Saturday 25 June 2016

3 Tips for Surviving and Slashing in Dead by Daylight



For the last week or so, I've been obsessed with Dead by Daylight, the asymmetric horror multiplayer from Behaviour. One person plays as the Killer, and a team of four people try to survive long enough to escape. I've been spreading my time across both, either as a killer, hunting down my victims and sacrificing them to a supernatural being, or as a survivor, doing my best to fix generators, open doors, and escape. 

Here's my top tips for each side!

Survivors



Don't run

As tempting as it is to sprint non-stop when the killer is slashing at yours heels, it isn't always the best option. If you've managed to put just a little bit of distance between yourself and the killer - let's say you've jumped through a window or ran round a corner - it can sometimes be much more beneficial to slow things down and crouch. You see, when you run, it leaves behind a trail of red scratches that makes it much easier for the killer to track you. However, if you escape their line of sight and then immediately crouch, it becomes much harder to see which way you ran. This takes some getting used to, but you'll see your survival rate shoot up if you can master it.




Stay close to fellow survivors in need 

If you're a lone wolf, out-for-yourself, doesn't-look-back-when-the-exit-is-open kind of survivor, this tip won't apply to you. If, like me, you want everyone to work together and make it out alive, listen up. 

When a fellow survivor is knocked to the floor, carried by the killer, or thrown onto a meat hook, their position is highlighted in red. You can see it from wherever you are, and believe it or not, that's where you're going next. When a survivor is highlighted for one of these reasons, get as close as you possible can without being seen. If they're not already on a hook, they will be soon, and they'll need your help. 

As soon as a survivor is 'hooked', a killer will do one of a few things. Some killers will stand directly next to their dangling victim to make sure that no-one can help them, which can be irritating as there's very little you can do without becoming their next victim. However, some killers will search the area or even head off towards a noise in the distance. This is your chance to unhook your fellow survivor, and because you were already nearby, you can both be out of there before the killer appears again. Just watch out for any hidden bear traps...



Fix and listen

When fixing generators, sabotaging hooks, or healing fellow survivors, the only thing worse than being found by the killer is the dreaded skill check. This is a small mini-game which has you tap space when a needle reaches a specific point, and getting it wrong can be disastrous. Messing it up announces your position to the killer, who is more than likely to stalk directly to the source of the noise. Don't worry. There's a trick to it.

Just before such a skill check appears, there's a cue. This comes in the form of a ghostly chime. If you hear that, get ready. In about half a second, the skill check is coming. While that doesn't sound like a long time, it's more than enough to focus your attention on the mini-game, rather than searching the horizon for signs of an encroaching killer.


Killer



Listen

It's easy to get wrapped up in being totally badass as a killer, stomping from one generator to the next in the hopes of finding your next victim. That won't always help you find survivors to maim and mangle, though. Taking the time to listen to the world around you can reap benefits.

Can you hear a generator being fixed? Was that a cupboard door that just slammed shut? Is that the whimpering of an injured survivor in the bushes? All of these sounds can help you to track down victims even when they're acting calmly enough to sneak and hide before you get there. With a little tactical thinking, even that won't save them.



Think ahead

Just like the masked murderers of classic horror films, always try to be one step ahead of your next victim. When a chase has broken out, directly following their trail isn't always the best move.

Survivors will always try to run to a pallet that can be knocked down, or a window they can jump through, and this can really slow you down. However, if you can see a pallet or window they're running towards, think ahead. Go around the pallet, or through a door near the window, and you'll have anticipated their escape route before they'd even planned it themselves. Sometimes this can lead to them running right into your blood-soaked hands.



Be greedy 

If you've managed to knock one survivor down, and another injured survivor is nearby, chase them. While it may be tempting to immediately pick up the survivor that is crawling along the floor in pain, they're not going anywhere fast. If you let the other survivor escape, they may return to save the first survivor from the hook, or begin working on generators again. You can't have that. 

Though there's the possibility that a third survivor will heal your first victim, I've found it quite unlikely that more than one survivor will have bravely put themselves in the killer's crosshairs in order to help another. That means, if you can catch them as well, it's two birds with one blood-spattered stone.

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