Review: The Casting of Frank Stone – Rely on Horror

I’ve been a huge fan of Supermassive Games ever since they released the subgenre-defining Until Dawn (2015), and I’ve enjoyed everything they’ve done since, including The Dark Pictures Anthology series and VR games like Rush of Blood and Switchback. With that said, I have only a limited knowledge of the online asymmetric multiplayer survival horror series Dead by Daylight. This placed me in a unique position to play The Casting of Frank Stone. I went into the game essentially blind, and the experience was all the more satisfying as a result. Because of this, I was able to judge the game solely on its own strengths, without any preconceived notions.

The Casting of Frank Stone is a standalone single-player experience set in the wider world of Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight and brought to life by Supermassive Games’ unique brand of cinematic storytelling. The game will appeal to Dead by Daylight fans as well as anyone who enjoys a good horror adventure. However, we encourage players to explore The Entity’s universe to become familiar with the underlying potential the game offers.

Since this is a narrative-driven game, and we want you to experience the game’s numerous twists and turns for yourself, this review will be spoiler-free.

Plot

Continuing Supermassive’s cinematic chose-your-own-adventure-style gameplay and interactive horror drama, The Casting of Frank Stone has players controlling the fates of three groups of assorted characters through three distinct time periods. The story centers on a group of young friends in the summer of 1980, determined to make their mark on horror cinema. What they film will lead to unimaginable consequences. You decide their fates, nurture their relationships, and oversee filming their Super 8 mm movie, Murder Mill, a soon-to-be cult classic with a sinister influence.

In this dark, branching narrative, the shadow of serial killer Frank Stone looms over Cedar Hills, Oregon – a town forever altered by his violent past. As the group of friends soon discover, Stone’s blood-soaked legacy cuts deep, leaving scars across families, generations, and the very fabric of reality itself.

What begins as a chilling serial killer narrative quickly evolves into a spectacular supernatural tale that includes ancient evil, bloody cults, and several thematic elements that connect to the Dead by Daylight franchise. The quality of the story is on par with the developer’s other games, which are to a very high standard. There were several moments in the game that genuinely shocked me.

Setting

Supermassive once again delivers a title full of high-stakes horror and atmosphere to spare. During your roughly 6-7 hour journey, you’ll explore the rusty, subterranean corridors of the infamous Cedar Steel Mill, the cavernous antechambers of an isolated gothic manor, and the ominous forested outskirts of the local town, among other locations. All these locations are rife with intricate details, spooky lighting, and anxiety-inducing music.

The craftsmanship and attention to detail in the game are truly remarkable. The developers have masterfully executed all elements of the game’s world-building. They deserve high commendation for their exceptional production design, cinematography, blocking, and lighting.

Characters

In a title with multiple layered meanings and outcomes, the game’s characters are similarly multifaceted. Each one is given enough time to establish their motivations, relationships with other characters, and their strengths and failings. They are well fleshed out, even if some of them are still your typical genre stereotypes. In a lesser game, this would be an issue, but for the most part, it just adds to the charm here.

The game genuinely makes you care about these characters. It utilizes a wide spectrum of personalities to weave its narrative, from a chipper teenage filmmaker to a world-weary small-town sheriff.

Point of View

Upon starting the game, players can choose to play solo or with friends in either the “Die Alone” or “Die Together” campaigns. For my first playthrough, I opted for the single-player mode.

Every decision players make shapes the story and impact the fate of the characters within it. Just like previous Supermassive games done in this style, the emphasis is more on the story and exploration. When the action begins to speed up, the game includes time-based, reaction tests as a key gameplay feature. Players can succeed by pressing the correct button within a time limit, or fail if they press an incorrect button. Failing a quick time event has the potential to impact the story and its ending. It’s a solid formula that, while not particularly deep or complex, fits the game’s story perfectly. However, if you didn’t like this style before, this game won’t change your mind.

The first night I played the game, I didn’t want to turn it off. It was past midnight, but I felt compelled to keep playing because I wanted to see where the story went. That’s a great feeling to have and a hallmark of an engrossing game.

Puzzles in the game aren’t much more complex than finding a key to open a lock or a missing part to operate a piece of machinery.  Luckily, they’re fun and intuitive. Sometimes they require choosing between whether to keep an item for yourself or give it to another character. The game alternates between puzzles, a semi-free roam type of exploration and interactions between various characters. Keen-eyed players will discover two different types of special collectibles hidden throughout the game’s environments.

In addition to the “Die Alone” or “Die Together” play options, players can share the experience locally with Couch Co-op. This mode allows up to five friends to play through The Casting of Frank Stone together in one room. Friends can pass the controller back and forth as the character’s perspective changes throughout the game.

Beating the game rewards you with the “Cutting Room Floor” feature. This allows you to replay sections and explore the many different choices and outcomes. In a game with such high replay value, I highly encourage players to take advantage of this feature to explore every possible twist and turn the game has to offer. On my first playthrough, I got a particularly bad ending, and this feature easily allowed me to go back and see what would happen if I had made other choices. This is a great option for players who don’t want to restart the entire game just to see the effects of different choices.

You can also unlock the “Plunderer’s Instinct” ability. This highlights the aura of any Trinket Chest you might have missed with the simple press of a button. If you want instant access to these features, you can pick up the Deluxe Edition of the game.

With the Twitch Integration feature, streamers and viewers alike can experience The Casting of Frank Stone together. Viewers can vote on each choice throughout the game. Streamers will have a limited number of vetoes to override a decision if they disagree with the audience’s choice.

Conflict

If I have any complaints about the game, it would be that sometimes the character animations seem a little exaggerated, as if they’re being pantomimed or overly animated. Additionally, their facial animations can sometimes appear unnaturally stilted, which hampers their ability to convincingly emote. These minor flaws are all the more noticeable because everything else is superb. However, they never broke the experience or immersion but were noticeable a few times and a little distracting.

The quality of performances can also vary between characters. Some are portrayed in a very grounded, believable way, while others come across as flat and generic. I understand that some characters are meant to be broader genre stereotypes, but I don’t necessarily think their performances have to be so broad as well. Despite this, it’s a small price to pay for such a well-realized experience overall.

Epilogue

The Casting of Frank Stone is a solid game and a worthy addition to Supermassive’s outstanding choose-your-own-adventure horror series. Its characters are compelling, its locales are suitable atmospheric, and its gameplay, while simple, is engaging. The game also rewards exploration and encourages multiple playthroughs. While those unfamiliar with its connections to Dead by Daylight may miss out a little, prior knowledge of the series isn’t necessary to enjoy the game.

Except for a few exaggerated character animations and inconsistent performances, The Casting of Frank Stone was a thoroughly satisfying experience. Every aspect of the game is impactful, from its gripping story and relatable characters to its thrilling gameplay and atmosphere. It’s apparent by this point that Supermassive Games knows what it’s doing. If you loved their previous titles but are undecided about this one, the choice is clear: don’t let this title cool in the mold; pick up this crowdpleaser now while it’s hot.

As far as I’m concerned, Supermassive can continue making these types of games forever, and I’ll continue to play them.

(8.5 / 10)

Great

Rely on Horror Review Score Guide

A PS5 review code for the Deluxe Edition of the game was provided by the publisher.