Matthew BaileyDisclaimer: Today’s game contains a mature horror-based theme and some mature-based visuals. I am including it here because underneath the visuals its oddly family friendly.
The last of this year’s official spooktacular but there are still a few games that were on the waiting list to be reviewed.
Dead by Daylight: The Board Game is based on the popular indie horror video game, where one player takes on the role of the Killer. In recent versions, this includes licensed horror movie favourites like Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Ghostface from Scream, among others.
To start with going to do a more generalised review of the daylight if you want to hear me just talk about the expansion skip to that place in the review:
Not played Dead by Daylight? Start here:
This board game does an excellent job of adapting the hidden movement mechanics of the video game, and, to be honest, I actually prefer playing the board game to the video game. It’s an asymmetric experience where one player is the Killer, while the other players are Survivors trying to work together, fix generators, and ultimately escape the map.
The game begins by setting up the board, which is divided into different zones. These zones can be traversed by the players as they attempt to fix generators and accomplish their goals.
On their turn, Survivors can move around, repair the generator
or, hide, heal each other, or try to escape, while the Killer moves around searching for Survivors, attacking them, and placing them on hooks. The best way I can describe the game is that it’s essentially a board game version of the classic playground game “Stuck in the mud,” where the Killer moves around putting players on hooks, leaving them “stuck” until another player potentially frees them.
One of the most engaging mechanics is that all players make their movement decisions simultaneously by using their cards. This requires Survivors to second-guess the Killer’s moves—and vice versa. This mechanic works extremely well and captures the tension of a horror movie chase. It’s my favourite aspect of what makes the game so compelling.
Survivors can also repair generators and heal each other, and once all the generators are repaired, they can try to escape through the exits. Different characters have unique abilities, and Killers also have their own powers, adding depth to the gameplay and encouraging multiple playthroughs with various characters.
Despite the mature theme, there isn’t actually anything gory in the game—the scariest part is probably the design of the Killer miniatures. If your kids aren’t easily spooked and you’re comfortable with the theme, it’s actually a fun hidden movement/movement prediction game.
The components are high quality; the board and cards are nicely made, and the miniatures are a nice touch. My least favorite part of the design is the boxed layout of the board. I wish it had a more organic look, resembling an actual setting. However, this is a minor critique and speaks to how much I genuinely like the game.
The Malicious Expansion thoughts
Now, let’s dive into the real question of this review: what does the Malicious expansion include, and is it worth picking up?
One thing I appreciate about Level 99’s expansions is that they don’t usually overhaul core gameplay. Often, expansions can bloat or complicate the game, taking away some of its appeal. Fortunately, Malicious doesn’t add a load of new mechanics but instead introduces two new maps, four new Survivors, and three new Killers.
The highlight here is, of course, the new Killers, which add a bit more complexity than the ones in the base game. My personal favourite is the Knight, who, along with being his own Killer, has three additional guard miniatures that act as satellite Killers, making things tougher for the Survivors. Another standout is the Artist, a powerful Killer who can see which cards the Survivors are planning to play.
These additions bring a nice level of variety, and I really enjoyed them. While the new Survivors are fun, the Killers are definitely the stars of this expansion. There are also two new game boards, which, as I mentioned, still have that boxy layout. I think a more organic look would add a lot of character and provide a better sense of place, rather than feeling like an abstract strategy game.
The components maintain the same excellent quality as the base game. However, if I have one complaint, it’s the box size. The expansion box is exactly the same size as the base game box, which feels far too big. This box could easily be much thinner and still fit everything. Alternatively, it would have been great if it could hold both the base game and the expansion together, maybe with a custom insert. As it is, I’ll probably 3D-print a custom insert to combine them into one box.
Ultimately, whether “Dead by Daylight: The Board Game – Malicious Expansion” is worth it depends on your feelings toward Dead by Daylight. Personally, I’m a big fan of the base game, and I’m thrilled to have more characters, Killers, and locations to play with.
A strong, well-made expansion that I definitely recommend to fans of the base game.
Disclaimer: “Dead by Daylight The Board Game” was kindly provided by “Level 99 Games” for the purpose of review. Crystal Tsui who works for “Level 99 Games” is in our community and I consider her a friend. Our thoughts and opinions are, however, our own.
* Only played with much older kids.
