The latest chapter of Dead by Daylight, Doomed Curse, has made waves in the community—but not for the right reasons. Launched with high expectations, the chapter has quickly earned the dubious distinction of being the worst-reviewed release in the game’s history. On Steam, the feedback has been overwhelmingly negative, with players voicing their frustrations about the chapter’s glaring flaws and lackluster execution.
A Storm of Negative Reviews
On Steam, Doomed Curse has garnered some of the lowest ratings for a Dead by Daylight chapter to date (32%). Players have lambasted the DLC for its poorly implemented mechanics and apparent lack of polish. Reviews often mention the same issues: a broken killer power, poor AI for the Houndmaster’s dog, and an overall sense of rushed development.
The Houndmaster’s Power: Broken at Launch
Central to the community’s discontent is the Houndmaster’s power, which is described as practically unusable. Players report that the killer’s dog, the main feature of their power, frequently gets stuck in the environment, fails to return when called, or simply doesn’t function as intended. For a power that should define the killer’s playstyle, these issues render the Houndmaster frustrating and ineffective to play.
Many players have noted that these glaring issues suggest the chapter went through minimal testing before its release. “It feels like the PTB [Public Test Build] was ignored entirely,” one reviewer lamented.
The Role of the PTB: A Missed Opportunity
The PTB, meant to serve as a testing ground for new content, appears to have failed to prevent these issues. Players are questioning its purpose, pointing out that the Houndmaster’s problems were evident during the testing phase. Instead of delaying the chapter to address these concerns, Behaviour Interactive proceeded with its release.
This decision has led to accusations that the company prioritized short-term profit over delivering a polished product. “This chapter should have been delayed,” another player wrote. “But it’s clear they just wanted to sell it, even if it doesn’t work.”
A Call for Higher Standards
The backlash against Doomed Curse highlights a growing frustration among the Dead by Daylight community with the game’s quality control. While Behaviour Interactive has a strong track record of delivering beloved collaborations and updates, this chapter serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of cutting corners.
Releasing a chapter where the core mechanic is fundamentally broken not only undermines player trust but also sets a dangerous precedent for future updates. Fans have called on the developers to ensure that future content undergoes thorough testing and is released in a functional state, even if it means delaying content.
A Lesson for the Future
As Dead by Daylight moves forward, Doomed Curse should serve as a lesson for both Behaviour Interactive and the community. The chapter’s failure underscores the importance of quality assurance and the need to listen to feedback during the PTB phase. Without these measures, the game risks alienating its dedicated fanbase.
While the Houndmaster and Doomed Curse may eventually be patched and improved, the damage to the chapter’s reputation has already been done. Only time will tell if Behaviour Interactive can regain the trust of its community by learning from this misstep. For now, Doomed Curse remains a stark reminder that even the most successful games can stumble when quality takes a backseat to profit.
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