Behaviour Interactive's asymmetrical multiplayer horror game Dead by Daylight is four years old, and in that time, it has become famous by pulling in some of popular culture's most infamous icons. Classic horror movie characters like Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger have been added as Killers alongside modern creatures like the Demogorgon from Netflix's Stranger Things.
Now the game is taking its first foray into a realm of horror only previously touched upon with a small collaboration: video games. To celebrate its fourth anniversary, Dead by Daylight is working with Konami to license out characters, a locale, and more from the world of Silent Hill. The crossover for Chapter 16 was officially unveiled during a broadcast today and will be officially released on PC and consoles June 16. Game Rant sat down with Behaviour's Game Director Mathieu Cote, Creative Director Dave Richard, and Head of Public Relations Marie Claude Bernard last week to discuss the ins-and-outs of representing a beloved franchise.
The universe of Silent Hill created in the late 90s has had an undeniable impact on the world of video games and horror media that lingers to this day. P.T. from 2014, made in collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, was a "playable teaser" for a new entry in the series called Silent Hills that was cancelled when Kojima parted ways with Konami. Rumors currently abound that a new Silent Hill may be in development for PlayStation 5, but Dead by Daylight is reaching into the series' past rather than its future with content based on Silent Hill 1, 2, and 3.
The Killer: Pyramid Head
There are few more iconic killers or monsters from Silent Hill than Pyramid Head, according to Richard. As a self-proclaimed "hardcore Silent Hill fan," the creative director said that when creating the character it was important for him to derive everything from his role as the judge and executioner for James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2, thereby creating a variant faithful to his roots in Dead by Daylight.
"For me, the first three Silent Hill games were mind-blowing and always in the back of my mind. When we got this opportunity and started talking to Konami it was clear we had access to this content, so it made sense for me to pick the most iconic things from each title and make a big Silent Hill package."
In Dead by Daylight, Pyramid Head is called "The Executioner" and primarily focuses around stealth gameplay and deception. The asymmetrical horror game pits one Killer against multiple Survivors, and Pyramid Head's base kit makes it easier for him to expediently eliminate his targets. Not only is he able to send out "a wave of dark force from Silent Hill" that goes through collision and walls, he can also use his giant knife weapon to draw a trench that forces Survivors to decide between navigating a different path or contracting the "Tormented" status by going through it. Any players succumbing to Torment can be sacrificed on the spot rather than Pyramid Head having to drag them to a hook like every other Killer.
The Survivor: Cheryl Mason
Pyramid Head represents Silent Hill 2, but the Survivor he's being introduced alongside represents Silent Hill 3. That game's protagonist Cheryl Mason, previously known as Heather, was a perfect representative of the overarching narrative in Silent Hill's early entries, and is herself an "interesting" and "powerful" character. Players were introduced to her at the end of the first game as a reincarnation of Harry Mason's daughter Cheryl and Alessa Gillespie, "the girl who is intimately linked to the dark powers of Silent Hill."
Richard said the team decided to model Cheryl Mason's Survivor perks after her "conflicted" nature as a vessel to God and someone linked to "the dark entity of Silent Hill." Not only will she gain benefits if cursed, but she can also "semi-permanently" link herself to another Survivor on her team as well as exhibit some control over the Entity which Killers sacrifice Survivors to in Dead by Daylight. These perks will be "wacky," and can be unlocked for use by all Survivors.
The Map: Midwich Elementary School
While there are plenty of terrifying locales in Silent Hill to choose from, Richard said the team decided to go with an "iconic" map from the first game he feels first "put everything to 11" and let players know what kind of world they were entered: Midwich Elementary School. It is a key building that Harry Mason explores in Silent Hill 1 as he searches for his daughter, learning more about the plight of Alessa in the process. According to Richard, it will offer players a unique layout with two interior floors and outdoor sections like the playground.
Midwich will be a unique addition to Dead by Daylight because it is a reimagining of the original PlayStation 1 map using modern technology. Richard said usually the developers have to interpret a location fans have seen in films and television, but those who have played Silent Hill will find Dead by Daylight's take nearly identical — including "winks to the franchise" like remade jump scares and puzzles that don't typically appear in the asymmetrical horror game.
One thing that was interesting about developing the Silent Hill chapter for Richard was seeing how many people at Behaviour Interactive knew in-depth details about the franchise and locations like Midwich. He said artists came to him with ideas about adding little references, which led to it being "packed with secrets." Cote said this passion emphasizes the franchise's significance:
"It's kind of funny because a lot of these people were probably two when Silent Hill released. That speaks to the power of the license and how it managed to secure such an important place in video game culture."
Legendary Outfits and Cosmetics
Another new addition to the game's store in Chapter 16 will be a cosmetic type called Legendary Outfits. Unlike referential alternate skins, for instance one that dresses Survivor Meg Thomas as Zoey from Left 4 Dead introduced by 2017's "Left Behind" DLC, Legendary Outfits completely turn one character into another. The outfit being added for Silent Hill turns Heather Mason into Lisa Garland according to Richard, changing her model and key animations.
Legendary Outfits are "for sure" something the developers will utilize down the line and may also be applied to previous content according to Cote. However "anything licensed is always extremely delicate," so the team would not be able to comment on whether skins for those properties would be coming until they are ready to be announced. Dead by Daylight is also adding typical cosmetics for Pyramid Head and Heather Mason into the store on the day the new chapter releases, but with a more extensive scope. Richard said it has been hard to add cosmetics for licensed characters like Freddy Krueger because they have a specific "look," but the Silent Hill characters will get original, unique outfits designed in-house by Behaviour through its partnership with Konami.
The Legacy of Silent Hill
While developing the Silent Hill Chapter, Behaviour found out that Silent Hill's original composer Akira Yamaoka was a fan of the asymmetrical horror game, Cote said. Because Yamaoka was still on friendly terms with Konami, he was invited to re-imagine Dead by Daylight's soundtrack "in the very recognizable Silent Hill flavor" alongside Behaviour's composer.
Getting to work with all of these different elements from the franchise is "practically a dream come true" for Richard, even though Cote said the "humbling" experience comes with a lot of pressure. Cote said the worst thing that can happen with a bad execution on their original characters is they have an uninteresting chapter, but screwing up Silent Hill — particularly after the fan hype behind games like P.T. — is "not really something you can get back up from."
For anyone hoping to create their own asymmetrical horror title, Cote said he has a lot of sympathy because "it's not an easy task to create that delicate chaos." In fact, Cote compares the ever-evolving, non-linear nature of developing Dead by Daylight t0 the ending of the seminal 1988 anime film Akira when Tetsuo Shima mutates into a mass of flesh that grows in unexpected, weird directions. He said the team at Behaviour is riding that and "trying to bring it somewhere really cool."
"The good thing is, uncertainty is part of what makes Dead by Daylight amazing and exciting every day," Cote said. "That's why people come back to it, because you're never sure what you're going to face or how it's going to turn out. That's part of the magic."
Dead by Daylight is available now for Android, iOS, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.