Interior/Night, the independent developer formed by Quantic Dream and Sony veterans, has just released its debut game. As Dusk Falls is an interactive narrative drama that spans several decades and follows the fortunes of a diverse cast of characters. As Dusk Falls' unique painterly style, comic book setup, and branching narrative full of decisions both big and small have made it a very interesting release that has turned a few heads, even if some players aren't completely sold on the stylistic gameplay.
As Dusk Falls introduces some intriguing features and has lots of elements that set it apart from other similar titles, but one of the most unexpected aspects of its release is the gap that it's exposed in the drama genre. Crime has been a fertile source of inspiration for video games for many years, but not many explore the more human elements of lawlessness through the use of a purely drama-focused title like As Dusk Falls does.
A Heady Mix Of Crime And Drama
In the tradition of other branching narrative games driven by dialogue options like many of Telltale's releases, As Dusk Falls is essentially a visual novel interspersed with some quick time events and action sequences. This setup suits many players who love a rich storytelling experience that needs them to make some tough decisions, but some gamers felt that As Dusk Falls' pacing lost steam toward the end of the game. The title's intensely cinematic story is carried by some impressive vocal performances, which become a key element in conveying the emotions due to the lack of animation and character movement.
Its minimalistic movements may take some getting used to, but once players fully immerse themselves in the story, then they will find a masterfully winding narrative that presents them with weighty consequences for their actions. Like other choice-driven games, As Dusk Falls has several branching narratives, but even the smallest decisions can have unintended consequences. The destinies of two families are completely in the hands of the player as they interweave across the years, and As Dusk Falls navigates its heartbreaking and compelling story beats with ease as it explores the morally gray areas of crime.
How As Dusk Falls Identifies A Gap
There are many games centered around crime, and there are also a lot of titles that bring drama to the forefront, but As Dusk Falls marries both of these elements in a satisfying and original way. The lives and relationships of each of the characters can divert into different directions through unexpected ways, and the choices that the player is constantly confronted with can be difficult to navigate. As Dusk Falls also has an intriguing multiplayer feature where players can experience the narrative together either locally or online and vote for which choices they want to pursue.
Because of the consequences of player decisions and the vastly different fates these can lead to for all the characters, As Dusk Falls as a lot of replay value. It seems as if the true depth of the game will only be revealed through multiple playthroughs and different decisions, showing the layered narrative approach As Dusk Falls takes in contrast to a lot of other crime games that have more straightforward stories. Dramas also rarely explore the moral complexities and personal effects of crime on families and individuals to the same adaptable extent as As Dusk Falls, and this helps to set the game apart from so many others with comparable features.
As Dusk Falls releases on July 19th, for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.