Dead by Daylight's New Killer May Be Its Most Harrowing Yet

Dead by Daylight has some harrowing ghouls in it, but The Onryō may be its most fearsome yet. As previously announced, this cursed little girl is inspired by Ringu (or The Ring), and will emerge as part of the Sadako Rising chapter due out on 8th March. “Gifted with otherworldly power, her violent wrath manifested into a cursed videotape that allowed her to appear before the viewers, to curse them and leave them dead, their faces twisted in a mask of terror,” the press release teases.

“Ringu introduces psychological horror to our game, which is very different from the slasher style our fans are used to,” creative director Dave Richard added. “They can expect Sadako to come with creepy and surprising gameplay mechanics that are not found in other Killers. Survivors beware, she will freak you out!”

Every Killer in asymmetrical multiplayer game Dead by Daylight comes with a unique slate of gameplay systems, and it looks like The Onryō will lean into stealth. We can see her turning invisible in the trailer, and creeping up on unsuspecting Survivors. Expect some emergent jump scares, which should add an entirely new dynamic to the action.

“I am very honoured that this very iconic horror character from Japan will step into the Fog,” Kadokaw’s Reiko Imayasu continued. “Sadako, with her long black hair and white dress, is a tragic woman, beautiful and dignified, yet she pulls you into her quiet terror. The Dead by Daylight team did a great job in representing her characteristics in the game. I am convinced that it will be a chapter unlike any other.”

She’ll be joined by a new Survivor: Yoichi Asakawa. Fans of the films may remember him from the 1998 movie, where he was a little boy, but Dead by Daylight will pick up his story 20 years later. “His reappearance in Dead by Daylight is the first occasion for fans to reconnect with the beloved child more than 20 years after his escape and finally know what came of him. Now a respected marine biologist, his story continues as his search for answers drove him through treacherous waters, deep into a realm beyond rational understanding,” the press release concludes.