Quick Verdict: Dying Light Essentials Edition is the better pick if you want a complete, finishable single-player zombie survival story with roughly 100 hours of bundled content and a 95 percent positive Steam rating. Dead by Daylight is the better pick if you want an ongoing multiplayer horror game with a ten-year-strong community of over 70 million lifetime players. Dying Light Essentials Edition costs $24.99 on Steam, Dead by Daylight costs $19.99, and both already have their own “how to get it free” guide linked below.
Dying Light Essentials Edition and Dead by Daylight both sit at the top of Steam’s horror-adjacent survival genre, but they’re built for completely different sessions. One is a finishable, story-driven parkour zombie game you play largely on your own or with friends. The other is an always-online 4v1 multiplayer game built to be replayed for years. This guide breaks down where each one wins.
Dying Light vs Dead by Daylight at a Glance
| Category | Dying Light Essentials Edition | Dead by Daylight |
| Release Date | 2015 (original), Essentials Edition bundle | 2016 |
| Price on Steam | $24.99 | $19.99 |
| Developer / Publisher | Techland | Behaviour Interactive |
| Steam Reviews | 95 percent positive, “Overwhelmingly Positive” (180,000+ reviews) | 78 percent positive, “Mostly Positive” (914,000+ reviews) |
| Critic Reception | 50+ industry awards and nominations | 71 on Metacritic, mixed at launch |
| Scale | Over 30 million copies sold | Over 70 million lifetime players, around 1 million daily |
| Genre | First-person zombie survival with parkour, single-player and co-op | Asymmetric 4v1 multiplayer survival horror |
| Best For | Players who want a complete, finishable single-player zombie story | Players who want an ongoing multiplayer horror game with a massive community |
Core Gameplay Loop
Dying Light Essentials Edition centers on fluid first-person parkour across a zombie-infested city, with a day-night cycle that spawns relentless Volatiles after dark, turning every sunset into a real tactical decision. Dead by Daylight pits four Survivors, working to repair generators and escape, against one player-controlled Killer hunting them down, with the entire loop built around live matchmaking rather than a fixed campaign. Edge: Dying Light Essentials Edition, for players who want a substantial story to finish rather than a purely session-based loop.
Content and Longevity
Dying Light Essentials Edition bundles the base game, The Bozak Horde DLC, Cuisine and Cargo DLC, the Ultimate Survivor Bundle, and The Following expansion into roughly 100 hours of content for a full completionist run. Dead by Daylight has run continuously for nearly a decade, crossing 70 million lifetime players and still drawing around a million people daily, backed by an enormous ongoing library of separately sold licensed Killers and Survivors. Edge: Dead by Daylight, for the sheer scale of its long-term, still-growing player base.
Critical and Community Reception
Dying Light Essentials Edition holds a 95 percent positive Steam rating from over 180,000 reviews and picked up more than 50 industry awards and nominations. Dead by Daylight holds a more mixed 71 on Metacritic at launch, though its Steam community has warmed considerably since, sitting at 78 percent positive across over 914,000 reviews. Edge: Dying Light Essentials Edition, for the stronger and more consistent critical and player consensus.
Roster and Content Variety
Dead by Daylight mixes original Killers with licensed horror icons from franchises like Halloween and Saw, backed by deep, separate perk-building systems for both Killers and Survivors. Dying Light Essentials Edition runs on a single, unified skill-tree system that levels based on actual playstyle, without licensed crossover content but with a genuinely large campaign and expansion to work through. Edge: Dead by Daylight, for continually refreshed licensed content and build variety across two distinct playable roles.
Multiplayer vs Single-Player Focus
Dying Light Essentials Edition is primarily a single-player experience with optional co-op, playable start to finish without needing an active online community. Dead by Daylight is entirely online, requiring live matchmaking every session, and has been maintained as a continuous live service for nearly a decade. Edge: Dying Light Essentials Edition, for players who want a complete, finishable experience rather than an always-online commitment.
Price and Value
Dying Light Essentials Edition costs $24.99 and bundles roughly 100 hours of content into a single purchase. Dead by Daylight costs $19.99 up front, cheaper at checkout, but its massive separately sold DLC library of licensed characters adds real cost over time for players who want the full roster. Edge: Dying Light Essentials Edition, for more complete content bundled into one lower total-cost purchase.
Which One Should You Play First?
- Want a complete single-player story with genuinely great parkour movement: start with Dying Light Essentials Edition.
- Want an ongoing multiplayer game with a huge, decade-strong community: start with Dead by Daylight.
- Want licensed horror crossover characters like Halloween and Saw: start with Dead by Daylight.
- Want the strongest, most consistent review scores: start with Dying Light Essentials Edition.
Overall Verdict
Dying Light Essentials Edition remains the stronger pick for players who want a complete, highly rated single-player zombie survival story, backed by 30 million copies sold and one of Steam’s most consistently praised review scores. Dead by Daylight trades that finished-story structure for a massive, still-growing live multiplayer community and a constantly refreshed roster of licensed horror characters, even with a more mixed critical reception at launch. If you want a finished game you can play start to finish, choose Dying Light Essentials Edition. If you want an ongoing multiplayer game with real staying power, Dead by Daylight has proven it over nearly a decade.
Get Both For Less
Both games already have their own dedicated guide on this site covering legitimate ways to get them below full Steam price. Read How To Get Dying Light Essentials Edition Free and How To Get Dead by Daylight Free for the full breakdown of both routes.
FAQ
Which is better, Dying Light or Dead by Daylight?
Dying Light Essentials Edition is the better pick for a complete, highly rated single-player zombie story. Dead by Daylight is the better pick for an ongoing multiplayer horror game with a massive, decade-strong community. Neither is objectively better, they serve different play styles.
Is Dead by Daylight multiplayer only?
Yes. Dead by Daylight requires live matchmaking every session, pitting four Survivors against one Killer, with no offline single-player campaign.
Which game has more content, Dying Light Essentials Edition or Dead by Daylight?
Dying Light Essentials Edition bundles roughly 100 hours of content into a single purchase, including The Following expansion. Dead by Daylight has a much larger ongoing DLC library of licensed characters, but most of it is sold separately from the base game.
Which is cheaper, Dying Light or Dead by Daylight?
Dead by Daylight is cheaper at checkout, priced at $19.99 compared to Dying Light Essentials Edition’s $24.99, though its DLC library adds cost over time.
Does Dead by Daylight have licensed horror characters?
Yes. Its roster mixes original Killers and Survivors with licensed crossover characters from franchises including Halloween and Saw.
