# Until Dawn 2: The Uncanny Valley Still Haunts Its Stars
Until Dawn 2, revealed at State of Play, continues the franchise's uncanny valley problem with its character models, despite being from a new development team. While Neil Newbon's character looks decent, the rest of the cast suffers from dead eyes and unnatural facial animations, making them unsettlingly artificial. This visual disconnect detracts from an otherwise promising horror premise.
Horror games hold a special place in my heart, thanks to their incredible versatility. Whether it’s a terrifying single-player journey or a heart-pounding co-op experience, the genre consistently delivers. However, there’s one popular title that has always been a tough sell for me, primarily because its characters consistently reside deep within the uncanny valley: Until Dawn.
Casting well-known actors in games often sparks debate, but it’s a choice I can usually overlook if the game itself is captivating. Titles like Detroit: Become Human or the Star Wars trilogy from Respawn come to mind. Yet, the original Until Dawn featured a star-studded cast whose in-game renditions were so stiff and unnatural, they actively pulled me out of the experience. The gameplay core of Until Dawn is strong, but its visual presentation, much like Supermassive Games’ other horror entries in the Dark Pictures Anthology, has always felt... off. Naturally, when I heard Until Dawn 2 wasn’t being developed by Supermassive, I harbored genuine hope. Surely, with a new team and advancements in animation technology, we’d finally get characters that didn’t resemble unsettling wax figures.
The Uncanny Valley Strikes Again
Unfortunately, my hopes were largely dashed after getting a proper glimpse of Until Dawn 2 during Sony’s recent State of Play showcase in June 2026. It seems the sequel’s characters are once again destined to exist in that unsettling space between realism and outright horror. The story premise itself is fantastic: a group of obnoxious 20-somethings livestreaming ghost hunts, only to accidentally stumble into genuine terror. It’s a classic setup I’m definitely here for.
Neil Newbon: The Unlikely Exception
The game also features Neil Newbon in a villainous role, which is something I'm genuinely excited about. And to be fair, his character model, Sebastian, stands out as the best of the bunch. It’s detailed, immediately recognizable as Newbon, and somehow manages to be the least unsettling. I might be a little biased, given Newbon’s natural charm and his incredible, award-winning performance as one of the most beloved video game characters of this decade. But even objectively, his character, despite being meant to be creepy, avoids the uncanny pitfalls that plague the others.
Dead Eyes and Gaping Mouths: The Rest of the Cast
While the other characters show some improvement in body motion capture compared to the original Until Dawn, their facial animations are still deeply unsettling. Their eyes lack life, and their expressions trigger a primal fight-or-flight response. It’s a classic case of what I like to call “Video Game Mouth Syndrome,” where characters display too many teeth and contort their faces into grimaces rather than conveying genuine emotion. They look less like people and more like elaborate skinwalkers.
A Stark Contrast: God of War Shows How It's Done
What made this revelation even more frustrating was Sony’s decision to air the Until Dawn 2 trailer right before the breathtaking reveal of God of War: Laufey. The character model for Deborah Ann Woll in God of War was simply stunning. Her in-game counterpart was incredibly realistic, far from any nightmare fuel. Her eyes possessed a natural sparkle, her skin wasn't waxy, and her blinks, breaths, and emotions felt authentically human. She looked alive, a stark irony given she's portraying a deceased character. In contrast, the Until Dawn 2 cast, despite being alive (for now), feels disturbingly artificial.
The Perils of Performance Capture (and a Wish for Less Awkwardness)
I’ve long held a mild aversion to stuffing games with recognizable actors, finding it distracting at best and just plain cheesy at worst. But if a game insists on populating its world with freaky, mannequin-like approximations of famous faces, I suppose a horror game is the most fitting setting. Still, I sincerely hope they keep the awkward, jilted romantic scenes to a minimum; the brief glimpses in the trailer were more than enough to confirm my fears on that front.
The Verdict: More Spooks, Less Spookiness in the Faces, Please
Ultimately, Until Dawn 2 presents a familiar dilemma. It has a compelling story hook and the potential for classic horror thrills, especially with Neil Newbon's intriguing villain. But the persistent issue with character models, trapping a significant portion of its cast in the uncanny valley, remains a significant hurdle. It's tough to immerse yourself in a life-or-death scenario when the characters you're fighting to save look like they're trying to escape a haunted wax museum. Here's hoping the final product somehow manages to smooth out these rough edges, allowing the true horror of the game to shine through, rather than being overshadowed by its unsettling inhabitants.
FAQ
Q: Is Until Dawn 2 being developed by Supermassive Games?
A: No, the article states Until Dawn 2 is being made by a new team, not Supermassive Games.
Q: What platforms will Until Dawn 2 be released on?
A: Until Dawn 2 is set to be released on PlayStation 5.
Q: When is the release date for Until Dawn 2?
A: Until Dawn 2 is scheduled for release on December 31, 2027.
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