Michael Goroff of
Electronic Gaming Monthly wrote favorably of the game's competently directed scenes, evocative painting-based art style, ability to view alternate paths, implementation of co-op mode, and immersive storytelling, but disliked the undercut tension of the narrative's second half and the cliffhanger ending. Robert Purchese of
Eurogamer called it "the best interactive movie game I've played", citing the multiplayer component, photoreal comic strip art style, effective key frames, impressive voicework, character development, flashback-based storytelling, mature depiction of heavy subject matter, and TV-inspired presentation as its strengths, concluding, "[
As Dusk Falls] shows how well games can handle stories and themes like these when done with care and understanding, and how well it can pull us into the lives of others and invest us in the decisions they have to make."
Game Informer's Matt Miller gave it 8.75 out of 10 and praised its wide appeal, stating, "For players interested in the progress of interactive narrative frameworks, it’s a laudable success. But even for someone who never plays games, it works. That’s because good characters and storytelling make for a universal experience, and this is a project that has both. "Writing for
GameSpot, Mark Delaney gave high praise to the motion comic artwork, audio drama presentation, quality voice acting, thoughtful thematic material, impactful choices, and the developer's keen understanding of pacing and characterization, but took issue with out-of-place action scenes and an ending hampered by sequel baiting.
Dustin Bailey of
GamesRadar+ similarly liked the TV-style pacing, nuanced characters, and the multiplayer's elevation of familiar genre mechanics, but noted how choice mechanics felt thin when replaying the game. Gabriel Moss of
IGN found the title to be highly replayable and enjoyable due to its impactful choices and branching narrative, writing, "Since no time is wasted making you search for puzzle clues or awkwardly stumble around in a 3D environment,
As Dusk Falls leaves space for a noticeably wider number of meaningful decisions than in any
Telltale game, and they don’t just feel like they’re giving the mere illusion of choice."
Shacknews' Donovan Erskine called the Xbox version "an impressive debut from Interior Night" and praised the emotional weight given to the solid writing by the vocal performances, but expressed minor complaints with its subpar music and clunky cursor controls. Writing for
The Guardian, Keza MacDonald gave the title 4 stars out of 5, concluding, "
As Dusk Falls comfortably exceeds the standard of its genre when it comes to plotting, characterization, performance and the impressive malleability of the story."
Dean Takahashi of
VentureBeat felt the game straddled the line between a soap opera and drama and lamented the lack of logical narrative choices, claiming that these elements hindered the empathy both sides of the story were able to create. Jordan Middler of
Video Games Chronicle awarded the title 2 stars out of 5, stating, "For every well-developed moment of story interaction, for every revelation that took us by surprise, and for every interesting piece of art, it’s undercut by dialogue that vacillates between contemporary drama and first-year uni project, and an art style that benefits the quiet moments, but utterly wrenches any momentum of action from the piece."