Finally, the most iconic horror movie monster of all time has come to multiplayer kill-'em-up Dead By Daylight. That's right, Alien's titular alien, the humble Xenomorph, is coming to the smash-hit survival (or murder) game.
So far we've got nothing to go on beyond an excellent teaser trailer that has asked us to tune in on August 8 to find out more. But it's already exceptional news. For me, of course, but also for fans of the game who can now get their hands on a licensed sci-fi killer alongside horror legends like Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, Ghostface, and that woman from Saw 2 who got thrown into a pit of needles.
Sadly, it's bad news for people who don't want to listen to me prattle on about the xenomorph. See, I'm something of an Alien fan. I have an Alien-inspired tattoo. I played Alien Isolation even though it made me cry because I can't play horror games. I get petulant and sulky whenever anyone suggests Prometheus or Alien: Covenant are good movies. When I was 18, I attended several conventions wearing an incredibly tight-fitting Xenomorph costume made from a wetsuit and foam. That's not a gag, that really happened.
But I really do think that the Xenomorph could be a bold new world for Dead By Daylight. Behaviour Interactive has done a stellar job at making killers like Resident Evil's Nemesis or Ringu's Sadako Yamamura feel exactly like their counterparts while also slotting into Dead By Daylight.
It hasn't yet been revealed which survivors will be included, but the teaser trailer seems to hint that the level will be the Nostromo. If this is in fact Alien, surely the obvious choice is Ripley, although I'm unsure who else from that line-up would be a good fit. Sure, I'd welcome the inclusion of Hudson or Hicks from Aliens, but I'm not sure I'd want to play as a Colonial Marine without a pulse rifle.
The Nostromo itself seems like it could be an exceptional level: that grim industrial look will offer plenty of places for the biomechanical xenomorph to hide away, and there's also a great portrait of cassette futurism to examine... when you're not running from generator to generator while screaming.
As for the Xenomorph itself: it surely has to be a stealthy killer. The absolute dream would be something that Aliens v Predator 2 style follows the lifecycle from facehugger through to adult xeno. However, I'd suspect it's more likely we'll see a stealthy mobile character that can quickly get around the map (I'd love to see vents to facilitate this) and can strike hard with its vicious tale. Chuck in a Memento Mori where you munch on someone's head with your little mouth inside a mouth, and we're good to go.
Also, now they've added a xenomorph, we've opened the doors to the Predator and several other sci-fi killers. Could the next drop be tied into Leprechaun 4: In Space? Almost definitely not, but it definitely feels like it could be an option.
So, reluctantly, I'm here to admit that I will now become a Dead By Daylight fan. Apologies in advance.
Looking for more scary stuff? Check out our best horror games and best survival games listss.
