DEATH NOTE Killer Within

About DEATH NOTE Killer Within

DEATH NOTE Killer Within is a single player and multiplayer survival strategy game with mystery and anime themes. It was developed by Grounding Inc. and was released on November 5, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

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Reviews

87%Audience ScoreBased on 1,641 reviews

gameplay47 positive mentions

monetization5 negative mentions

Engaging and complex social deduction gameplay that goes beyond Among Us, with unique mechanics like stealing IDs and passing the Death Note.
Faithful adaptation of the Death Note anime, featuring recognizable characters, voice lines, animations, and thematic atmosphere.
Built-in proximity voice chat enhances immersion and player interaction, making matches more dynamic and thrilling.

Player base is small, often toxic, and matchmaking can be difficult; public lobbies frequently contain rude or disruptive behavior including racial slurs.
Game ends prematurely whenever a single player disconnects or leaves, frustrating many players and ruining match continuity.
Widespread hacking issues that disrupt gameplay and compromise player accounts, with slow or ineffective developer responses.

gameplay
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34% positive mentions, 62% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions
The gameplay is widely praised for its deep, strategic social deduction mechanics that build upon and surpass those of similar games like Among Us, offering unique roles and thematic twists such as the Kira and follower system. While the learning curve is steep and can feel overwhelming to new players, tutorials help, and the experience is most rewarding when playing with a coordinated group using voice chat. However, issues like player toxicity, frequent hackers, and abrupt game endings if players leave early detract from the overall experience.
- “If you are playing with a group you already know then this is quite possibly the greatest Among Us style game on Steam. The mechanics are deep enough to have players constantly trying to outmaneuver the other team, while also being simple enough on a surface level that it can be played well after only completing the tutorial.”
- “This game has near infinite replayability due to its vast amount of interesting mechanics and the fact that the more you learn about the game, the more people around you start figuring it out as well. It becomes a mental arms race of manipulation tactics and skilled deductions.”
- “Takes the foundational gameplay loop from Among Us and adds lots of super thematic Death Note mechanics which lead to fascinating scenarios with lots of deduction and counter-play.”
- “Many players report feeling overwhelmed during their first few games, with tutorials failing to adequately prepare them for live gameplay.”
- “Love more Death Note content but the gameplay is just an awful attempt at Among Us; the player base is already dead or just awful and as fun as it looks I wouldn't recommend this unless you have a group of people/friends to play with.”
- “Too many hackers, too much toxicity, too many people saying slurs, you have to talk to progress through the game (it's like Among Us, but you're forced to talk), if someone leaves your game stops and you'll have to restart (no bots to take over), and base mechanics are just confusing.”
humor
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
Players consistently praise the game's humor, highlighting hilarious in-game moments, witty voice chat interactions, and amusing glitches that enhance the fun experience. The voice chat feature especially adds a comedic layer, contributing to lively and entertaining multiplayer sessions. While occasional swearing and bugs occur, they often add to the game's charm rather than detract from it.
- “The game also is a fun and nice way to have a good and funny time with friends.”
- “A lot of funny stuff happens either by someone pulling a 1000 IQ move or by the whole lobby crashing out because they're accusing each other.”
- “Voice chat is sooo funny, the tasks are more fun, and the customization and characters are funny as well.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30% positive mentions, 60% neutral mentions, 10% negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a unique, chibi-inspired art style blending 3D models and animated cutscenes that capture the anime's atmosphere in a charming, visually appealing way. While praised for its aesthetic creativity and faithful anime elements, some players find the UI cluttered and base/free cosmetics less polished compared to premium options. Overall, the visuals are cute and easy on the eyes, though improvements like third-person view and ultrawide support could enhance immersion.
- “Visually, the game takes a bold turn from the series’ grim realism by adopting a chibi, puppet-like aesthetic inspired by Near’s finger puppets.”
- “The game managed to capture the aesthetics and atmosphere of the anime, while introducing new mechanics to the established formula among us.”
