You're standing in the snow. It's freezing. Your heart is thumping against your ribs because you just heard a branch snap in the woods behind you, and honestly, you have no idea if you should run or hide. This is the core tension that makes the game a masterpiece. But let’s be real for a second: most people play this game and end up with a pile of corpses by dawn. It’s brutal. Following an until dawn ps4 walkthrough isn't just about cheating the system; it’s about navigating a narrative minefield where a single misplaced QTE (Quick Time Event) or a "brave" choice leads to a character getting their head ripped off.
I remember my first playthrough back in 2015. I thought I was being smart. I thought I understood how horror tropes worked. I was wrong. I killed Chris because I thought I was being "logical," and I let Emma get mauled because I didn't realize how much the "Don't Move" mechanic actually mattered when your controller has a slight stick drift. It’s a game of inches. Every choice ripples.
The Butterfly Effect is more than just a gimmick
Supermassive Games built this entire experience around the idea of chaos theory. You see a butterfly icon pop up on the left side of the screen, and you know you've just altered the timeline. Sometimes it’s small. You might just make a character annoyed with you. Other times, you’ve unknowingly signed someone's death warrant two hours in advance.
The game tracks these through the Butterfly Effect menu. It's basically a ledger of your mistakes. If you’re looking for a path where everyone survives, you have to realize that some choices are counter-intuitive. For instance, being a "jerk" in certain dialogues can actually be safer than being the hero. It’s weird. It defies the standard "be a good person to win" logic found in most RPGs.
Why Totems are your only real friends
You'll find these little carved heads scattered around Blackwood Mountain. They come in different colors: Death, Guidance, Loss, Danger, and Fortune. Most players just look at them and move on. Don't do that. These are literally glimpses into potential futures. A Death Totem shows you how a character might die, giving you a hint on what not to do when that specific scenery appears later. It’s the game’s way of giving you a fighting chance without a guide, but even then, the visions are blurry and brief.
How to actually keep everyone alive
Survival is the goal. It’s hard. You’ve got eight characters—Sam, Mike, Josh, Ashley, Chris, Matt, Emily, and Jessica—and the game wants to kill all of them. To get the "They All Live" trophy, you need precision.
Jessica and Matt are usually the first to go. People mess up Jessica’s rescue because they try to be safe. If you want Jess to live, Mike has to take every risky shortcut. You have to be fast. If you stumble or take the slow path, she’s gone before the story even really starts. Matt’s survival is tied to the flare gun. If he gives it to Emily or wastes it, and then tries to save her later when the tower falls, he’s basically dead meat unless he has that gun to defend himself against a specific threat.
The Ashley and Chris dilemma
This is where the game gets psychological. There’s a scene with a saw. You’re told to choose. Many players think they have to make a choice, but the "best" path is often the one that shows the most self-sacrifice or hesitation. If Chris chooses to save himself over Ashley, she will literally let him die later. She won't open the door. It’s cold. It’s one of the most famous examples of how "relationship bars" in the menu actually dictate gameplay outcomes. If her "Honesty" or "Benevolence" stats with Chris drop too low because of your choices, she becomes a different person.
Sam and Mike are the anchors. They are much harder to kill early on. They have "plot armor" until the very end, but once you hit the final chapter in the lodge, all bets are off. One wrong move—one failed "Don't Move" segment—and Sam can accidentally kill everyone by flipping a light switch too early. It’s a heart-pounding finale that has ruined many perfect runs.
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The role of Dr. Hill and the Psycho
Between chapters, you talk to a psychiatrist. This is Peter Stormare delivering an absolutely unhinged performance. He asks you what you’re afraid of. Spiders? Clowns? Gore? Puppets?
He’s not just making small talk. The game actively adjusts its scares based on your answers. If you tell him you hate needles, guess what shows up later? The game "reads" you. It’s a meta-narrative layer that makes an until dawn ps4 walkthrough feel different for every person. Even if the plot beats are the same, the flavor of the horror changes based on your psychological profile. It’s brilliant, honestly.
