REVIEW: Gecco Dead By Daylight 1/6 WRAITH Statue

I LOVE horror, especially when it comes to survival horror video games. From classic titles like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, to more modern shockers such as The Evil Within and Outlast, I can’t get enough of the tense, nail-biting gameplay. Bucketloads of blood are a must, and the more bizarre the killers and creatures are, the better.

So when Gecco announced that they were producing collectible statues from the video game Dead By Daylight last summer (see our SDCC coverage HERE), I sat up and took notice. Described as an asymmetrical multiplayer horror game, Dead By Daylight pits one player as a killer against four people playing as survivors. For the killer, the goal is brutally simple: catch all the survivors and sacrifice them (via meathooks!) to an evil force called the Entity. For the survivors, their objective is to escape the map by repairing 5 broken generators (which in turn powers and opens an exit gate).

What makes Dead By Daylight such a thrill to play (aside from it’s unpredictable online nature), is the two ways you can play it. If you’re looking for a tense and challenging experience, playing as a survivor is the way to go. With team work, stealth and the aid of perks and add-ons (along with some some luck), it can be done. As the killer, hunting down your victims is an exhilarating hide-and-go-seek rush. What is particularily cool are the 18 (!) different killers you can pick to play as, each with their own unique “kill powers”. The current list features licensed characters, such as the Demogorgon from Stranger Things, Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger, and Halloween’s Michael Myers. Playing as these well known slashers is fun, however, it is the distinct designs of the core killers created for Dead By Daylight that impress me the most. That includes the subject of today’s review, the stealth killer known as The Wraith.

I won’t bore you too much with his backstory (it’s all laid out on the brilliant packaging, or you can read it HERE). This is one of the more spectral, supernatural killers in the game and Gecco made a smart decision debuting him first. The Wraith truly highlights the wild range of original killers in Dead By Daylight – from said supernatural to more gory bruisers.

Out of the box, The Wraith impresses with it’s tall, spooky sculpt. Cast in 1/6th scale, this frightening figure measures a large 14-inches tall! Minimally dressed in bloody bandages and a ragged cloak, the gangley Wraith strikes fear with it’s soulless expression and speckled, rotting flesh.

The figure, made of a durable PVC plastic, plugs into an elaborate display base depicting The Wraith’s place of origin, the Autohaven Wreckers auto scrap yard. This is one of the most elaborate bases Gecco has created. The base features an intricately sculpted wall of crushed cars, creepy blood red runes carved into the back and a tarp cover that collectors have the option of draping over the scrap pile. It struck me as almost a shame to cover up some of that incredible sculpting work with the tarp, but the piece does add some extra character to base, so I went with it.

With raw, bloody bare feet, The Wraith chases afters its prey with a sinister-looking bladed mace called “Azarov’s Skull”. The unique weapon is literally made of the skull and spinal column of The Wraith’s first victim and looks absolutely breathtaking in collectible form. The remarkable paint work here really brings to life the twisted mesh of worn bone and shiny, blood-stained steel. To display, simply plug in the small peg on the weapon’s handle with the hole on The Wraith’s right palm.

Another cool-looking accessory is the Wailing Bell, a heavy cast iron bell which allows The Wraith to enter and walk the Spirit World when rung. The bell is The Wraith’s killer power, allowing him to move faster while also being almost totally invisible. While the ominous bong of the bell alerts survivors of The Wraith’s presense when he uncloaks, by then, it’s almost too late. Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” would make a great theme song for The Wraith.

Collectors have the option of displaying their Wraith statue with his left arm at his side, or they can swap-out the arm with one bent that features a magnet to hold the Wailing Bell. I’m one that likes to display my characters with as many themed-accessories as possible, so showing off The Wraith with the Wailing Bell was a no-brainer for me. The neutral pose is nice too, and one could always place the Wailing Bell on the ground next to The Wraith. Regardless of how you display him, fans will appreciate all the display options given to them.

Speaking of display options, Gecco provides one more: a cool light-up feature! Similar to their Dark Souls Black Knight statue, removing The Wraith’s head allows you to flip a switch for eerie light-up eyes. What’s really neat this time around is that TWO light colors are available – just like customizing The Wraith in the game. Flipping the switch one direction gives The Wraith ghostly white eyes, while flipping it the other way illuminates the eyes with a blood red glow (the middle position turns the lights off). Both colors look fantastic, but I much prefer the evil red.

Gecco picked a killer (no pun intended) collectibles license with Dead By Daylight. While not as well known as say, Resident Evil, the game has shown immense longevity and growth. Originally released in 2016, Dead By Daylight has drastically improved and expanded over the years, culminating with the Dead By Daylight: Nightmare Edition released this past December. As of May 2019 the game sold more than 5 million copies, so yeah, the player base for Dead By Daylight is there (and it recently just received a new player in me:) ).

However, what ultimately makes the Dead By Daylight statue license so great is the selection of imaginative killers Gecco has to choose from. The Wraith is an excellent introduction to the Dead By Daylight series with its highly unique design. If you dig unusual, twisted creatures like myself, The Wraith makes a stand-out addition to your collection. And that’s the thing, you don’t even have to know anything about Dead By Daylight to appreciate this statue. It simply looks cool.

The Wraith statue is available for pre-order directly through Gecco HERE priced at $359.99, as well as through many other fine retailers, including BigBadToyStore.com and Entertainment Earth. It should be shipping very soon.

I’m already looking forward to Gecco’s next release, The Trapper, the sadistic masked killer armed with a huge bloody cleaver and survivor-catching bear traps. I love playing this killer in Dead By Daylight. Nothing like hearing the loud snap of a trap followed by a survivor’s scream as they struggle to get out. Like fishing humans. And after The Trapper? Gecco has plans for even more Dead By Daylight statues, including the chainsaw-toting Hillbilly, just-announced The Spirit (pictured below), to-be-announced Survivors, in addition to iconic objects from the game, including a generator and skull totem!

Scroll on for more photos of The Wraith!