Killer Frequency
#13
PC - Steam
Beaten June 11th, 2023
A puzzle/walking-sim/visual novel disguised as a horror game (or wearing the mask of one...?) Killer Frequency is about a washed up, blacklisted DJ from the Big City being forced into rural overnight radio... as he's constantly demeaning his new home, a local legend reappears and starts knifing the townsfolk! Can our 'hero' and his plucky producer slash sidekick help out Gallows Creek, or will there be no one left to see the dawn??
The Good -
-Vibeeeeeesssssss man! Set in 1987 we've got the usual Neon 80's vibe, but also the small-town setting, washed up DJ trying to put a fun spin on the local murders (especially if you choose the right dialogue options) really comes together to make something special.
-Shooting hoops during long dialogue scenes, excellent choice by the devs
Playing your own vinyls! Just the amount of buttons really is cool - playing tapes, taking calls, etc. The board feels properly interactive to play with, it would've been easy to just "press A for next section" but they went that extra mile with all the interactivity.
-Voice acting is pretty perfectly cheesy for the B-movie PG-13 horror movie they're going for. Nash and Peggy esp
-Cast of characters is SOLID - well meaning but a bit ditzy producer, Pizza shop who won't stop calling to advertise their deals, RollerRink Guy and his dog, teenagers being dumb, creepy killer... Nailed it, team!
-The main story and its mystery are a bit by the numbers but executed well. Misdirects a-plenty and there's a point where you've got enough clues to legit get one over on the killer if you're paying attention and not just clicking options.
The Meh -
-Some of the actual 'gameplay' segments of exploration definitely needed a little more to them. I feel like there should have been some puzzles or something?
-The 'puzzles' for helping people on the phone calls could have been a bit clearer, in a few cases I legit didn't understand why I couldn't save some of the people! I didn't really play around with it though as I wanted the story to progress as naturally as possible.
-Ending is definitely a setup for a sequel but in some ways feels a bit undercooked. I feel like Forest and Peggy (or just the station in general) needed one more scene or something at the end.
The Bad -
-Pacing is off - not sure if the game should've been a bit shorter (I finished in 5.5hrs, maybe an hour less?) or maybe the office experiences should've been more involved that may have kept my interest a bit better.
The Hmm -
-We can see Peggy's monochrome model (great perm btw) through the window for most of the game but no reveal at the end???
-Expanding on that last point, definitely felt a lowwwwww budget on this one. Basically no working models at all other than the killer, station is pretty small and underused... It's not bad, just noticeable.
Killer Frequency is a damn solid B-movie horror presented as an interesting but not mind-blowing puzzler with great vibes and even greater hair.
Final Grade, very appropriately: B
#13
PC - Steam
Beaten June 11th, 2023
A puzzle/walking-sim/visual novel disguised as a horror game (or wearing the mask of one...?) Killer Frequency is about a washed up, blacklisted DJ from the Big City being forced into rural overnight radio... as he's constantly demeaning his new home, a local legend reappears and starts knifing the townsfolk! Can our 'hero' and his plucky producer slash sidekick help out Gallows Creek, or will there be no one left to see the dawn??
The Good -
-Vibeeeeeesssssss man! Set in 1987 we've got the usual Neon 80's vibe, but also the small-town setting, washed up DJ trying to put a fun spin on the local murders (especially if you choose the right dialogue options) really comes together to make something special.
-Shooting hoops during long dialogue scenes, excellent choice by the devs
Playing your own vinyls! Just the amount of buttons really is cool - playing tapes, taking calls, etc. The board feels properly interactive to play with, it would've been easy to just "press A for next section" but they went that extra mile with all the interactivity.
-Voice acting is pretty perfectly cheesy for the B-movie PG-13 horror movie they're going for. Nash and Peggy esp
-Cast of characters is SOLID - well meaning but a bit ditzy producer, Pizza shop who won't stop calling to advertise their deals, RollerRink Guy and his dog, teenagers being dumb, creepy killer... Nailed it, team!
-The main story and its mystery are a bit by the numbers but executed well. Misdirects a-plenty and there's a point where you've got enough clues to legit get one over on the killer if you're paying attention and not just clicking options.
The Meh -
-Some of the actual 'gameplay' segments of exploration definitely needed a little more to them. I feel like there should have been some puzzles or something?
-The 'puzzles' for helping people on the phone calls could have been a bit clearer, in a few cases I legit didn't understand why I couldn't save some of the people! I didn't really play around with it though as I wanted the story to progress as naturally as possible.
-Ending is definitely a setup for a sequel but in some ways feels a bit undercooked. I feel like Forest and Peggy (or just the station in general) needed one more scene or something at the end.
The Bad -
-Pacing is off - not sure if the game should've been a bit shorter (I finished in 5.5hrs, maybe an hour less?) or maybe the office experiences should've been more involved that may have kept my interest a bit better.
The Hmm -
-We can see Peggy's monochrome model (great perm btw) through the window for most of the game but no reveal at the end???
-Expanding on that last point, definitely felt a lowwwwww budget on this one. Basically no working models at all other than the killer, station is pretty small and underused... It's not bad, just noticeable.
Killer Frequency is a damn solid B-movie horror presented as an interesting but not mind-blowing puzzler with great vibes and even greater hair.
Final Grade, very appropriately: B