By KEVIN HOOVER
Dead by Daylight’s latest DLC blasts players into the far reaches of the void with the recently released ALIEN CHAPTER. Killer mains can stalk about as a terrifyingly nimble Xenomorph, while Survivors can don Ellen Ripley’s space suit. New characters come with new perks, at the heart of which are Control Stations that provide survivors a new way to fight back and killers a fast-travel map control mechanic.
SURVIVOR INTERACTIONS: Survivors must interact with Control Stations to generate a Special Item: A Remote Flame Turret, available only when facing the Xenomorph. These cylindrical weapons need to be picked up and placed strategically. Once the Xenomorph is within its proximity, the Turret will emit a sound, warning Survivors of its imminent flame deployment. The flame disables the Xenomorph’s Crawler Mode, considerably reducing its stealth. If employed for a prolonged period of time, a Turret can overheat and must be repaired by Survivors. The Xenomorph can also disable or destroy a Turret by hitting it once.
KILLER INTERACTIONS: Control Stations are the gateway to a complex system of underground tunnels that can only be accessed by the Xenomorph. This System allows the Xenomorph to navigate between Control Stations across any Map in a matter of seconds. Inside the Tunnels, the Xenomorph can see Survivor footsteps above in the form of ripple-like fluorescent impact points and hear the Generator repair sounds. When coming out of a Control Station, it can also detect nearby Survivors, allowing it to navigate the Map with deadly efficacy.
Ripley perks include:
Chemical Trap: Allows survivors to booby-trap pallets, which when triggered by Killers, will emit a chemical compound that slows their movement.
Light-Footed: Suppresses the sound of Survivor footsteps while running.
Lucky Star: Muzzles grunts of pain and stops the bleeding when hiding in a locker.
The ALIEN CHAPTER also deepens the Map pool with the Nostromo Wreckage, which not only allows players to explore the famed ship from Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror hit but also introduces a new mechanic into the DbD ecosystem – Steam Pipes. An initial pass by either Survivor or Killer turns the pipe on, slowing the next passerby for a few seconds creating new strategic wrinkles in player planning. A suite of new outfits rounds out this latest offering with the Apex Fashion pack, which includes a change of clothes for all, the coolest of which is the Queen Xenomorph skin based on Stan Winston’s legendary 1986 model.
From the game’s press release:
“One of the biggest challenges of this Chapter was blending the world of Alien with the world of Dead by Daylight. We strived to honor the source material while respecting our gameplay and the universe we have built, and hope players will recognize – and appreciate – the familiar sights and twisted environmental tweaks from The Entity,” explains Chase Toole, Associate Artistic Director on Dead by Daylight.
Dead by Daylight: Alien Chapter is available now via Steam, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Games Store, Windows Store and Nintendo Switch.
