There has rarely been so much consensus among the players of Dead by Daylight. The new killer is under criticism – he is said to be boring, uninspired, and the low point of the game.
If there is one thing the community of Dead by Daylight can agree on, it is that they do not agree. Killers and survivors often have completely different views on how to improve the game and make it fairer. However, with the reveal of the latest killer “Skull Merchant”, there has been a widespread consensus in the community for a long time: The killer is trash.
At least there are several major points of criticism that are being discussed in forums and the game’s subreddit.
The killer looks like “Predator ordered from Wish”
A theory about the “Tools of Torment” chapter that has spread like wildfire in recent days is that Dead by Daylight actually tried to get the “Predator” license and that they actually wanted a female predator. When that failed, they quickly cobbled together their own killer who exhibits some parallels:
- modern technology for monitoring and tracking in the form of drones
- melee claws to secure the kill
As “proof” of this theory, many point to the “Behind the Scenes” video that was released shortly after the trailer:
Here the developers talk about the latest killer and use the word “Predator” very often. It is also mentioned that the killer “only hunts the best of the best” and wants “the best trophies”. That would fit a predator – but not the “Skull Merchant”. Because this one primarily hunts individuals from the upper management of companies who do not want to sell their business.
However, it should be made clear: The whole thing with the predator is just a theory from the subreddit.
In an interview with the game director a few months ago, we asked a similar question and were told that the detailed work on a licensed killer would only begin once it was ensured that it would actually happen.
General criticism of the killer design
In general, the “Skull Merchant” is also under criticism for her entire design. It is frequently mentioned that she simply does not look threatening. Her gait, with the exaggerated hip sway, seems “silly” to many and more laughable than fearsome.
Many people also notice that most of her animations come from other killers. For instance, the “Destroyable Wall Destroy” animation is identical to that of Nemesis, among several other animations. Her face is, according to many opinions, a mix of Trickster and Yui before the rework:
But her abilities are also under criticism. They are quite complex and the idea of monitoring the map is an exciting concept. However, the whole design is undermined by the fact that at the end of the day she is just an “M1 killer” – meaning one who is completely reliant on hitting survivors in close combat. The actual gameplay ultimately consists of just constantly chasing survivors, as is the case with many of the old killers. The actual threat posed by the drone abilities is negated.
Thus, @averyhyena3885 writes under the “Behind the Scenes” video:
“You have to be careful because she can see you anywhere on the map.”
But she is still an M1 killer without power in the chase. It doesn’t matter if she knows where all the survivors are because she can’t do anything about it anyway.
There is also little understanding for her name in the game. Because although the “Skull Merchant” has a very extensive backstory, neither the story nor her character has anything to do with the name. She does use skulls for her drones, but the name seems inappropriate to many.
Even cosmetics are under criticism
As usual, Dead by Daylight reveals more contents through data mining already on the test server. Among these are also cosmetic items that usually end up in the shop of the game.
While the community is pleased with some “lightly clothed” skins, the developers apparently went overboard. Because both survivors are lined up in swimwear, while the Skull Merchant gets a rather … peculiar appearance as well. You can get an impression of the leaked cosmetics in the subreddit of DbD.
The reactions to this are also largely negative. Babyback-the-Butcher writes:
Is any of this real? This whole chapter feels so surreal, my mind just cannot assess how real it is. How could all of this happen?
Even more devastating is the criticism from “idkdudejustkillme”:
This whole chapter feels like a joke, a literal prank. A bad joke. It’s like a bizarre dream from which I hope to wake up soon. It’s absolutely incomprehensible to me that the same team that created characters like Blight, Dredge, Deathslinger, Oni, and others could create such an uninspired, pitiful chapter. Zero effort in writing, visual design, sound design, originality, or perks.
All of this feels like it was cobbled together at the last minute. Then they publish it with skins where the characters are half-naked and expect the player base to just swallow it and spit out money. It’s just embarrassing. What the hell is going on?
However, it must also be mentioned that there are aspects of the next patch that are well received by the community. The modernization of the two “Red Forest” maps looks good and receives praise from all directions. “Only” the entirely new contents seem to be something only a small part of the fans can agree with.
