The Casting of Frank Stone Review: An Intriguing Glimpse Beyond the Fog

The Casting of Frank Stone deepens the ongoing lore of the Dead by Daylight franchise, giving us a glimpse of the Entity’s control outside the Fog through the eyes of new characters. As you explore the town of Cedar Hills, you'll step into the shoes of various new characters - including teens Linda, Chris, Jaime, and Sam - across several different timelines.

You'll not only uncover the history of Cedar Hills itself, but also how this mysterious area, and the elusive Augustine Lieber, ties into the multidimensional terror of the Entity as a whole. While new,this explanation of the mechanisms behind the Fog managed to never feel forced, or like a tacked-on addition to the main game; instead, everything explained in the game enhances fans’ existing understanding of the Fog, the Entity, and their victims in a way that just makes sense.

Speaking of Dead by Daylight, the game also does a great job of seamlessly weaving elements of the original 4v1 throughout, with familiar musical motifs, gameplay elements (skill checks, anyone?), and references to survivors and killers that fans will already know. As a long-time fan of DBD, I had a lot of fun finding the beautifully-modeled killer Relliks scattered around, and taking a close look at killer belongings in the Curiosities Shop. 

Beyond its ties to Dead by Daylight, the Casting of Frank Stone boasts some solid gameplay of its own, and a narrative that quickly drew me in. Like in The Quarry, Supermassive Games’ other title, choices do matter in The Casting of Frank Stone. In fact, they completely determine what experience you'll have. What you choose to do could kill a character, save them, or leave them severely injured, and it’s not always clear what the consequences of your actions may be.

There was one decision where my split-second choice didn't at all go how I planned, resulting in a character's death that heavily impacted the rest of the game. This uncertainty creates an aura of tension that is perfect for a title in the Dead by Daylight universe, and forces you to think deeply about the implications your next move. The pacing is well-thought-out, with intriguing discoveries and character discussions wedged between tense combat and stealth sections.

The thirty Artifacts scattered throughout the game also give players the chance to learn more about the world of Frank Stone and Dead by Daylight as a whole. These Artifacts are carefully crafted, and I enjoyed flipping through the pages of each book, magazine, and pamphlet to unveil new details. While these Artifacts are extremely detailed and add a lot of depth to the story and world, I can't help but wish that developers would've highlighted them a bit more. 

The text in the Artifact books themselves comprises of lots of details and references, but the much easier-to-read typed text on the right only presents a summary. For example, one book offers a deep dive into a character's spiritual beliefs that are key to who they are, but the side text only offers a paragraph or two of that information. If you're the type of player to want to read every little detail, the game doesn't make it easy- but it should, given the amount of love the game's writers have put into these bits and pieces scattered around the world. 

Thankfully, thanks to the Cutting Room Floor mode, which you'll unlock with the Deluxe edition or after completing the game once, you can easily go back to older chapters and see which ones contain Artifacts. With this, you can always go back for another read if you'd like. This mode is also a great feature since it allows you to go back and repeat chapters with ease; this way, you can choose a different path and learn what could've happened without repeating the entire game. This is one major improvement from The Quarry that makes The Casting of Frank Stone far more replayable, and overall a change that really makes this title shine. 

All in all, The Casting of Frank Stone stands out as an excellent and fitting new addition to the Dead by Daylight universe. Blending familiar narrative elements with new characters, the game gives players the power to make their own decisions in a way that perfectly suits the Fog. This Dead by Daylight adaptation is arguably Supermassive Games' best title yet, and will likely not only become a fan-favorite for DBD fans, but for fans of choose-your-own-adventure narrative titles altogether. It breathes new life into Dead by Daylight, but is also an interesting, well-made, and developed enough story to stand entirely on its own.