45 Mins In: Dead by Daylight - Stranger Things Chapter 2
First impressions of Dead by Daylight’s Stranger Things Chapter 2
For years, The Nurse has sat at the top of Dead by Daylight’s killer roster. Stranger Things Chapter 2 finally challenges that. Within my first 45 minutes, it was clear this DLC isn’t just another crossover.
Dustin and Eleven are the new survivors, and what stood out immediately were the voice lines. Dustin, in particular, brings a surprising amount of personality. He reacts to Nancy and Steve, the survivors introduced during the original Dead by Daylight and Stranger Things collaboration back in 2019. It makes the whole thing feel connected in a way I wasn’t expecting. I’m not too sure if Eleven has as many voice lines, but that makes sense considering how quiet she was early on in the show. With Dustin though, you’re hearing him in the lobby and again the moment the match starts. It’s a small detail, but it adds a lot.
Something clever about this chapter is that both survivors are equipped with items after unlocking them. Dustin starts with a toolbox, which directly ties into his unique perk, Change of Plan. Jump into a locker and any toolbox gets converted into a full med-kit, even if it’s already been used. Eleven, on the other hand, comes with a key that lets her tap into her telepathic abilities. Seeing the killer’s aura around the map feels very on-brand for her. Nice.
Between the two, Eleven easily has the stronger perks. Extrasensory Perception lets her see the killer, other survivors, and key objectives just by crouching for a few seconds. It’s powerful, borderline absurd, and honestly one of the best survivor perks in the game. There is a tradeoff that removes the ability to hear the killer’s terror radius, but once you realize how much information you’re gaining, it feels more than fair.
Then there’s Vecna.
For nearly a decade, The Nurse has been the killer everyone compares against. Vecna immediately feels like he belongs in that conversation. He has two core abilities and both are brutal to go against. He can slip into the Upside Down to move quickly across the map, and once survivors are found, he launches himself into the air and slams down with a massive area attack. On top of that, he has a ranged attack with very little cooldown. Survivors have to be sharp with their mind games, otherwise they don’t stand a chance. His powers slowly curse survivors over time, and Vecna can kill them if they’re cursed.
What really surprised me is how much personality Vecna brings to the match. He has more voice lines than any killer I can remember. Depending on who he’s attacking, hooking, or killing if they’re cursed, he’ll drop different lines, which makes each encounter feel less repetitive. As his power ramps up, the atmosphere shifts into a darker, reddish tone when you’re in Worldbreaker mode, and it immediately changes the feel of the match. Visually, it works. His default character model already looks great, but the Henry Creel cosmetic you can unlock through the Rift Pass is chef’s kiss.
After about 45 minutes in, it’s safe to say Stranger Things Chapter 2 is one of the strongest DLCs Dead by Daylight has seen in years. If you’re still playing and you’re a fan of the show, there’s a lot to dig into here. Between the voice lines, the god-tier survivor perks, and Vecna being completely unhinged, this chapter leaves a strong first impression.
