Death Note: Killer Within
2024 video game
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Death Note: Killer Within is a 2024 online multiplayer social deduction game developed by Grounding Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is based on the 2003 manga series Death Note written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. Players are represented as chess pawns, similar to Near's finger puppets, and divided into two teams—Kira alongside his followers and L with the police investigation team. Both teams must uncover the identities of the opposing players. It is the fourth video game entry in the Death Note series, following the release of Death Note: Kira Game (2007), Death Note: Successors to L (2007), and L the Prologue to Death Note: Spiraling Trap (2008) almost a decade later.
| Death Note: Killer Within | |
|---|---|
| |
| Developer | |
| Publisher | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Director | Akihiro Igarashi |
| Designers |
|
| Artist | Ryoji Nakamura |
| Composer | Rin Matsubayashi |
| Series | Death Note |
| Platforms | |
| Release | November 5, 2024 |
| Genres | Social deduction, strategy |
| Mode | Multiplayer |
Death Note: Killer Within received mixed reviews from critics. Criticism was drawn for its limited gameplay, multiplayer communication and server stability.
Gameplay
Death Note: Killer Within's is an online multiplayer social deduction game.[1] During gameplay, characters' avatars are based off Near's finger puppets, revealed towards the end of the anime and manga.[2][3] There are also customization options that allow players to have their avatar resemble the Death Note Nendoroid figures released in previous years.[4] In the game, up to ten players are split into two teams—Kira and his followers and L alongside his investigation team.[1][5] Kira's team aims to kill all targets with the Death Note while L's team must seize and dispose of the Death Note.[5] During the Action Phase, players must complete tasks and discover clues, and later participate in the Meeting Phase to figure out who's Kira. Both teams must uncover the identities of the opposing players.[6] In 2025, updates had introduced roles as Mello,[7] Watari and Soichiro Yagami.[8][9]
Promotion and release
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced Death Note: Killer Within via a trailer in October 2024, alongside cross-play support for PC and PlayStation for the game.[2][10] The final version was released and ported to Windows, Playstation 4 and 5, and the Playstation Plus subscription service in November 2024.[3][5]
Reception
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | PC: 71/100[11] P55: 54/100[12] |
| OpenCritic | 64% recommend[13] |
Upon release, Death Note: Killer Within received mixed or average reviews from video game publications based on the review aggregate website Metacritic aimed towards the PC and PS5 ports.[11][12] According to review aggregator OpenCritic, the game received fair approval from critics.[13]
The gameplay has often been described as similar to popular 2018 online multiplayer social deduction game Among Us.[10][15] Some critics thought the game was light on content and lacked depth, particularly for the lack of maps included.[15] Lucas White of Shacknews called it a "smart adaptation of a Shonen Jump manga" and that it combined the 2000s pop-goth aesthetic of Death Note with a board game.[14] While Jason Hon from ScreenRant claimed the game was a "strangely engaging" experience, citing the game's issues with server stability and a "lack of maps".[15] Jenni Lada of Siliconera had said communication was very "stressful" and the playability of the game depends on other people's behavior.[16] Tommaso Pugliese of Multiplayer.it called the game's presentation "decidedly questionable", while noting that it has potential.[17]