Death Note Video Game Coming To PlayStation, Says Ratings Board Leak

Death Note may not be the first thing one thinks of when considering anime video games but it seems like such an adaptation is in development for PlayStation systems. The ever-popular story of Light Yagami and his mystical notebook capable of killing anyone and everyone has been adapted several times over but when it comes to interactive media, the offerings are slim. Aside from a handful of titles released for the Nintendo DS and mobile devices, there aren’t many options for those wanting to experience Death Note through the lens of a video game.

That’s about to change though as Gematsu reports that a new listing on the Taiwan Digital Game Rating Committee’s website suggests that a game titled Death Note: Killer Within is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Next to nothing is known about the game but it’s worth noting that publisher Shueisha originally trademarked the title on June 12. Ratings board leaks are generally accurate when it comes to unannounced projects but as far as a release date is concerned, it’s difficult to predict a window; If it’s been rated, it could be close to release, or at the very least, an announcement may be imminent.

How Would A Death Note Game Play?

Difficult To Imagine It Being An Arena Fighter

When it comes to adapting anime stories into video games, developers tend to go the route of arena fighters like Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, My Hero One’s Justice 2, and One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows. While these games generally do a decent job of capturing the over-the-top battles of Shonen anime, it’s difficult to imagine the genre working well for Death Note. A psychological thriller that relies more on tension and wit than outright battles, an arena fighter would likely fail to capture what makes the story so captivating.

One could see Death Note: Killer Within going in the direction of a visual novel. Something akin to the Ace Attorney games that requires players to investigate crimes and piece together evidence with logic puzzles would be a better fit. It remains unknown if that’s the direction Killer Within will take but curious fans likely won’t need to wait much longer to find out.

Screen Rant’s Take: A Death Not Video Game Could Be Great

Give Players The Job Of Stopping Light Yagami

While I’m not all that familiar with Death Note, having watched it once years ago, I have to imagine that a detective-style visual novel that tasks players with finding Light before he kills again could be excellent. Whether that sees users taking on the role of L or a new character entirely, becoming embroiled in a game of cat-and-mouse with someone able to kill anyone in the world would make for a fun interactive drama. Only time will tell if Killer Within can satisfy enthusiasts who have waited many years for an accurate video game adaptation.

Source: Gematsu

Death Note

Created by

Takeshi Obata , Tsugumi Ohba

Character(s)

Light Yagami , L Lawliet , Ryuk , Misa Amane , Near (Death Note) , Mello (Death Note) , Teru Mikami , Minoru Tanaka

Video Game(s)

Death Note: Kira Game