Death Note: Killer Within

 PC
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Siliconera
    Nov 21, 2024
    65
    Death Note Killer Within is better than I expected it to be, but is also a game where your experience hinges on other people’s behavior and actually getting to complete a match. If you are only playing with people you know, everyone is on a PC, and you all are committed, it can be a lot of fun! If you aren’t, then good luck! My enjoyment tanked pretty severely once random players got involved in my matches, and I suspect it isn’t an isolated issue. If that problem gets fixed and we see more reaction to reports about bad behavior, I think it could be a solid 6/10. But because it becomes so difficult to actually finish a round, it might be better to wait for a patch.
  2. Shacknews
    Nov 10, 2024
    60
    Death Note Killer Within is truly fascinating, even to look at from a distance. It’s a smart adaptation of a Shonen Jump manga that is famous for challenging what “Shonen Jump manga” could be at its moment in time. Seeing the characters pop up in games like Jump Ultimate Stars or Jump Force was always awkward, and the other games based on the series remain obscure. So it’s cool to see the folks who made this identify a trend and realize the IP is a good fit, then execute it in a way that both adapts Death Note and have fun with it at the same time. I think it has a pretty limited audience though, as you have to cross several barriers of entry to get what feels like the only way to have a good time. If the gameplay gave more time for its nuances to breathe and shine, was more adaptable to the inherent instability of online play, and was more approachable, there’d be something really special here.