Sadako Rising brings psychological horror to Dead by Daylight
Sadako Rising, the brand new chapter coming to Dead by Daylight this March, has finally been revealed, and boy, does it look terrifying!
The reveal that the next horror franchise coming to the asymmetrical horror game would be Ringu already had us shaking in our boots, but now the reveal trailer showcasing the vengeful Sadako has shown us the real meaning of psychological horror.
Inspired by the novel Ringu from Kōji Suzuki, Sadako Rising will feature a killer like no other that’s been added to Dead by Daylight, as well as a Survivor that’s the only protagonist to have managed to escape from this spirit’s torment.
The new killer, Sadako, is known in-game as The Onryō – a ghost that appears in Japanese myths and literature that is said to be capable of causing injury and harm to those still alive. Sadako was left to rot in a watery grave, but her temper and wrath granted her immense powers that manifested into an otherworldly videotape that, when watched, would curse the viewer and lead them to their death. The Onryō’s fury has now turned onto the Survivors that inhabit the Entity’s realm, and if they were happy to see a television set before… We doubt that’s the case when they meet Sadako.
“I am very honored that this very iconic horror character from Japan will step into the Fog. Sadako, with her long black hair and white dress, is a tragic woman, beautiful and dignified, yet she pulls you into her quiet terror. The Dead by Daylight team did a great job in representing her characteristics in the game. I am convinced that it will be a chapter unlike any other. In addition to the new Killer Sadako, there are many other items that evoke the world of Ringu. I hope that players will be thrilled to see how they fit into the game, whilst they tremble at the sight of them”, shared Reiko Imayasu, Producer, Kadokawa Corporation.
Joining Sadako is the Survivor, Yoichi Asakawa. Fans of the original 1998 Ringu film will recognize him as the son of Ryuji Takayama, though he was only a small boy at the time. Now he is all grown up, and is fully aware of the terrible power that Sadako can bring onto others. In him being added to Dead by Daylight, fans of the franchise will finally get to reconnect with Yoichi more than 20 years after his escape and finally know what came of him.
“To be granted the trust by Kadokawa to finish the story of Yoichi Asakawa is one of the greatest honours for me,” Creative Director of Dead by Daylight, Dave Richards says. “Choosing to finally reveal a long-expected untold story via a video game is a bold decision that speaks to the importance of our medium in today’s pop culture.”
The new chapter does not seem to come with a new map, but a new feature that will be added are televisions – similar to The Pig’s trap cages and The Plague’s fountains. In the reveal trailer (below) you can see that Sadako can appear through them in a fashion that’s directly from the Ringu films and novel.
“Ringu introduces psychological horror to our game, which is very different from the slasher style our fans are used to. They can expect Sadako to come with creepy and surprising gameplay mechanics that are not found in other Killers”, shares Richard. “Survivors beware, she will freak you out!” Consider us terrified!
Fans can get their hands on the Dead by Daylight: Sadako Rising chapter on March 8 on Steam, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Games Store, Windows Store, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia.
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