7 Best Games Like Until Dawn But For iOS
If you're looking for games like Until Dawn, you're seeking cinematic horror where your choices craft the story. The appeal of similar games to Until Dawn lies in controlling a narrative where your decisions lead to chilling consequences, directly impacting who survives.
At the heart of these experiences is the butterfly effect, a system where minor actions can create deadly outcomes. This branching narrative design, combined with the constant threat of permadeath for any character, creates intense replayability and a deep sense of responsibility for their fates.
Ultimately, the search for games like Until Dawn is for story-rich, atmospheric adventures that favor psychological suspense over action. These interactive dramas merge filmmaking with gaming, focusing on mystery, character development, and tough moral dilemmas where your choices truly matter.
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7 Games Like Until Dawn But For iOS
1. Oxenfree
For those who loved the "teenagers in a spooky setting" vibe of Until Dawn, Oxenfree is a fantastic indie alternative. The game follows a group of friends who accidentally open a ghostly rift on an old military island. The gameplay is driven by a unique and natural-feeling dialogue system where every conversation choice shapes your relationships with the other characters and, ultimately, the ending of the story.
It excels at building an eerie atmosphere and a compelling supernatural mystery, making it a great pick for fans of narrative-driven suspense.
2. The Walking Dead
A true titan of the genre, Telltale's The Walking Dead is essential playing for anyone looking for games like Until Dawn. This series is famous for its gut-wrenching moral dilemmas and forcing you to make impossible choices under extreme pressure. Every decision shapes your journey and relationships, and just like in Until Dawn, beloved characters can die permanently based on your actions. While it uses a distinct comic book art style, the focus on emotional, high-stakes, choice-and-consequence gameplay makes it a foundational experience in interactive storytelling.
3. Erica
Erica
For those who loved the "interactive movie" feel of Until Dawn, Erica takes it a step further by using full-motion video (FMV). You guide the titular character through a thrilling supernatural mystery, making choices that directly influence a truly branching narrative. The gameplay is seamless, blending live-action footage with your decisions to create one of the most cinematic and immersive experiences on this list.
It is a fantastic choice for players who want a story that feels both real and reactive to their every move.
4. The Wolf Among Us
If the mystery and investigation elements of Until Dawn were what drew you in, The Wolf Among Us is a must-play. Set in a world where fairytale characters live in secret in New York City, you play as Sheriff Bigby Wolf investigating a series of brutal murders. Developed by Telltale Games, the gameplay is centered around making difficult dialogue choices and decisions that affect your relationships and the course of your investigation.
It's a masterfully told neo-noir story where your choices define your path to the truth.
5. Layers of Fear
For players who were captivated by the psychological horror and environmental storytelling of Until Dawn, Layers of Fear is an excellent choice. This first-person game puts you in the shoes of a disturbed painter trying to finish his masterpiece in a constantly shifting Victorian mansion. The horror is less about monsters chasing you and more about a deeply unsettling atmosphere and a story that unfolds through exploration and surreal events.
It's a great pick for those who enjoy a narrative-driven psychological thriller.
6. Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
As the follow-up to the indie hit, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals builds upon everything that made the original a great narrative adventure. The game centers on a new protagonist, Riley, who returns to her hometown to investigate mysterious radio signals. Just like its predecessor, the gameplay is driven by a naturalistic dialogue system where your choices shape relationships and the outcome of the story.
For fans who enjoyed the teenage cast and eerie, supernatural mystery of Until Dawn, this game offers a more mature but equally compelling atmospheric and character-driven experience.
7. Inside
While it lacks the branching narrative and dialogue choices of Until Dawn, Inside is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling and is a must-play for fans of cinematic horror. This puzzle-platformer places you in the role of a lone boy being hunted through a dark and oppressive dystopian world. Where it feels similar to Until Dawn is in its incredible ability to build and sustain tension. Every moment is filled with a sense of dread and mystery, and the story is told entirely through its haunting visuals and sound design.
For players who were captivated by the feeling of being in a constant state of peril and appreciated a story that sticks with you long after it's over, Inside delivers an unforgettable and deeply unsettling experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What defines a "game like Until Dawn"?
Games considered to be like Until Dawn are often called interactive dramas or cinematic horror games. The key features that define them are a heavy focus on player choice and consequence. These games feature a branching narrative where your decisions, big and small, can drastically alter the story, relationships, and most importantly, who lives and who dies. This is often referred to as the "butterfly effect" system. They also feature cinematic presentation, quick-time events (QTEs), and the constant threat of permadeath for their characters, meaning a wrong move can permanently remove a character from the rest of the story.
What other games are made by the developers of Until Dawn?
The developer, Supermassive Games, has specialized in this genre. Their most direct follow-up is The Quarry, which is considered a spiritual successor and is a larger, full-length game very similar in scope to Until Dawn. They are also the creators of The Dark Pictures Anthology, a series of shorter, standalone cinematic horror games that includes titles like House of Ashes, Little Hope, and Man of Medan. If you want the exact same style of gameplay, anything by Supermassive Games is your best bet.
Are there any games like Until Dawn that aren't horror?
Absolutely. If you love the choice-and-consequence gameplay but don't enjoy horror, you have several excellent options. Detroit: Become Human and Heavy Rain, from developer Quantic Dream, are gripping sci-fi and neo-noir thrillers, respectively, where your choices dictate the entire story. The Life is Strange series offers emotional, character-driven mysteries with supernatural elements. For a more grounded experience, As Dusk Falls is a crime drama where your decisions shape the lives of two families over decades.
Can I play these types of games with friends?
Yes, and it's one of the best ways to experience them! Supermassive Games has included multiplayer modes in their recent titles. Both The Quarry and all games in The Dark Pictures Anthology feature a "Movie Night" or couch co-op mode where you and your friends can each be assigned different characters, passing the controller when it's that character's turn to make a choice. It turns the game into a collaborative, and often chaotic, storytelling experience.
What is the difference between The Quarry and The Dark Pictures games?
The main difference is scope and format. The Quarry is a single, large-scale, full-priced game that is considered a spiritual successor to Until Dawn, featuring a bigger cast and a longer story. The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of smaller, individual, and more budget-friendly horror stories. Each game in the anthology is only a few hours long and explores a different horror sub-genre (e.g., ghost ship, witch trials, creature feature), making them more like bite-sized interactive movies.