Behaviour Interactive’sDead by Daylighthas sustained its longevity through plenty of original characters and franchise crossovers. Because of its thematic emphasis on horror for all of its subsequent downloadable-content,Dead by Daylight’s multi-generational legsas an asymmetrical multiplayer game have endured through nostalgia and franchise relevancy.
Watershed horror IPs such asThe Texas Chain Saw Massacre,Halloween, andA Nightmare on Elm Streethave been fantastic additions to the game’s roster of survivor and killer characters. Each character has contributed toDead by Daylightwith their own unique mechanics that further diversify gameplay. However, there is one franchise yet to be included that would be a logical choice:Alan Wake.
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While there are no announced plans for such a franchise crossover to occur, the eponymous writer from Remedy Entertainment’sAlan Wakewould make for aperfect survivor character inDead by Daylight.Dead by Daylighttypically ascribes itself horror crossovers from popular movies and television series', but it has also previously adapted characters and content from games as well.
Dead by Daylight’sSilent HillandResident Evilcontent were massively popular, andAlan Wakecould make way for its next popular franchise crossover.Alan Wake’s original installment first released back in 2010, and Remedy’sControlwould later feature DLC that intertwined their universes. Recently, the original 2010 title wasgiven new life withAlan Wake Remastered, which essentially confirmed that Remedy was prepared to offer more of Alan’s story with a renewed coat of paint for players who had not previously playedAlan Wake.
Now,Alan Wake 2’s recent announcement as a survival-horror game has confirmed this presumption. With a new genre angle and the promise of a continued franchise with sequels,Alan Wake’s continuation would align well with afuture DLC chapter inDead by Daylight. As for lore that connects toDead by Daylight’s enigmatic Entity, the troubled writer could be explained as having enteredDead by Daylightby unknowingly writing himself into it through manuscript pages whose words come to life, as is the premise ofAlan Wake.
But beyond logical lore explanations,Alan Wakewould be even more conceptually adaptable toDead by Daylight’s mechanics and features while staying faithful to its own gameplay. So many of the same aesthetics and items already appear inAlan Wake, such as generators that players activate and flashlights that players wield, and each game’s environments have a lot to do with how tense and atmospheric they are. Further,Alan Wake’s own gameplay mechanicscould contribute improvements upon a couple ofDead by Daylight’s more backburned features.
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Dead by Daylightcould employ multiple different permutations of defensive and offensive light-based mechanics fromAlan Wakewith perk abilities. Light is an incredibly important resource inAlan Wakeas players can use it to seek refuge and stave off the Taken. Therefore, Alan could arrive with associated perks that revolve aroundDead by Daylight’s otherwise commonly impractical flashlightitem, which lacks much of a purpose in its current form.
Dead by Daylight’s flashlights are not used to illuminate dark areas; instead, flashlights are used to temporarily blind or “lightburn” killers with a brief stun effect that, if well timed and aimed, may cause them to drop a survivor while en route. Similarly,Alan Wake’s flashlights are not necessarily intended for illuminated guidance so much as they are intended to combat enemies and render them vulnerable to gunfire.
Alan Wakefeatures firearms that would not make reasonable item additions inDead by Daylight, but it also features defensive items that are already integrated intoDead by Daylightfrom its previous franchise crossover withResident Evil.Alan Wake’s flash bangs are similar toLeon S. Kennedy’s, butAlan Wakealso features flare gun rounds that emit red light in an area over a period of time that could potentially stun the killer if they were to walk through it.
Alan Wakecould also provide single-use flares found in remote chests that the player can walk with while ignited or plant on the ground to keep the killer blinded as they try to approach. Another perk of Alan’s could perhaps have something to do withDead by Daylight’s mist, which has little-to-no effect on visibility in a map but is still a feature nonetheless. Offerings exist that lessen or thicken a map’s Dark Mist, but a new perkcould completely shroud the map in blackness similar to how players traverse impenetrably dark fogs while navigating the woods inAlan Wake.
Alan could fulfill aDead by DaylightDLC chapter by his lonesome, but there is also potential for an accompanying killer antagonist and associable realm map. Carl Stucky could be a reasonable killer entry, though there is already an axe-wielding, hatchet-throwing killer inDead by Daylight. BecauseAlan Wake 2is Remedy’s first attempt at a full-blown survival-horror game, however, there may be future antagonists and enemies that are more appropriate forDead by Daylight’s eclectic killer catalog.
AnAlan WakeDLCinDead by Daylightcould feature a realm map that portrays the open, rainy streets of Bright Falls’ Deerfest celebrations. The Bright Falls map could encompass a couple street intersections with back alleys, for example, and The Triple D’s Oh Deer Diner could provide an interior location with its central bar behaving as an effective loop. Bright Falls is easilyAlan Wake’s most iconic location, but there is of course the potential forAlan Wake 2to debut unique environments that would be even more suitable toDead by Daylight.
But even without a killer or map included, anAlan WakeDLC with Alan as a survivor character could not only add a fun franchise crossover with skin cosmetics, but also potentially improve upon features, items, and offerings that are already embedded inDead by Daylight’s core gameplay. For now, though, fans can only hope for and continue to requestAlan Wakeas future DLC.
Alan Wake 2launches in 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.Dead by Daylightis available for Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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