Dead by Daylight’s Recent Breaks in Tradition Need to Become a New Standard

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Dead by Daylight's Recent Breaks in Tradition Need to Become a New Standard

Highlights

  • Dead by Daylight’s iconic sound design includes sounds like locker slams and generator thuds, adding to its immersive horror experience.
  • The recent trend towards voice acting for characters in Dead by Daylight has led to more depth and identity, but some inequality in the roster.
  • After the addition of voiced DLC characters like Lara Croft and Chucky, it’s time for DbD’s oldest Killers and Survivors to get voice acting.

As a seasoned horror game enthusiast with over three decades of terrifying encounters under my belt, I can confidently say that Dead by Daylight has managed to carve out a unique niche for itself in the genre. Its sound design is nothing short of exceptional – the locker slams and generator thuds are as much a part of the game’s identity as the iconic screams of its characters.

Sound design is one of the most important components of a horror game. While the visuals do a lot of the heavy lifting, good sound design in a horror game can elevate the atmosphere to new heights, making players terrified of even the most mundane noises when done correctly. For an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game like Dead by Daylight, where both Survivors and Killers need to listen out for important audio cues that reveal key pieces of information, sound design is even more important than usual.

It’s great news that the sound design in “Dead by Daylight” is quite impressive. From the sharp sound of a locker door slamming shut, the pulse-racing thud of a generator being activated, to the cringe-worthy sound of someone being hooked, this game is rich with memorable sounds. A large part of its iconic soundscape comes from the diverse range of grunts, screams, and yelps from its Survivors and Killers, some of which can be amusingly exaggerated. However, in recent years, “Dead by Daylight” has been challenging traditional sound design norms, a choice that could potentially lead to intriguing consequences.

Dead by Daylight’s Trend Towards Voice Acting Could Shape the Game’s Future

Dead by Daylight’s Voice Acting Is Becoming a More Frequent Occurrence

Prior to April 2019, characters in the game “Dead by Daylight” expressed themselves solely through exaggerated growls and silent shrieks when it came to communication. However, this was turned on its head with the introduction of Ash Williams from “Dead by Daylight.” Voiced by the original actor, Bruce Campbell, Ash had a total of 15 spoken lines, all of which were audible in the pre-game lobby.

It’s expected that another two years will pass before Dead by Daylight gets its next character with voiced lines. The Hellraiser DLC added The Cenobite Killer in September 2021, who has about 30 seconds worth of distinct voice clips using classic phrases such as “You opened the box,” and the memorable “I have come,” which can now be heard during a game.

Approximately a year after, the horror game Dead by Daylight introduced its second voiced Killer character, Albert Wesker from Resident Evil: Project W, also recognized as The Mastermind. This downloadable content (DLC) chapter didn’t just offer voice lines for its new Survivors but also updated the voiceovers for Survivors in Dead by Daylight‘s previous Resident Evil DLC. In July 2023, renowned actor Nicolas Cage stepped into the world of Dead by Daylight as a Survivor character. Known for his commitment, it is said that Nicolas Cage recorded around ten minutes of dialogue for the game.

Over the past nine months, I’ve been absolutely thrilled with how Dead by Daylight has been expanding its roster with voiced DLC characters! Last November, Chucky from Child’s Play joined the game, followed by Alan Wake in January 2024. Then, in June, we got Vecna from Dungeons and Dragons. And just last month, Lara Croft from Tomb Raider was added! Each of these DLC characters comes with a variety of voice lines, making every encounter even more immersive.

There’s Now Some Inequality in Dead by Daylight’s Roster

It appears that voiced characters are increasingly common in the game Dead by Daylight, and many players think this is an improvement. Voice acting strengthens each character’s individuality and worth, which is crucial for crossover characters. However, this quick transition to voiced characters has resulted in an imbalance in the Dead by Daylight roster. With numerous voiced characters now in DbD, it seems odd when a silent character appears in the lobby. It could potentially benefit Behaviour Interactive to add some voice lines to older Dead by Daylight characters to make the game feel more cohesive and complete.

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2024-08-11 00:34