- “The aesthetic and flavour is so dead on, I love it and it really feels like it was made by people who love the anime.”
- “Very obvious design choice to make the base game/'free' cosmetics in a starkly worse aesthetic/style than the overpriced premium options; it feels like the base characters are placeholder assets and we are being sold the actual character assets separately.”
- “Like with these graphics, and this simple gameplay, I shouldn't have to be turning everything down to the lowest levels just to keep it from crashing.”
- “Additionally, although the stylized visuals are charming, the user interface for menus, customization, and player stats can feel cluttered and unintuitive.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24% positive mentions, 58% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions
The game's soundtrack is widely praised for its quality and fitting atmosphere, closely capturing the vibe of the original anime despite not using licensed tracks. However, user experience is often marred by disruptive players blasting music or causing audio chaos in lobbies, which detracts significantly from enjoying the otherwise excellent music design.
- “The art direction, soundtrack, and gameplay are all very well done here and would deserve a recommendation on their own.”
- “Even the most minute details, like the eerie atmosphere and thematic music, add to the authenticity of the experience.”
- “As for the contents of the game, there is no licensed music but the OST is actually pretty good and has similar vibes to the one heard in the anime.”
- “Poor security: constant hackers that can kill, crash, or spam music in the entire lobby and unfiltered names.”
- “After playing about 8 hours, the novelty of the Death Note IP fades and the game becomes pretty repetitive. Most lobbies are filled with people screaming slurs or blasting music, making it an eardrum explosion of bigotry.”
- “If by some miracle you get a group of people who aren't screaming racist stuff, playing loud music, or breathing heavily, you'll still end up in a party where people do not discuss and just vote at random.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18% positive mentions, 64% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions
The game lacks a formal story mode but offers an immersive experience that lets players actively engage in the Death Note universe, creating their own unique narratives. Fans appreciate its faithful capture of the series' strategic and intellectual essence, though the story experience largely emerges through player interactions rather than a scripted plot.
- “For longtime Death Note fans, the game is a refreshing twist—offering a rare chance to actively participate in the world of the story rather than passively watch it unfold.”
- “It feels like you're truly part of the Death Note world, carving out your own story.”
- “Death Note: Killer Within is a very enjoyable social deduction experience that every fan of the story should try at the very least once.”
- “If it had a story mode, it would be better.”
- “☑ No story.”
- “☐ No story.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 42% negative mentions
The game features extensive cosmetic microtransactions without pay-to-win elements, which some players find excessive given its paid price. Monetization is seen as overly aggressive, detracting from the experience, especially since advertising and support for new content were lacking. Overall, while the game's mechanics are praised, the heavy focus on microtransactions has sparked mixed feelings.
- “Very fun twist on the Among Us genre, with cosmetic microtransactions only and thankfully no pay to win.”
- “I am extremely relieved to see that the microtransactions in this Bandai Namco published game are purely cosmetic, with no monetized power creep.”
- “The game has many microtransactions, but they are cosmetic and do not affect gameplay.”
- “Despite some cool mechanics and references, this really did feel like a cash grab that should be $10 cheaper than it was.”
- “Literally all the devs have to do is make a new map but they are too busy pushing microtransactions nobody will even be able to see because you can never get into a game.”
- “Only problem is the many microtransactions.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50% positive mentions, 12% neutral mentions, 38% negative mentions
Replayability is a standout feature of the game, driven by diverse player toolkits, strategic depth, and the challenge of competing against cunning human opponents. Despite limited content such as a single map and few command cards, the dynamic gameplay and mental competition ensure each match feels unique and engaging. Overall, players find the game highly replayable and mentally stimulating.
- “Every player has their own toolkit—surveillance, deduction, deception, and vote manipulation—which enhances replayability and demands strategic thinking.”
- “This game has near infinite replayability due to its vast amount of interesting mechanics and the fact that the more you learn about the game, the more people around you start figuring it out as well, creating a mental arms race of manipulation tactics and skilled deductions.”
