Every time a new asymmetrical horror multiplayer is released, the gaming community jumps to the same conclusion: this game is here to compete with Dead By Daylight. Dead By Daylight is a titan among men at this point. For every player who moans the game is ‘dead’ or threatens to stop playing, hundreds more choose to play it before any other game. So, now a new multiplayer horror game has entered the ring.
Will Killer Klowns Challenge Dead By Daylight in a Battle of the Horror Multiplayer?
Bluntly, no. As experience has shown, Dead By Daylight can have a dip in player numbers while people try out the new kid on the block, but we all know what happens next. It happened with VHS (RIP, gone too soon) and then again with Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Although I hear people still play Texas, I can’t think why. It became repetitive and dull after the first week. Dead By Daylight’s fanbase is strong and, for the most part, loyal. It would take something pretty astounding to tear themselves from the Entity’s claws. Those bad boys are stuck in deep.
As someone who has been playing Dead By Daylight for years, and has made lifelong friends through the game, I cannot imagine a game that will be so great that I quit DBD for good. Like most players, I get burned out and have to take a break, but I soon go back. The siren song of Dead By Daylight is too enticing to resist. All it takes is one clip of players memeing on TikTok and I fall back in love again. So where does Killer Klowns From Outer Space fit into this horror game world?
Undoubtedly, the Dead By Daylight community will jump on the chance to try out a new multiplayer horror. Your favorite DBD Twitch streamers will probably dedicate a day or two every week to play Killer Klowns until the hype dies down. Some may even stick around. What you will find is not a contender to take over from DBD as the most popular asymmetrical horror multiplayer. What we have with Killer Klowns is something better. Something more likely to coexist with Dead By Daylight and complement it well.
All Dead By Daylight players recognize DBD burnout: that awful feeling when you realize you stopped having fun about three games ago. It starts to feel like a chore. Or you start taking the teabagging or tunnelling personally.
This is where I think Killer Klowns can come in. It is supposed to be a horror game, but let’s be real, it’s not. It’s camp and silly with zero jumpscares. The retro 80s horror soundscape is eerie, I’ll give it that. But come on, they’re shooting cotton candy and popcorn at you, for goodness sake. Sure, if you hate clowns the squeaky shoes will probably haunt your nightmares, but it’s just not scary. Even after years, Dead By Daylight still makes me squeal and panic. A Scratched Mirror Michael Myers or a Hag with well-placed traps can scare even the most seasoned player.
Killer Klowns has a lot going for it, however. It is more stealth-based than DBD and rewards teamwork in a big way. When you are playing as Klown or Human, it is best to communicate and stick together to be successful. As a Human, if you escape or die before another player you have to stick around to get your XP.
You have mini-games to play to earn items for a teammate as you spectate. Proximity chat introduces a whole new level of laughs too. Klowns and Humans alike can shout threats or try to bargain with each other as they are in a chase. It makes for some hilarious interactions with other players.
The great thing about Killer Klowns is the relatively low price tag. It would do so much better if Illfonic put it on GamePass and let players try it for free, but at $39.99 it’s not completely inaccessible. Right now, there are plenty of extras to unlock by completing challenges. There is no huge Killer Klowns Store asking you to spend money on cosmetics or characters. For an extra $20, you can get a handful of extra skins, but to be honest, this is only enticing to fans of the original cult movie.
The lighthearted nature of Killer Klowns, particularly now in its early stages, is what draws people to it. It is fresh and fun, and every game is different thanks to the randomly assigned roles and maps. It is a welcome relief from what can be a toxic and tiring experience in Dead By Daylight. As long as people remember it is just a game, and it is never meant to be that serious, Killer Klowns will be the perfect remedy for DBD burnout.
