What is Until Dawn Wendigo?
Until Dawn is just the classics you shouldn’t miss if you like interactive horror games. At first, this PlayStation exclusive was launched by Supermassive Games in 2015, and in 2024 we’ve got the remake. Besides great storylines, awesome graphics, and screamers, the game offers the terrifying enemy encounters – Wendigo. The YaninaGames loves making and playing horror games and that is why we decided to tell you more about Until Dawn Wendigo. This character line is filled with horror, regret, and sadness – make sure to buckle up because this journey will be an emotional rollercoaster!
Origins
Besides their gruesome looks, every Wendigo from Until Dawn is a mythological creature who used to be a human who died a terrible death. The reason for their brutal nature is the curse of Blackwood Mountain and the surrounding area. They had to become cannibals to survive under the ancient Wendigo curse. Wendigos are the brutes with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Their bone-chilling screams and looks can terrify even the calmest gamers.
Wendigo is smarter than ordinary monsters. It’s clever and violent in its use of human language, trapping and hunting its prey. They are lurking their victims into the darkness from where none can return alive.
The lore and background of Wendigo in Until Dawn Remake was expanded because of new cutscenes. These creatures become powerful story-driven elements. Through horrible monster transformations players could feel all the pain and suffering of the used-to-be people. That is why the unsettling atmosphere of Blackwood Mountain will remain with you for a long time. The lore of these creatures is surprisingly deep and the fans of Reddit keep posting the new discoveries about Until Dawn Wendigo monsters.
Appearance of Wendigo in Until Dawn
Since the appearance of the first Until Dawn Wendigo concept art we’ve understood how unnerving these creatures would be.
Until Dawn Wendigos combines the looks of human skeletons and deformed beasts with claws. Tortured humans have lost so much of what made them, well, human, but instead they become Wendigos. Their appearance is like the visually stunning physical embodiment of mental suffering.
The first thing you will notice – these creatures are much taller than us – usually seven or eight feet. That’s very scary.
Their bodies are like horribly misplaced human parts in one substance – they lose muscle, bones grow wider, and limbs stretch into short, spiderlike things with claws. Their hunchback spine makes them move on two or four legs. Their flesh is translucent, skin tight as smooth stretched armor seemingly resistant to any piercing injuries. Their skin even emits acids that create a thick fog.
Wendigos have milky white eyes with very shallow pupils that may glow at night. Their mouths are crammed with long dog-like teeth that will rip your meat off. And their nails are razor-sharp. Some of them have marks on the skin that remind us about their human past like tattoos or scars.
When covered with fire Wendigos transform into immaterial beings. They look like small fireballs that have flashes of screaming faces.
The Until Dawn Wendigo monsters are equally beautiful and horrifying – the ideal foe for the horror game.
Types of Until Dawn Wendigo Monsters
There are 6 different types of Wendigo in the game Until Dawn. These are scripted encounters and each Wendigo is a lost human soul that turned into the beast. All the encounters are unique and each monsters look slightly different.
Miner Wendigos
The majority of the Wendigos haunting Blackwood Mountain appeared after the deadly mining accident in 1952. A dozen miners had been buried underground, left to starve after the cave’s collapse. The cannibals turned into Wendigos – a.k.a. Hunters. One of them is Billy Bates, with his infamous scar who relentlessly stalks the main characters throughout the whole game. These Wendigos are so strong and resilient.
The Makkapitew
Makkapitew is one of the most fearsome beasts in a Wendigo form in Until Dawn. Also born out of the same mine’s collapse, Makkapitew is more powerful and ruthless than Hunters. This Wendigo when was a human betrayed all the character’s ancestors, including one of the characters’ grandfathers, Jack Fiddler.
Hannah Washington
Until Dawn’s main antagonist is Hannah Washington. Hannah is the main character’s sister who fell into a desperate coma following a road accident, cannibalizing herself to become a Wendigo. Unlike the Wendigo Hunters, Hannah remains partially the consciousness of a human and has a bond with her brother Josh. This duality makes her a more nuanced and terrifying beast.
Josh Washington
Josh Washington’s fate is impacted by the player’s choices. Depending on what you decide, Josh will either survive as a human or be cursed to become a Wendigo after suffering from extreme loneliness and despair.
Gordon and Anna Bennett
Gordon and Anna Bennett are obscure Wendigos. They are the former inhabitants of Blackwood Mountain and should not be part of the story. Their existence demonstrates the reach of the Wendigo curse and how no one is immune.
The Inpatient Wendigo
A more terrifying Until Dawn Wendigo form is the Inpatient Wendigo. It is the former Blackwood Sanatorium patient who died of the curse. This Wendigo embodies the game’s psychological horror.
Until Dawn is a great game where you can encounter all these horrible creatures. Supermassive Games did a great job at delivering these monsters and making their gaming audience terrified. Check our review of their other games and some awesome horror titles that may inspire you if you are a game developer.
Until Dawn Wendigo Controversy
However, despite all these details and interesting background stories behind every Wendigo in the game Until Dawn, do not expect it to be accurate from the mythological and cultural point of view.
For example, let’s take the character design of the Wendigo. The Until Dawn game’s Wendigo is based on Native American Cree mythology where wendigos are described as vicious monstrous beasts.