- “Playing against other cunning minds raises the stakes significantly, and the unpredictable nature of human opponents creates endless replayability.”
- “Another thing to remember is the lack of content: there is only one map and 5 command cards total across both teams. This limits replayability despite each match being unique.”
- “If you are a loner, public lobbies have pros and cons but they are playable.”
- “Playing against other cunning minds raises the stakes significantly, but the unpredictable nature of human opponents can make consistent replayability challenging.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13% positive mentions, -1% neutral mentions, 88% negative mentions
The game's stability is generally poor, with frequent glitches, bugs, and connectivity issues reported by users, particularly on PC. Problems such as fake notifications and lobbies resetting when a player leaves significantly impact the experience. However, some users find the game balanced and enjoyable despite these technical flaws.
- “Very fun, very balanced, not buggy, hours of fun, and all roles are easy to understand.”
- “Very buggy, causing major issues.”
- “I have tried uninstalling, reinstalling, changing the settings multiple times, changing different mics and headphones, literally all forms of troubleshooting.”
- “Also a lot of glitches, especially in the train.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game evokes a complex range of emotions, rewarding thoughtful and emotionally aware play while exploring themes of justice, power, and morality. Players report both intellectually stimulating and sometimes unsettling emotional experiences, amplified by immersive animations and scenarios. However, emotional engagement can vary greatly depending on in-game interactions and teammates.
- “It rewards clever thinking, emotional awareness, and risk-taking, all while staying grounded in the franchise’s core themes of justice, power, and morality.”
- “This game made me feel like Ego from Ratatouille in that one scene towards the end.”
- “Various death animations, arrests that are potentially emotional and pleasing to the eye.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33% positive mentions, 34% neutral mentions, 33% negative mentions
The game experiences occasional performance issues that occasionally disrupt immersion despite ongoing patches, but overall remains an enjoyable niche social deduction experience. Optimization is decent but could benefit from further improvements, especially on platforms like the Steam Deck.
- “Has some performance issues but is overall an enjoyable, niche social deduction experience.”
- “While the developers have rolled out patches, the game still suffers from occasional performance hiccups that interrupt immersion.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
Users highlight that grinding requires a significant time investment, often feeling like it demands a "second life," and suggest that premium skins should be made obtainable through dedicated grinding efforts.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Lastly, it would be making premium skins obtainable somehow, even if it means grinding intensely.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The game successfully captures the anime's aesthetics and atmosphere, enhancing immersion with new mechanics and attention to detail. Its eerie ambiance and thematic music contribute significantly to an authentic and engaging experience.
- “The game managed to capture the aesthetics and atmosphere of the anime, while introducing new mechanics to the established formula among us.”
- “Even the most minute details, like the eerie atmosphere and thematic music, add to the authenticity of the experience.”

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Play Times

25h Median play time

186h Average play time

4-530h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

DEATH NOTE Killer Within is a survival strategy game with mystery and anime themes. Common tags for DEATH NOTE Killer Within include psychological, immersive sim, immersive, social deduction, noir and others.

DEATH NOTE Killer Within is available on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 186 hours playing DEATH NOTE Killer Within.

DEATH NOTE Killer Within was released on November 5, 2024.

DEATH NOTE Killer Within was developed by Grounding Inc..

DEATH NOTE Killer Within has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked DEATH NOTE Killer Within for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

DEATH NOTE Killer Within is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include First Class Trouble, Deceit 2, LOCKDOWN Protocol, Goose Goose Duck, Unfortunate Spacemen and others.

DEATH NOTE Killer Within

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About DEATH NOTE Killer Within

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Reviews

gameplay

humor

graphics

music

story

monetization

replayability

stability

emotional

optimization

grinding

atmosphere

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