Dead by Daylight - Doomed Course Review Summary

The Houndmaster's dog companion and unique perks make for a fresh, fan-praised killer, and petting the dog is a joy, but frequent bugs and poor dog AI pathfinding hold it back.

Houndmaster is fun: Many players find the Houndmaster killer enjoyable, with some calling it their favorite among recent additions. The unique and original design contributes to the fun.

Perks are interesting: Both survivor and killer perks are found interesting and appealing. Specific perks like 'Shoulder the Burden' are highlighted as great additions.

DLC is well-received: Multiple reviewers praise the DLC, describing it as good, excellent, and solid when on sale. The concept and value, especially for both survivor and killer perks, are highlighted.

Unique killer design praised: The killer's concept is repeatedly described as original, unique, and cool. This adds significant appeal to the character.

Dog petting feature loved: Players appreciate the ability to pet the dog mid-match, considering it a delightful and immersive detail.

Killer Plagued by Bugs: The killer is widely reported as broken and buggy, with pathing issues and unplayable conditions. Many players describe it as the buggiest killer ever added, still problematic months after release.

Dog Gets Stuck Frequently: The dog companion gets stuck on environmental props, obstacles, and ledges, often leaving the player without their power for the rest of the match. This issue is reported across many maps and situations.

Dog AI and Pathfinding Poor: The dog's AI is considered garbage, with terrible pathfinding that often takes inefficient routes or gets interrupted by small obstacles. The dog may not follow commands properly and gets stuck on walls.

Dog Bugs Visually and Gameplay: The dog is buggy both visually and in gameplay, not working as intended and glitching through pallets and windows. This leads to inconsistent behavior and frustration.

Killer Power Weak and Ineffective: The killer's power is often described as useless, hardly working, and not doing anything even when it does function. This makes the killer too weak and ineffective in matches.

Houndmaster dog companion core: The Houndmaster is a killer character whose power centers on a dog companion that can be commanded to search or chase survivors. The dog is central to the character's identity and gameplay.

Dog sent to generators: The dog can be sent to generators to search or scare survivors, and can also grab survivors it finds. This mechanic adds map pressure and detection.

DLC adds killer and survivor: The chapter or DLC introduces a new killer (Houndmaster) and a new survivor (Taurie), along with perks for both. It also includes cosmetics and abilities for the new characters.

Chase and Search commands: The Houndmaster's power has two main modes: a search command to send the dog out and a chase mode where the dog attacks or pursues survivors. These commands define the killer's core gameplay loop.

Dog can grab survivors: The Houndmaster's dog can grab or grapple survivors, pulling them as part of the killer's attack capabilities. This grab mechanic is a key part of the power.

Network and latency problems: Netcode issues, lag, rubberbanding, and frequent disconnections are commonly reported, indicating significant online infrastructure problems. These issues degrade the multiplayer experience.

Hitbox and visual glitches: Players encounter hitbox problems and visual artifacts, which can affect gameplay fairness and immersion. These bugs are noticeable but less frequently mentioned.

Stability and freeze issues: Players report frequent game freezes during load screens, requiring alt-F4 and relaunch every two matches. This severely disrupts gameplay sessions.

Houndmaster power recovery bug: A recurring bug causes the dog to get stuck after using the search ability on a generator, preventing power recovery for 30 seconds. This directly impacts a core character mechanic.

General bugs plague game: Numerous players report that bugs are pervasive throughout the game, affecting overall stability and enjoyment. This broad issue is widely mentioned.

Recommendation against buying Houndmaster: Many players strongly advise against purchasing the Houndmaster character or DLC, citing it as not worth the money or time. They recommend avoiding the purchase until significant fixes are made.

Positive recommendation for interested players: Despite negative reviews, some players recommend the DLC for those who enjoy the killer's playstyle or are fans of the character. They suggest giving it a try if interested.

Killer needs fixes and buffs: Many reviews highlight that the killer requires significant improvements, especially to the dog AI and overall viability. Players suggest waiting for patches before making a purchase.

Wait for discount before buying: Several reviewers suggest waiting for a substantial discount or sale before considering the purchase. Some recommend buying only on a good sale or using in-game shards instead of real money.

Purchase for survivor or perks: Some players find value in the DLC if they are interested in the survivor character or the perks, even if the killer is weak. The perks are considered good and usable on other characters.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00.

Reports praise certain perks but describe the mode as boring, bland, content-poor, and tedious; no evidence gives a timing cue for enjoyment beginning later.

Friction: Boring and bland mode; Mode feels devoid of content; Lack of novelty; Tedious gameplay; Survivor is boring to play as.

Meta Build Optimizer: Weighs perk value against objective timers, follows build trends, and coordinates perks with solo-queue teammates. Motivation: Winning by leveraging current meta perks and optimally timed builds. Stance: buy.

Bug-Frustrated Refund Seeker: Tests the new character's AI and abilities directly, tracks pathing failures, and compares reliability against existing killers. Motivation: Getting a functional, non-broken killer experience and warning others away from a buggy purchase. Stance: no buy.

Character-Loyal New Killer Main: Plays the killer frequently enough to learn her quirks, tolerates janky dog AI, and embraces unreliable ability behavior as part of the fun. Motivation: Committing to the killer as their main and enjoying her identity despite her flaws. Stance: buy.

Monetization: Reviews explicitly mention no microtransactions.

Killer compared to other killers: The killer is compared unfavorably to other killers like The Twins, Trickster, Skull Merchant, and Freddy. Some find it similar to The Puppeteer but better.

DLC lacks new map: Many reviewers complain that the DLC does not include a new map, unlike the previous Unknown DLC. This is a common point of dissatisfaction.

DLC review-bombed at launch: The DLC was review-bombed by players at launch and buried. Some reviewers find the negative reviews unclear.

No marketing for DLC: The DLC received no marketing, which may have contributed to its poor reception. This contrasts with the Unknown DLC which had good marketing.

Original chapters barely make money: Original chapters are said to barely make money and people buy them with shards. This DLC is an original chapter, not licensed.