I’m a huge fan of the slasher genre. Out of every sub category in the wide horror genre, the slasher appeals to me the most. There’s just something thrilling about watching characters attempt to survive a monster in a mask that wants to butcher them to bits. Despite it being one of the most successful subgenres of film, it hasn’t really cracked the video game space all that much. Sure we’ve had gems like Friday the 13th, and some inversions of the genre like Until Dawn. But for the most part, if you want to live out the fantasy of being in a slasher film, the pickings are slim.
In comes Killer Frequency to change all of that; and it’s an absolute blast. If I had to pin it down, it feels like playing a video game version of the opening of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (the best one). That may sound like it’s coming out of nowhere with the angle but Killer Frequency puts players in the role of Forrest Nash, a disgraced radio DJ who moves from Chicago to the small town of Gallows Creek. It may seem like a drastic downgrade but Gallows Creek was home to a ruthless serial killer named the Whistling Man who disappeared without a trace.
It’s a fantastic set-up, and after a brief opening, players are thrown into the radio booth where Forest is about to have a really bad night.
Players are expected to deliver on the duties of a radio host. They’ll pick records to play, introduce songs, run ad reads and answer late night calls. Most everything in the radio station has some level of interaction and it’s an absolute joy to “work” at this radio station. It feels like stepping into a time machine and stepping back out into the mid-80s. It’s wild to pick out a song to play, and introduce it like you would an actual DJ. With intuitive yet simple controls I was running things like clockwork and felt as if I was ready for a shift at my local radio station. Some people may find this opening to be a bit slow but for me it provided a great example of world building. That said, I can see this becoming an annoyance on repeat playthroughs.
Once you get your bearings is where the real story begins and Killer Frequency comes into its own as a unique horror experience. After a series of mishaps, Forrest’s late night radio show becomes the 911 dispatch for Gallows Creek and he has to contend with the return of the Whistling Man who is stalking the town. At regular intervals throughout the night, residents will call into Forrest’s show and ask for help in escaping the Whistling Man. The residents are fully fleshed out and it’s entertaining as hell to hear Forrest bring his radio DJ humor to serious situations which keeps the tone light and enjoyable. This slasher story isn’t an exercise in misery or gore but instead a comedy horror romp in the vein of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
See where the comparisons are starting to turn up?
While residents call in, Forrest is tasked with helping them in their escape. These range from walking a woman through hotwiring a car or helping a man trapped in an office building find a safe path away from the killer. These situations quickly turn into brain twisting puzzles and with timed responses and reactions, I found myself stressed (in a good way) during every single encounter. There were even a few moments when I thought for sure I had helped the resident with their task only to hear their untimely (and I’m assuming bloody) demise on the other end of the line. Killer Frequency makes me want to replay it to see if I can save everybody or nobody at all, a feeling I haven’t really had since playing The Quarry last year. The choices are there for you to make but they’re never as obvious as you might hope. It’s a great sign that when I hit the end credits of a game, I’m curious to fire it back up again and see what I could do differently.
The story in Killer Frequency is fascinating but a lot of it plays out off screen so mileage may vary. I do admittedly like my slashers to be visual gore-fests, but this one ended up working for me all the same. That said, the art style is impeccable and delicious in its display. With the game being set in the mid-80s, there’s a wealth of neon and color but also wood paneling evocative of the era. The attention to detail is something to praise and that also comes out in the sound department with music cues that are era appropriate, from bumping synthwave to hard rock and everything in between. The vibes are there and there’s something for everybody.
The game runs at a rock solid 60fps on my PS5, though I would’ve liked an FOV slider as the standard view feels a little too close for comfort. For the most part, expect a smooth experience.
Killer Frequency is a pretty unique slasher video game that wears its bloody heart on its sleeve. It may not appeal to every taste but if you give it a shot you may be surprised at how unlike any other game the experience truly is. Slasher games are hard to come by so it’s a great thing when one comes out of nowhere and ends up being a blast. Killer Frequency might not work for me on every single level, but I sure am glad it exists.
Killer Frequency is now available on PC and consoles.
Review code provided by the publisher.