Collecting the Twins and 1952 clues
You can’t just run through the woods and expect a "good" ending. You need the lore. Finding the "Twins" clues is essential for Josh’s fate. If you don't find the journal in the final act, Josh cannot recognize a certain "threat," and he meets a gruesome end. There is no middle ground for him. He either dies or suffers a fate arguably worse than death, but the latter is required for the survival trophy.
The "1952" clues explain the backstory of the sanatorium. They fill in the gaps about why the mountain is the way it is. Without these, the plot feels like a standard slasher. With them, it becomes a tragic, decades-old supernatural mystery.
Technical quirks and the PS5 "Upgrade"
If you're playing this on a PS4, it still looks incredible. The facial capture was ahead of its time. However, if you're playing on a PS5 via backward compatibility, you get a much smoother 60fps experience. It makes the QTEs feel a bit more responsive.
There’s also the 2024 remake to consider. While it updated the graphics and changed some camera angles, many purists still prefer the original 2015 PS4 version for its specific color grading and atmosphere. The original has a blue, cold tint that feels more like a classic horror flick. The remake is warmer, which some feel takes away from the "isolation" vibe.
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Common mistakes that ruin a run
- Moving the controller during "Don't Move" segments. Even breathing too hard can trigger the light bar sensor. Pro tip: put the controller on a flat surface if you’re nervous.
- Shooting everything. Sometimes, the best move is to not pull the trigger. There are animals in this game. If you hurt them, nature (and the butterfly effect) will hurt you back later.
- Investigating every noise. It’s a horror game. Sometimes, curiosity literally kills the cat. If you’re playing as Ashley and you hear a voice that sounds like a friend, think twice. Is it really them? Or is it something else?
Navigating the Sanatorium with Mike
Mike's segments in the sanatorium are the most action-heavy. This is where the game shifts from "teen drama" to "survival horror." You’ll encounter a wolf. Most people's instinct is to kick it or shoot it. Don't. If you befriend the wolf, he becomes a companion. He can actually save Mike’s life later on. It’s a small detail that most players miss on their first go.
The Sanatorium also holds the "Mystery Man" clues. You start to realize that the person you thought was the villain might actually be the only one who knows what’s going on. It’s a classic subversion of expectations.
The Wendigo factor
Let’s talk about the real stars: the Wendigos. These aren't your typical movie monsters. They’re based on actual Algonquian folklore. They are fast, they are blind to anything that doesn't move, and they are incredibly hard to kill. The game does a great job of explaining their origin through the "Stranger’s" diary.
The key to surviving them is stillness. This ties back into the "Don't Move" mechanic. If you can keep your hands steady, you can stand inches away from a Wendigo and it won't see you. It’s one of the most tense mechanics ever put into a console game.
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Actionable insights for your next playthrough
If you’re sitting down to start a new run, or if you're trying to finally get that Platinum trophy, here is the reality of the situation. You cannot play this game passively. You have to be "on" the entire time.
- Check the status menu constantly. See how characters feel about each other. It changes their dialogue and their willingness to help in a crisis.
- Prioritize speed over safety in Chapter 4. If you want Jessica to live, Mike cannot afford to be cautious.
- The Flare Gun is a life-saver. Do not let Matt fire it off into the woods for fun. Keep it for when the stuff hits the fan.
- Find the Diary in Chapter 10. This is the "make or break" item for Josh. It’s in the water area before you reach the final cabin.
- Don't trust the voices. In Chapter 9, if you're controlling Ashley and you hear a voice in the tunnels, staying with the group is always the safer bet. Going off alone is the fastest way to a jump-scare death.
The beauty of Until Dawn is that even when you fail, the story continues. There is no "Game Over" screen that forces you to reload a checkpoint. The game just marches on, leaving you to deal with the consequences of your actions. It’s a bleak, snowy, terrifying ride that stays with you long after the sun comes up.
To maximize your success, ensure your controller's vibration is off if you have shaky hands, as the haptic feedback can sometimes jitter the sensor during those "Don't Move" prompts. Also, keep multiple save backups if you’re aiming for specific trophies, though the game is designed to be played in one fluid, messy go. Focus on the totems, watch the butterflies, and remember that sometimes the best choice is to do nothing at all.