Dead by Daylight has been around for eight years and counting. Rather than wind things down, the scope of the franchise is expanding in 2024. The latest addition to the beloved horror universe is a new standalone, single-player game called The Casting of Frank Stone. Whereas Behaviour Interactive’s original game is a “kill or be killed” online multiplayer situation, this new game is very much a story-driven experience. In the early going, it plays out like an interactive horror movie, making it a very welcome addition to the DbD universe.
The bulk of the game takes place in the summer of 1980 and centers on four friends who set out to make a horror movie at a place known as the “Murder Mill.” I recently had the chance to play through the game’s prologue, which takes place in the ‘60s long before the events these poor kids stumble into. In the prologue, you play as a cop named Sam Green investigating a missing child. Where does that search take him? You guessed it! The mill.
The play style is pretty clean and simple here. The controls are intuitive. There’s no tricky combat system to get used to or anything like that. It’s easy to pick up from the jump. For my money, that’s important. I’d also say that, from the jump, the retro ’60s setting in the opening chunk provides a very different flavor than what we’re accustomed to in the Dead by Daylight universe. While I didn’t dive into it yet, I’ve got to assume the ‘80s-set bulk of the game is going to have a similar feel, which I very much welcome.
As far as the gameplay style goes, it’s a mix of things. There is a strong Telltale Games element where the player makes choices to influence the story. Much of it plays out like a cinematic story until there are moments where the player gets to influence the course of that story. There are at times nuanced choices that must be made such as choosing between “insistent” or “stern.” Those split hairs all matter as far as the end result goes. Telltale’s style isn’t for everyone as it’s less involved than say Halo or Call of Duty. I personally enjoyed Jurassic Park: The Game back in the day, mostly because I wanted a new JP story.
Fortunately, it’s not just that interactive style of gameplay. It’s a blend of things. There’s also a strong hunting for clues element and solving little puzzles, not unlike the Blair Witch video game (which I never finished because it scared the shit out of me). The biggest compliment that I can pay Frank Stone is that, at times, it reminds me of the Resident Evil games, with all of the collecting objects with unknown purposes, as well as finding little notes that help the story unfold.
If one is going for the whole interactive horror movie vibe, the story has to be compelling. Personally, I was compelled by what is going on here. I want to know more. Not for nothing, but the titular Frank Stone is also a very cool villain. Not unlike Freddy, Jason, or Michael Myers, there’s something about Frank Stone that screams “cool and scary,” all at once.
Though the gameplay and experience are worlds apart, this game feels like it belongs in the Dead by Daylight universe. There’s that dirty, deadly grime all over everything. It’s not overly polished to look photorealistic like some modern games, but that’s just fine. It’s also not afraid to get gross, like inspecting a severed, chewed up human ear. What good is a horror game without some down and dirty carnage?
To put my cards on the table, I’ve certainly played Dead by Daylight a fair amount, and I’ve truly enjoyed my time with the game. But it’s not something I’ve poured thousands of hours into. It’s not “my” game, so to speak. Still, I’m familiar with the universe and I like that universe an awful lot. What feels great about Frank Stone in this first chunk is that it allows you to live in that universe a little more. It allows exploration. It allows for more than just running away and trying to escape. In short? It feels like a welcome expansion to this franchise.
The Casting of Frank Stone arrives on September 3 for console and PC. For more, check out everything Dead by Daylight has in store for players this year.