Developers mostly rely on the Wendigo myth for horror effects without even mentioning the Cree people. They just give you the stereotypical point of view and use the Wendigo myth in a very wrong way. The Wendigo is an arcane Cree character, often used to embody the greedy appetites and the price of cultural expansions. Yet Until Dawn is treating it as more of a physical menace, skipping the importance of the cultural weight. The remake of the game tried to deliver more realistic background stories about the Wendigo but still did not mention Cree’s original myth.
How in Until Dawn to Kill Wendigo?
First things first – every Until Dawn Wendigo fight is unique because it is a part of the storyline more than part of the gameplay. It means that the game may offer you a few ways of how to cope with these monsters without losing your main protagonists. Your task is to choose the method that suits your current situation better.
- Use Fire as Your Weapon
Fire is the Wendigo’s biggest fear. You get various chances to strike these beasts with fire while playing Until Dawn. If you don’t have a flare gun, then use the surrounding sources of fire – e.g. blow up the gas pipes and kill the dozens of Wendigos at once.
- Equip Heavy Firearms
Handguns can scare off any Wendigo, but shotguns and hunting rifles are very likely to kill them. For example, in Chapter 4, when Mike chases Jessica, the use of a hunting rifle can temporarily disable the Wendigo. It gives Mike time to rescue Jessica or set a trap for the beast. Try to find the rifle before the chase happens – this can help you a lot.
- Use Flare Guns and Flares
Flare guns work great against all the Wendigo monsters. You can use them to create flashing lights that impact the Wendigo’s motion sensor. It is getting harder for them to spot you. For example, in Chapter 6, Matt has a flare gun and can scare Until Dawn Wendigo off. This action saves him time from crumbling the mines in darkness and being surrounded by a Wendigo. Also, flares act as distractions – they distract Wendigo from your position. You can win time to escape.
- Install Traps and Use the Environment
Blackwood Mountain is a paradise for environmental hazards that can be used against the Wendigos. You can build the traps by cutting through power lines to drop buildings or slinging rocks down their paths. For example, in Chapter 5 you may cut the ropes of the fire tower and then crash it into the mines where dozens of Wendigos live. You can save more characters if you act smart.
- Collaborate with Survivors
For example, Sam and Mike may conspire to destroy the lodge so as to wipe off Wendigos (even the evil Hannah). Use every Survivor that you have for the teamwork and killing nasty bests on your way to the rescue.
Fire remains the most reliable method if you want to beat the Until Dawn Wendigo monsters. Use fire, heavy guns, environmental traps, and teamwork to kill the vicious beasts.
Differences between Wendigos in Classic and Remake Versions
A few aspects differentiate Until Dawn Remake Wendigo monsters and Until Dawn Wendigo from the classic version:
- Stunning Visual Enhancements – they helped to create even more disgusting monsters straight from the child’s nightmares. Especially, the new dramatic lighting can help to change the atmosphere of each monster;
- Upgrades of their AI and behavior – Wendigos became smarter, can place traps, and imitate human voices. They turned into unpredictable predators and started to react more spontaneously;
- Expanded Lore And Backstory – for example, the process of transformation is revealed in detail now. It shows the feelings and suffering of the person who turns into the beast;
- More Skills And Weaknesses – in the remake version of Until Dawn Wendigo can change the environment by crashing buildings or setting up traps. Also, they tend to be more vulnerable to fire hazards;
- Improved Sounds – sometimes before seeing a Wendigo in Until Dawn you will hear it coming. Their screams are now scarier. It is a combination of high-pitched shrieks and growls that shudder up the whole body. Ambient noises are deliberately created to make you jumpy and nervous. Supermassive Games showed a great example of how to work with modern sound technologies in horror games;
First and foremost, you will notice the visual changes. Any Until Dawn Remake Wendigo looks more horrifying than the monsters from the original version of 2015. Watch the video where each Wendigo from the remake is compared to its oldest version.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times do you meet a Wendigo in Until Dawn?
All Until Dawn Wendigo encounters add suspense and tension to the game. You’ll encounter Wendigos more than once in different chapters, and they get stronger each time. Normally, you’ll encounter at least one Wendigo during each major chapter. But the threat is always palpable. Such encounters often keep players on their toes because Wendigos come and go because of bad decisions.
Which Until Dawn characters become Wendigos?
Hannah Washington and Josh Washington turn into a Wendigo. Hannah is a Wendigo by default because the prank went horribly wrong – she had to become a cannibal to survive and turn into the beast. With Josh’s transformation there is a chance to avoid it – depends on the player’s choice.
Can I kill Wendigos in Until Dawn once and for all?
Players can kill them by using the sources of fire and heavy weapons. Putting the lodge on fire, for example, or using flamethrowers, will eliminate more than one Wendigo at a time. But you need to act quickly and smartly. Make sure to finish them for good or they will come back for the revenge.
Conclusion
The YaninaGames team continues to deliver interesting guides that may inspire players and game developers. We are always ready to collaborate with game developers who want to create awesome projects related to video games. Make sure to contact us if you are interested! And keep following this blog – we regularly post interesting guides and content about game development.
