If you have ever wanted to be a radio DJ while a serial killer is running around town, then Killer Frequency is the title for you. Team17 and Fireshine Games have teamed up to develop and produce this absolute gem of a title.

You’re a radio DJ back in 1987 in the small town of Gallows Creek where you do the graveyard shift as Forest Nash. Little did you know, once the clock strikes 12:00 am and you are on the air, it turns into a graveyard shift you will never forget.

You start the game running through the street for a tutorial, and you are greeted by “The Whistling Man,” a well-known serial killer in Gallow’s Creek back in the 50s, where he was chased by the police but never found after he dove into a river. You get given a little rundown on how to work all the tech in the studio from the producer, Peggy, and this is when the fun begins – you get your first caller, Leslie, who is the 911 operator for Gallow’s Creek.

You need to make sure you listen carefully to all phone calls as you will be given small puzzles to complete or be forced to choose something which could and will lead to either life or death.

There was so much thought put into the sounds of this title and being based around being a radio station, that needed to be done. The first thing you will notice is the 80s feeling music that comes with the era the game is based around.

The voice acting was done fantastically, and there is a lot, from the people calling into the show to talking to the show producer, Peggy. You have the option to change the records playing and also play around with a soundboard, which I found myself pressing at inappropriate times. This game was fine-tuned so well with the sounds and immersion it brought to the title.

The tutorial will tell you all the controls you need to learn, and even while playing, you are given subtle hints on certain things you need to do. I would love to see this game in VR, as it felt like it was designed with this in mind, but I played with the Xbox Controller. You have the option to pick things up and throw them or even place them down, like putting records onto the record player.

While you are talking to the listeners of the radio show, you can throw paper balls into a basketball hoop in the corner of the station’s room. I loved how basic the controls were, but the control you had with the items made it feel more advanced than it actually was. Being able to do things like adjusting the volume sliders or even pressing the button to transfer someone onto line 1 to see what they wanted immersed me so heavily into this title.

I loved the graphics and what the developers did with the art style in this title. There were the bright and vibrant colors you would see in the 80s with that neon glow, and everything inside the studio had a wood grain finish and looked retro, which worked well for the game being based in the 80s. The character models I can’t comment on this too much, as the only person we got to see briefly was The Whistling Man, whose model looked amazing, but with people like Peggy, you more or less just see a silhouette of them.

If you love a game with some detective work, some puzzles, and an amazing story that keeps you immersed, then Killer Frequency is designed for you. The game plays so well and keeps you thinking from the moment you boot up the game to when you shut it down.

Written by: Hayden Nelson