll be given a story map revealing your path along with empty crates for other possible outcomes. This is a great way to map out your next playthrough – whether you start from the beginning or just replay a chapter.
The inclusion of a co-op mode further enhances As Dusk Falls’ replayability. It allows up to eight players to join your game locally, online or a mixture of both. People can also install the companion app on their smartphones to join the game. It can be a great way to get your gamer and non-gamer friends together for a fun session as you discuss and vote on choices.
As Dusk Falls review: graphics, sound design
Interior Night opted for a water-brushed style for the world of As Dusk Falls and the characters that complement the style of the comic book. It took me a while to get used to it, and so can you. Persist, however, and you’ll be rewarded with a memorable experience, which is heightened by the excellent sound design and catchy soundtrack.
The voice acting in As Dusk Falls is also excellent and conversations flow smoothly despite the pauses in between as you make your decision. The only defect, in my opinion, was that the voice actress of the child Zoe simply did not match the character, which at times spoiled the immersion a little.
As Dusk Falls review: Final verdict
That said, this is a great first release for developer Interior Night, which delivered a captivating narrative with a branching storyline and pause-worthy choices. The moral tug of war keeps your mind racing as these characters’ fates are governed by their choices. Water brush art combined with fantastic voice acting and sound design bring the world of Dusk Falls and its inhabitants to life.
The addition of a co-op mode and the “Explore Story” feature also greatly enhance its replayability. Despite the original six to seven hour playtime, As Dusk Falls would make a great addition to your game library, as you can always come back to discover a new story path you haven’t taken before.
Pros:
- Excellent voice acting, sound design
- Intriguing plot, characters
- Pause-worthy choices
- Local and online cooperation
- captivating narrative
- Great replayability
Cons:
- Boring fast-time events
- Art style is not for everyone
Rating (out of 10): 8
We played As Dusk Falls on a PC with AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz, AMD RX570 8 GB and 8 GB RAM.
On PC, As Dusk Falls can be purchased on Steam for Rs. 1999. It is also available on Microsoft Store for Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X for Rs. 1999.
Like Dusk Falls it is also part of Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. Regular subscription starts at Rs. 349 per month on consoles and PC, while the Ultimate subscription – which includes online multiplayer and more – costs Rs. 499 per month.