Death Note: Killer Within

Death Note: Killer Within
Developer
PublisherBandai Namco Entertainment
DirectorAkihiro Igarashi
Designers
  • Masahiro Yamada
  • Masao Suganuma
ArtistRyoji Nakamura
ComposerRin Matsubayashi
SeriesDeath Note
Platforms
ReleaseNovember 5, 2024
GenresSocial deduction, strategy
ModeMultiplayer

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.

Death Note: Killer Within 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. The game would receive 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. In 2025, updates had introduced roles as Mello, Watari and Soichiro Yagami.[6][7]

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][8] 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

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.[9][10]

Much of the focus within reviews involved feedback in regards to the requirement of voice chat for communication,[11] and the game's resemblance of online multiplayer social deduction game Among Us (2018).[8][13] Shacknews writer Lucas White praised the game, calling it "smart adaptation of a Shonen Jump manga", while saying that it combined of the "2000s pop-goth aesthetic" of Death Note with a board game.[11] Some critics thought the game was light on content and lacked depth, particularly for the lack of maps included.[13] Jason Hon from ScreenRant mentioned the game's issues with server stability.[13] Jenni Lada of Siliconera praised the game's concept and said that it "works reasonably well" as a social deduction game.[12]

Negative response often focused on communication, low difficulty and server stability. Jenni Lada criticized how "abruptly easy" the game was, saying that if one certain person leaves, the match ended.[12] While Jason Hon discussed the game's lack of character depth and players disconnected due to the game's lack of server stability.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b Franklin, Anthony (November 23, 2024). "Death Note: Killer Within Impressions". Vice Magazine. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  2. ^ a b Dinsdale, Ryan (October 30, 2024). "Death Note: Killer Within Is a Social Deduction Game Based on the Beloved Anime". IGN. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Mateo, Alex (October 30, 2024). "Death Note Series Gets New Online Social Deduction Game for PS5, PS4, PC on November 5". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  4. ^ Beam, Action (June 24, 2024). "GSC [Smile Fest 2024] Nendoroid Edition Part 1: Hamtaro, Solo Leveling, KonoSuba... and Many More New Releases!". 玩具人 TOY PEOPLE. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c Liao, Shannon (November 12, 2024). "PlayStation Plus Just Quietly Released A Wilder, Anime-Inspired Version of Mafia". Inverse. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  6. ^ Mateo, Alex (March 25, 2025). "Death Note Killer Within Social Deduction Game Adds Watari, NPA Chief Roles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 27, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  7. ^ Luster, Joseph (March 25, 2025). "Death Note: Killer Within Update Adds Watari and NPA Chief Roles". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  8. ^ a b S, Luci (November 2, 2024). "Death Note Killer Within's Among Us-Like Gameplay Could Be a Match Made in Heaven". GameRant. Archived from the original on July 24, 2025. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  9. ^ a b "Death Note: Killer Within for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on October 24, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Death Note: Killer Within for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  11. ^ a b c White, Lucas (November 8, 2024). "Death Note Killer Within review: Just as planned, more or less". Shacknews. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  12. ^ a b c Lada, Jenni (November 20, 2024). "Review: Death Note Killer Within Starts Investigations Among Us". Siliconera. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  13. ^ a b c d Hon, Jason (November 12, 2024). "Death Note: Killer Within Review—Not Enough Apples For This Shinigami". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on September 24, 2025. Retrieved March 21, 2026.

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