Summary
Released all the way back in 2016,Dead by Daylighthas remained relevant and pretty popular for almost eight years now, and that’s in no small part due to the game’s consistent stream of updates. Arriving every few months,Dead by Daylighthas continued to receive both major and minor DLCs over the years, with the largest adding new Survivors, Killers, Perks, and maps, and the smaller DLCs adding cosmetics and various balancing tweaks.
But while all ofDead by Daylight’s DLCshave helped to keep the game alive for the last eight years, not all of them are equal, and that’s especially true for the game’s many crossover DLCs. FromSawtoAlientoAlan Wake,Dead by Daylighthas collaborated with some of the biggest names in horror, and some crossovers have been much better received than others.
Resident Evil:Hitting the game in June 2021,Dead by Daylight’s firstResident EvilDLC Chaptersaw a new Killer and two new Survivors join the game, along with a meticulously detailed new map based on the IP. As a Killer, The Nemesis is simple but incredibly fun to play as, looking suitably intimidating and boasting an impressive tendril-whip ability. The two Survivors included in this DLC, Leon Kennedy and Jill Valentine, are still widely considered to be some of the best in the entire game, and the Raccoon Police Department map is a loving recreation of itsResident Evil 2 Remakecounterpart. This DLC is the epitome of the complete package.
Resident Evil: Project W:Though topping its predecessor was always going to be hard,Dead by Daylight’s secondResident EvilDLC, Project W, is just as excellent, bringing another two Survivors and one Killer to the game. This time, it’s Ada Wong and Rebecca Chambers who get the spotlight, both of whom are also considered some of the best Survivors in the game, and franchise iconResident Evil’s Albert Weskertakes center stage as the DLC’s ruthless Killer. Though this DLC didn’t come with a map, its Killer and Survivors more than make up for it.
Stranger Things:Only recently added back into the game after a lengthy hiatus due to licensing,Dead by Daylight’sStranger ThingsDLCis undoubtedly one of its best. As a Killer, the Demogorgon comes with some of the game’s best Perks, along with an incredibly fun, well-themed teleportation ability. And though Nancy and Steve aren’t often considered some of the best Survivors inDead by Daylight, they’ve still managed to be fan-favorite characters, appearing often in online matches. The Hawkins Laboratory map is also a great addition courtesy of this DLC.
Alien:One of the most recentDead by Daylightcrossover DLCs, and easily one of its best,theAlienChaptersees just one Killer and one Survivor come to the game, but both are extremely high-quality characters. The titular Xenomorph is an incredibly satisfying, albeit somewhat overpowered Killer to play as, while Ripley’s Perks feel perfectly themed to the IP, and the Nostromo Wreckage map feels like a true passion project from the developers.
Saw:Though its Killer and Survivor may both be on the weaker side,Dead by Daylight’sSawcrossover DLC is still one of the strongest in the game’s long history. While The Pig and Detective Tapp’s Perks aren’t all that great, they’re far from bad, and the same goes for The Pig’s unique trapping mechanic, whereby downed Survivors can have an iconic Reverse Bear Trap forced onto their head. This DLC also brought a new map to the game, which captures someiconicSawmovie momentswell.
Silent Hill:In a very similar boat to theSawDLC,Dead by Daylight’sSilent HillDLC Chapter is good, but it isn’t without its slight flaws, which unfortunately drag it down. WhilePyramid Head’s zone-based abilities make him a very unique Killer to play as, his Perks are a tad on the weaker side, and the same can be said for the DLC’s Survivor, Cheryl Mason. But what unfortunately brings this DLC down is its Midwich Elementary School map. While it nails the grimySilent Hillaesthetic, this map is a tad too Killer-sided and confusing to navigate.
Halloween:The very firstDead by Daylightcrossover DLC ever released, theHalloweenDLC is a bit of a mixed bag, featuring some truly excellent aspects, and some disappointing ones. Up first is the Killer himself,Michael Myers, referred to here as The Shape. Myers' ability captures the ominous character’s spirit from the movies well, but it doesn’t make for very riveting gameplay, especially against skilled Survivors. The included Survivor, Laurie Strode, is also a bit of a mixed bag, with some great Perks and some useless ones. The same can be said for the map Lampkin Lane, which is expertly themed but can be a tad frustrating to play.
