Killer Frequency [PC] | REVIEW

Who’d have thought the song ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ could be taken so literally? Killer Frequency puts players in the role of a radio DJ as they help their callers survive the wrath of a deadly killer on one fateful night and… do I need to say anymore? Come on… you’re sold on the concept alone, right? The game is as cool as it sounds, and whilst it could have been a bit more challenging, there’s plenty of fun to be had as you dish out instructions to ensure your callers don’t meet a grisly end.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Killer Frequency takes place in the 80s, with the player taking on the role of radio DJ Forrest Nash as he runs his late-night show (which, fittingly, is known as The Scream) in the town of Gallows Creek. It’s a pretty easy-going gig that consists of your typical radio hijinks, but things take a more sinister turn when the local police call up to let you know that a killer is out on the hunt. Worse still, they’re a little short-staffed, so are going to have the emergency calls that come in diverted over to your show. This means you’ve got to give callers the advice and instruction required to ensure they survive the onslaught of the masked murderer.

I absolutely LOVED the story behind Killer Frequency. Don’t get me wrong, it’s absolutely absurd and there’s no way in the world anything like this would really happen, but that’s what makes it so damn fun (and even more impressive that it also manages to actually feel believable). It helps that there’s some brilliant writing on show across the entirety of the experience, whilst the excellent voice work will really make you feel like you are part of a radio show and dealing with this manic audience. It’s expertly delivered and makes the experience all the more engaging.

Ultimately, the gameplay of Killer Frequency revolves around solving puzzles, but you’ve got to be practical in how you do so. You’re confined to a radio booth after all, so when people call in needing your assistance, you’ve only got what’s around you to help them out. And of course, with a rampant killer stalking them most of the time, you’ll have to be snappy about it. As you progress, more of the radio station will open up so you’ll have access to more items, but ultimately you have to be pretty resourceful with what’s at hand.

“Killer Frequency might be all about a killer on the loose and feature PLENTY of death (especially if you do a bad job), but it does so with a comedic twist that’s reminiscent of the Scream franchise.”

Fortunately, what you have around you is more than adequate to help save some lives, with each puzzle proving to be pretty straightforward when it comes down to it. Have someone stuck in a maze needing your help? Just use the nearby map to guide them along. Someone lost the key to their car and need to start it to get away? It’s a good job you have a magazine handy that gives you the instructions to hotwire a car. All the information you need to help everyone to survive is found around you; you’ve just got to relay the steps required to them in a quick and efficient manner to ensure they DO live. It’s a fun and intuitive approach to puzzle-solving that helps make Killer Frequency feel that bit more unique than other puzzlers, whilst there’s a real sense of tension felt as you try to help each caller out.

I guess the only real problem is that it could feel a bit too easy. Once you found the necessary items required to help someone out, delivering instructions was simple enough and rarely put me on the spot. Furthermore, the puzzles themselves aren’t really all that complex, and you’re only likely to fail if you accidentally press the wrong response in-game. At least there are consequences if you do mess up – the folk you’re meant to be helping will actually die if you don’t help them out, so yeah… have fun living with that on your conscience.

It’s also worth noting that Killer Frequency is available on VR platforms, and I’d argue that it was designed with those in mind. Don’t get me wrong, it felt great to play on PC, but there were times when interacting with the environment or examining objects where I KNOW it would have been a lot more immersive in a VR headset. If you were torn on what platform to get the game on, I’d probably recommend going for VR if it’s an option.

Check out some screenshots down below:

I just found Killer Frequency to be a really, REALLY cool experience. There’s something really satisfying about taking on the role of a radio DJ in a night of terror, whilst the whole vibe of the radio station and everything you can discover within it is really slick. I was a big fan of the game’s visuals as a whole, with the cartoon-like style and vibrant colours fitting the tone of the experience perfectly, whilst the soundtrack felt like it belonged in the 80s. Sure, Killer Frequency might be all about a killer on the loose and feature PLENTY of death (especially if you do a bad job), but it does so with a comedic twist that’s reminiscent of the Scream franchise.

Developer: Team17
Publisher: Team17
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Meta Quest 2
Website: https://www.killerfrequency.game/