Killer Frequency is one of the better games I’ve played this year. I think it is similar to Rewind or Die but has better graphics and a better story. The gameplay could be better, but working out what you’re supposed to do is still fun.
The story is terrific! It reminds me of slasher movies from the 80s and 90s. It has the humor of Scream and the lore of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. It felt closer to the Scream TV show but with an outsider’s perspective instead of a potential victim.
The game does lack a sense of danger. While people are being killed in the game, having this happen over the phone creates a buffer for the character. I didn’t feel scared while playing it, but I was tense while trying to save people.
TLDR: A Great Call Back to Slasher Movies of the 80s and 90s.
Narrative
The story is something out of a horror movie from the 80s. You play as a radio personality, Forrest Nash, who just moved to a small market. He was working in Chicago but had to take a job in a small town. He learns about the town during the game with the help of his producer, Peggy.
The game takes place over the course of a night. It starts with the reveal that a killer is on the loose and the sheriff has been killed. The town only has three police officers. One is killed, one is incapacitated, and the third is on vacation.
For reasons that only make sense in a video game, the 911 operator forwards calls to the radio station, and it is up to Forrest and Peggy to help the people survive the night. As you save people, parts of the town’s lore are given to the player.
Early in the game, you learn that the killer is called The Whistling Man. He is supposed to have been killed in the 1950s but has somehow returned in the late 80s to get revenge on the town. The game has parallels with the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street movies. It is also similar to other slasher movies from the 80s and 90s.
It can be a funny game. The story has some running jokes, like Ponty’s Pizza calling in to get free advertising. Other people are also calling in to exploit the situation for their own purposes.
I also find it funny that the 911 operator is forwarding calls to the radio station. It doesn’t make sense, but it feels like something that would happen in a horror movie. If it didn’t happen, then we wouldn’t have a game!
Like many slasher movies, this one starts with a prank that went too far. It resulted in the death of a high school student named George, and the crime was covered up to protect the rich kid, Teddy. Unfortunately for Teddy, George had a girlfriend who is now looking for revenge.
The town myth of the Whistling Man is a nice cover for the murders. It adds some confusion to the story, which helps to hide the killer’s identity. This is one of the many tropes of the slasher genre, and the game executes it well.
The story is outstanding! While it is about a town with a secret and a killer on a rampage, it is presented differently from other stories with similar tropes. It is an interesting take on the genre.
I wasn’t sure where to put this, but let’s briefly talk about Ponty’s Pizza. This guy will call in all the time to promote his business. It acts as comic relief from the more serious parts of the game. Hearing how Ponty gets on the air is pretty funny.
Overall, I like the story a lot! It is funny and keeps the player moving through it quite quickly. The puzzles are excellently worked into the narrative.
P.S. There is an epilogue to the game. It plays into the killer’s identity and sets the game up for a potential sequel. It feels like the endings of the Scream movies or TV show where things are wrapped up, but you have a teaser for a possible sequel.
Gameplay
Killer Frequency is a simple game to play. Most of what you’re doing is making dialogue choices and finding clues to puzzles. You also have to search the radio station where the game takes place.
The game gives you some obvious clues as to where you need to go to find what you need. When you take callers, they will provide clues about what you need to do. Once the call is over, Peggy will discuss what was said, and you’ll get more information on what you need to do.
There is some incentive to save people from a narrative standpoint. Some of the people will give you clues to the killer’s identity and the motive for the killings. However, just because you have the answers doesn’t mean you’ll make the right choices on your first playthrough.
The gameplay isn’t perfect. There isn’t much action in the game; sometimes, it feels like something should happen, but it doesn’t. The gameplay does create plot holes in the narrative, but the humor and the story can get you past this.
Overall, the gameplay gets the job done. The controls are easy, the clues aren’t too hard, and things are easy. The beginning tutorial walks you through the basic controls, and things don’t get much more complicated.
Visuals
I like the way Killer Frequency looks. There is something about it that is familiar, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. At first, I thought it looked similar to a Tell Tale game, but the outlines don’t look as dark.
Telltale adventure games had a distinct style. The characters had dark black outlines, which made them stand out. Some things in Killer Frequency have this, but it isn’t as prominent as Telltale games.
Many of the key items can be identified before you pick them up. I could tell what I needed to solve a puzzle before examining it. After examining an item, I could still tell what was written on the item.
You’re going to be picking up magazines, notes, and pictures. You’ll also have to play cassette tapes and records. The game is set in the late 80s, so this stuff would’ve been common in that era.
The game uses a first-person perspective and plays like a point-and-click adventure game. Aside from Peggy and The Whistling Man, You don’t see other characters in the game. They look fine.
Overall, I like the look of the game. It looks like the 80s, or at the very least, how people remember the 80s. It is easy to see what you need to pick up, and getting lost in the game is hard.
8.5/10. I like this style of horror game. There isn’t much danger for the player here, but you’re incentivized to keep people alive to get more insight into the story. However, the gameplay is a little basic for me.
Pros
- Fun Story
- Interesting Idea for a Game
- Nostalgia for Slasher Movies
- Replayability!
Cons
- Gameplay is very Basic
- Some Glaring Plot Holes
Conclusion
Killer Frequency is one game that slipped past me when it was released. I might have heard about it on Twitter, but I’m unsure. It shares similarities with Rewind or Die as they both lean on 80s and 90s nostalgia. However, I think this game is much better!
The game isn’t perfect. As a horror game, it isn’t as scary as it could be. There wasn’t a time that I was afraid because there was no sense of danger for my character. There were two points where the game could’ve used some jump scares or a chase sequence, but those never happened.
It tries to be scary for the player, but those scares don’t connect for me. The setting and the story are good, but I think more could’ve been done to scare the player.
I like the game. It is one of the better games I’ve played this year, but I don’t think it will be in contention for my game of the year. If they do make a sequel to this, I’ll check it out, as I like the idea of having a killer calling into a radio station mid-rampage.