Dead by Daylight Mobile
Common Sense says
Parents say
Kids say
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Get it now on
Searching for streaming and purchasing options ...
Did this review miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Want to help us help them? Suggest a diversity update
Suggest an update Dead by Daylight Mobile
A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know Dead by Daylight Mobile is a multiplayer action game for iOS and Android devices. This is the phone and tablet version of a popular multiplayer horror game, which is about a murderer on the hunt for victims. One player takes on the role of a serial killer whose only goal is to capture, kill, and sacrifice all the other players, who attempt desperately to escape. The killer uses vicious looking weapons -- such as a large blood-stained blade or a chainsaw -- to attack victims, then carries them to a meat hook and mounts them for sacrifice while they're still alive. Meanwhile, victims work together to help each other survive and evade the murderer. Dialogue contains some profanity, including the word "s--t." The game's free to play, but encourages players to spend money on in-app purchases to gain new characters, including familiar fictional killers such as Halloween's Michael Meyers.
Stay up to date on new reviews.
User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Not as bad as you think
This Game is not for 18+.
Not as gory as the PC version.
Great game!!
What's it about?
DEAD BY DAYLIGHT MOBILE moves the popular multiplayer horror game Dead by Daylight to mobile devices, and the core of the experience remains unchanged. Players take on the role of either a serial killer -- one invented by the game's makers or plucked from pop culture, such as Halloween's masked Michael Meyers -- or one of a group of four victims. As the serial killer, your job is to find, maim, and eventually kill all of the victims by sacrificing them to an otherworldly monster. As a victim, the player's goal is simply to escape the area through gates and hatches. To do this, you'll likely need to cooperate with the other victims, which could entail rescuing them after capture but before they've been sacrificed. Players can choose between a variety of characters, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, and as you progress, you'll gradually unlock items and perks -- such as a sense of premonition or the ability to sprint -- that can be equipped in your loadout. Additional characters can be unlocked through play or purchased using real money from the in-game store.
Is it any good?
One can't help but question the necessity of this port. Dead by Daylight Mobile doesn't really fix anything that was wrong with its original release for consoles and PC, including that game's general lack of terror and creepiness (it's more concerned with grisly competitive action than sending an authentic chill up your spine), as well as its matchmaking issues, which can see players waiting a very long time for a game to begin -- especially if you choose to play as a killer. Plus, it adds several new problems to the mix. For starters, the touch controls can be deeply frustrating, making it difficult to precisely move, target, and interact with objects. There will be moments when even veteran players will feel like they're rookies learning a new interface. And it's an ugly looking game. Bland textures, stiff animations, and a general lack of detail give this mobile port the look of a middling PC game released sometime in the early 2000s.
Admittedly, it's nice that we can download and play for free, leveling up characters and equipping more unlockable items and perks over time. That said, the app's quite pushy with its in-game purchases, constantly tempting players to spend money to buy new characters and outfits with which to differentiate their avatars from those of other players (though, as noted, the visual presentation is so poor, it seems unlikely many players would be interested in spending money on outfits). Put succinctly, Dead by Dawn Mobile is a not-particularly-impressive mobile take on a console and PC-based game that wasn't all that great to begin with. It might not cost any money, but you can't get a refund on the time you spend with it.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about violence in the media. Is the impact of the violence in Dead by Daylight Mobile affected by the purpose of actively hunting and killing other players? How did you feel taking on the role of a killer in Dead by Daylight Mobile? Did you experience any guilt?
Can you think of something you've done that became easier once other people helped out? Does sharing a task or struggle with others make you feel closer to them as people?
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
- Pricing structure: Free (This game is free to download and play, but offers in-app purchases.)
- Release date: April 16, 2020
- Category: Action Games
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Size: 2500.00 MB
- Publisher: Behaviour Interactive
- Version: 3.6.2.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 11.0 or later; Android 7.0 or above
- Last updated: April 22, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love scares
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.