Supermassive Games’ next big horror title, The Casting of Frank Stone, launches on September 3rd for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The narrative-focused horror title is based on<eCasino Gamingm> Dead by Daylight, featuring an original story and unique mechanics. Here are 15 things you need to know before buying, from its connection to Behaviour Interactive’s universe to The Cutting Room Floor.
Cedar Hills
Cedar Hills, Oregon, is the setting and the site of a tragedy perpetrated by the famous Frank Stone many years prior. It’s also where five friends embark in the Summer of 1980 to shoot an amateur horror film. It isn’t long before they’re seemingly hunted by the man and must escape. However, things aren’t what they seem, and there’s clearly more brewing beneath the surface.
Characters
Christine Gordon, Jaime Rivera, Linda Castle, Robert Green, and Bonnie Rivera form the core cast who venture to the mill. However, there’s also a prologue set in 1963, seemingly setting up the events to come, where you control a police officer, Sam Green, investigating the location to search for a missing child (and seemingly encountering Stone, based on May’s gameplay trailer).
Various murders also occurred years before, from a fire in Lakeview that claimed the lives of two to attacks on the public and police following a showing of the film, “Murder Mill”, at the cinema (a poster for which also appears in the mill). What these have to do with Stone is unknown, but there’s doubtless a connection.
Frank Stone
The core focus is on titular serial killer Frank Stone, who dons a welding mask and uses tools like hammers and blades to brutalize his victims. He even has a meat hook, presumably for mounting victims (not unlike in Dead by Daylight), while a rough sketch for a suit and mask (as seen on the official website) refers to him as a “Creature forged to purge the world.” However, some fans have noticed what may be The Entity behind Stone in one key art image.
What’s especially interesting is how Goss revealed to Bloody Disgusting that Stone’s name is a “play on words.” Perhaps Frankenstein? A creation by The Entity for some nefarious purpose? Regardless, it wouldn’t be the first time Supermassive has used titles with double meaning. Look no further than The Quarry, which is decidedly not about a site where rocks and sand are gathered.
Dead by Daylight Connection
The Casting of Frank Stone doesn’t just have references to Behaviour Interactive’s Dead by Daylight (like the mask belonging to Anna the Huntress, one of the latter’s killers, or the signature generator). It also promises a “never-before-seen look at the wider world” of the franchise. Director Steve Goss told Bloody Disgusting earlier this year, “There are huge sections of the game that feel nothing like a traditional Supermassive game because we’re exploring a connection to the Dead By Daylight experience. There’s a kind of balance between those two things.”
Behaviour Interactive’s Dave Richard also promised that Dead By Daylight players would learn more about the universe. “There’s a way that players will be able to explore the Dead By Daylight world that would be impossible to do in the multiplayer game.”
Choice-Driven Gameplay
Supermassive Games is known for its choice-driven gameplay, where one wrong move can create a butterfly effect cascading into multiple unforeseen possibilities. The Casting of Frank Stone is no different – based on your decisions, the narrative will branch accordingly. Responses can have different tones, whether serious or concerned, which also impact the story’s direction.
Anyone Can Die
However, like the developer’s previous titles, whether it’s The Quarry, Until Dawn, or The Dark Pictures Anthology, anyone can die. It’s all tied to your decisions, and somewhere along the way, someone may not live to see the end. How will this play into Dead by Daylight’s lore, where The Entity can revive Survivors, causing them to relive their tribulations in its realms unto eternity? We’ll have to wait and find out.
Puzzles
Supermassive and Behaviour Interactive haven’t delved too deeply into the puzzles players will encounter in the environment. You will spend a decent chunk of time gathering clues and investigating, which could potentially offer information when making decisions. There are also collectibles to discover, though their significance to the story is unknown.
QTEs
It wouldn’t be a Supermassive Games title with QTEs, whether it’s pressing the right button prompt at the required time or repeatedly pressing one within a limited window to perform an action. Original? Maybe not, but thankfully, there’s another mechanic that long-time enjoyers of the developer’s catalogue will have to master.
Skill Checks
As seen with Game Informer’s exclusive gameplay last month, Dead by Daylight’s Skill Checks also enter the mix. While exploring the mill’s tunnels, Sam is surprised by a pipe suddenly bursting. A Skill Check appears where you must press the button in the correct section of the circular bar. A smaller white section is also present and could produce a better result if your timing is right.
The Camera
The Super 8 camera that the cast uses is also pivotal to the plot in several ways. While it can film things in the first person (as revealed to Game Informer as part of its final cover story), there are implications for other uses down the line. Supermassive also teased that there may be other cameras for players to use.
The Cutting Room Floor
Upon beating the game, you get access to The Cutting Room Floor, where strips of film reel showcase all the decisions made and let you return to specific points to choose differently. It’s also helpful for picking up any spare collectibles, ensuring another playthrough isn’t necessary (though you could also pre-order to instantly unlock the Plunderer’s Instinct to scan for the same). Those who purchase the Deluxe Edition gain instant access to The Cutting Room Floor, providing a guide of sorts if you really want everyone to live on that first playthrough…or even die, just to see what happens.
Storytelling Structure Similar to Until Dawn
However, don’t expect as many different directions as The Quarry. The developer revealed to Game Informer that the story-telling structure is like Until Dawn. There will be plenty of branches, but this approach sounds more focused and could mean more substantial endings based on your actions.
Unreal Engine 5
The Casting of Frank Stone uses Unreal Engine 5, a major step up from The Quarry developed on Unreal Engine 4. It’s utilizing tech like Lumen for environmental lighting and Nanite for more detailed geometry. Art director Ollie Simmonds also revealed in a behind-the-scenes video that it allows the team to use its own scanning for photogrammetry. “So with Nanite, we can just drop it in as-is, and we keep all that incredible detail and realism in our environments.”
System Requirements
As such, PC players can look forward to higher specifications than the developer’s previous games. Windows 10 64-bit 1909 or higher or Windows 11 and 70 GB of installation space are required, first and foremost. Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 12 GB RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 or AMD RX 5700 XT. The recommended requirements include a Core i5-12400F or Ryzen 5 5600, 16 GB RAM, and an RTX 3070 or AMD RX 6800.
4K, HDR10 and Ray Tracing
While Supermassive hasn’t outlined the specifications required for 4K and ray tracing on PC, Xbox Series X (and, by extension, PS5) players can somewhat rest assured. The game’s Xbox Store listing confirms 4K and ray tracing support alongside HDR10.