Left 4 Dead:Though thisLeft 4 DeadDLConly brings one Survivor to the game, it’s also now free for everyone to enjoy. It also helps that this Survivor, Bill, is widely considered to be one of the best in the entire game, with some of the best Perks for just about any Survivor build. The only thing holding this DLC back is its lack of content compared to those in the higher tiers.
Sadako Rising (The Ring):ThisDead by DaylightDLC has received a bit of a mixed reception over the last few years, going from one of the more disappointing to one of the game’s better packs in recent months thanks to some much-neededbuffs to The Onryoherself. The Killer’s ability is well-themed and fun to use, though it does take some time to figure out how to use it well in the heat of the moment. This DLC’s Survivor, Yoichi, is also decent.
Child’s Play:Another DLC that’s only here because it doesn’t have as much content as some of its competition,Dead by Daylight’sChild’s PlayDLC is still pretty great. A bite-sized Killer, this DLC has the developers flexing their creative muscles, resulting in a truly unique Killer that captures the spirit of its IP very well.
Alan Wake:Themost recentDead by Daylightcrossover DLC, Alan Wakeis now a survivor in the long-running horror game. Though his Perks aren’t overly powerful, they’re all themed around the source material incredibly well, and the character model itself looks pretty great, at least byDead by Daylightstandards.
Texas Chain Saw Massacre:One of the earliestDead by Daylightcrossover DLCs, theTexas Chain Saw Massacrepack only added Leatherface to the game. Though the character model is decent and the Killer’s ability is fine, Leatherface is considered to be one of theweakest Killers inDead by Daylight, with the base game’s ownTexas Chain Saw-inspired Hillbilly having a more effective Killer Power.
Scream:A bit of an oddity,Dead by Daylight’sScreamDLCtechnically isn’t fully licensed, with the character having no actual references to theScreamfranchise, but instead being an original character that just wears the iconic mask and has very similar mannerisms and abilities. Ghost Face is a fun Killer to use, but his abilities are a little too similar to The Pig and The Shape to make him stand out.
Ash vs. the Evil Dead:A bit of a disappointment forEvil Deadfans,Dead by Daylight’s version ofBruce Campbell’s iconic cult hit heroisn’t all that great. Being the only inclusion in this DLC, Ash Williams is a bit of a lackluster Survivor, with Perks that aren’t overly useful in the current version ofDead by Daylight.
Nightmare on Elm Street:Widely considered to be one of, if not theworst DLC inDead by Daylight, theNightmare on Elm Streetpack technically offers the full package on paper, but that package is filled with mediocrity. Freddy is an ineffective Killer, and Quentin has some of the worst Perks in the game. The DLC’s only saving grace is its Springwood map, which, much like the game’s other DLC maps, is included in the game for free anyway.
Hellraiser:Another very disappointing DLC,Dead by Daylight’sHellraiserpackclearly has more love and care put into it than theNightmare on Elm StreetDLC, but that doesn’t stop it from being a poor pack altogether, featuring just one Killer, and a needlessly complex one at that.
Dead by Daylight
WHERE TO PLAY
Ever wished to play as one of the characters from your favorite horror movies? Dead by Daylight is a 1v4 multiplayer game that draws from all corners of the horror world from a powerful slasher to a terrifying paranormal entity.Choose between playing an unstoppable Killer and one of 4 Survivors trying to evade a gruesome death. Each character has their own deep progression system and plenty of unlockables that can be customized to fit your personal strategy. Work together to escape, or stalk and sacrifice every Survivor.This Edition of Dead by Daylight gives you access to a roster of 7 Killers (The Trapper, The Hillbilly, The Wraith, The Nurse, The Hag, The Huntress and The Doctor) and 9 Survivors (Meg Thomas, Claudette Morel, Jake Park, Dwight Fairfield, Ace Visconti, Nea Karlsson, Bill Overbeck, Feng Min and David King). It also includes two cosmetic add-ons packed with outfits for various characters.
