Until Dawn is a game that tests the wits of both the players and characters. But which characters are the smartest in the game?
With the upcoming June 10th release of Until Dawn’s spiritual successor, The Quarry, it’s hard not to reminisce about the old characters from the 2015 game. The eight main teenagers not only had to deal with human hungry creatures. Their wits were also tested during this cold winter night.
Whether it be trying to escape an underground mine or figuring out who was behind the “killing” of Josh, the group had a lot of obstacles in their way that each person dealt with differently. These differences gave players an idea about which teenager would be good in a crisis and who would freeze in place. Intelligence is something that each character had, but it varied. To survive in this game, the character had to be quick on their feet, logical, and have a good amount of common sense.
The stereotypical blonde role is given to Jess, which makes her ability to express her wits very rare. Her lack of involvement in the plot when she is kidnapped makes her the cliché damsel in distress, but if she is alive in the mines by herself she is able to escape and get back to the cabin.
She may have a lack of agency in most of the game, but she is able to adapt quickly to having the shorter end of the stick. Overall, though, Jess is just not given enough time to shine in the game because of the trope placed on her.
Matt, played by Turning Red’s Jordan Fisher, is one of the jocks in the group and is Emily’s beau in the game. Emily is more on the bossier side, so whenever she interacts with Matt he comes off as a pushover. That being said, it can be difficult for him to make hard decisions at the drop of a hat.
But his bravery in some situations can outweigh his lack of wit when in danger. This is shown if players are able to keep him alive to get to the mines with Jess. Along with Jess, Matt is another playable character that isn’t given enough character development, but when he’s given the chance he is a pretty decent survivor.
Ashley is the shy quiet bookworm that doesn’t seem like the type that would do well by herself in the woods. Along with Matt, she can be a bit hesitant when it comes to hostile situations, but in her case, she would rather run and hide than let her courage push her on.
This hesitance also almost led to Emily’s demise when she overreacted to her Wendigo bite. But that said, the group wouldn’t have been able to solve the mysteries without her help, as she is one of the characters who find the many clues scattered throughout the game.
Chris is one of the nerdier characters in the game and it shows in his desire to become an app designer and his love of gadgets. Throughout the story, he is seen making snarky quips and isn’t too spooked when things start to get weird around the lodge.
His doubts about the Ouija board showed he wasn’t gullible and he took the time to examine the things happening around him. He may not be as sporty as the other guys in the game, but his brains make up for it. The only thing working against all this is when he is in denial about Josh’s brutal revenge plot “death,” but it eventually turns into anger when he figures out the truth.
He can be a bit annoying to the other characters, but as the game goes on, Mike’s character development makes him more likable to his friends and players. His charming attitude even carries over to animals, as he can befriend a wolf if the player decides to.
He even goes as far as to suggest sacrificing himself for the group when going to the Wendigo liar. Even with his bravery, his courage can get to the best of him, sometimes making him lack in the emotional intelligence department. This is especially shown when he points a gun at Emily when Ashley convinces him she’s going to turn into a Wendigo.
Gutsy is the one word to describe Sam. In the prologue to the game, Sam is the only one in the group that speaks out about the “prank” her friends are about to pull, showing she’s one of the more emotionally intelligent members of the gang.
When it comes to running away from danger, Sam has the cleverness to avoid obstacles in her way and isn’t afraid to fight through her fear. She was also the one that figured out what happened to Hannah and Beth on that fateful day one year ago. Overall, Sam just has a good head on her shoulders which makes her a great survivor.
Josh, played by No Time to Die‘s Rami Malek, is one of the villains in the story and this is not without merit. Even if in the end, he goes off the deep end due to the trauma of his sisters’ deaths, he still gave the gang a run for their money while he was sane.
His elaborate plan to scare the group would have gone without a hitch if there weren’t Wendigos terrorizing them as well. His intentions may have been mean-hearted, but his ability to create a Saw-like game is not something that should go unrecognized. His ability to even get them all there with his welcoming personality and manipulation is something an evil genius would do.
Emily may be a mean queen bee to the other characters, but she is one of the main reasons the group of friends survives. It was her idea to get outside help and she is able to escape a Wendigo attack with only a battle scar. And she is able to escape the Minecraft, even by herself and with an injured leg, if the players can make it that far with the many quick events.
Her quick temper is something that gets the best of her at times, but it pushes her to stay alive throughout the game and her ability to get her way makes her a force to be reckoned with. Love her or hate her, nobody can deny her 4.0 level book smarts.
A queer black writer that wants to create stories that represent her experiences in life. A bit of an anime nerd, that likes to listen to kpop in her spare time.
