Killer Frequency Review | TheXboxHub

Late-night radio shows are a fascinating listen. There is a calm pace to the DJ patter in how they talk; a vibe to the music of the program. Callers ring up at 4am with confessions and anecdotes they wouldn’t dream of talking about in the day. It’s a properly special time for a radio talk show.

So that’s why Team17 have gone about publishing Killer Frequency; a game about a late-night radio talk show in the middle of a small town in America. But… there is a serial killer on the loose and the radio station is the only hope of stopping them. 

Killer Frequency puts you into the DJ shoes of Forest Nash who once was a big star on national radio across America. But now he is down on his luck and has to make-do with a late-night talk show in the small town of Gallows Creek. You play nearly all of the game on the radio station, taking in a long night of mishaps. You and your producer Peggy are the only two people in the radio station when all hell breaks loose. 

It focuses on the return of a serial killer. The Whistling Man is hunting once more in Gallows Creek. The local sheriff is killed and it is now up to you to field all the 911 calls throughout the night, trying to help others who are being hunted by the killer. But at the same time, you have to keep the records playing, the adverts moving and never have dead air. 

The premise and story are the heart of this game and they do deliver a brilliant yarn. It’s funny, tongue in cheek, but also filled with some brilliant bits of crime horror. The characters are well-rounded and interesting, from the main leads all the way to the small parts of the guests ringing up. There is some great writing and attention to detail which allows Killer Frequency to hum along through its five hour running time. 

The game is played in the first person, delivered in two parts. The first has you operating as a DJ. Here you can pick and choose records from your collection, sticking them on the turntable and playing them. You also need to pick from a selection of ads on cassette (did I say it’s set in 1987?) and put them into the machine when requested. Then you have a control panel, with amazing sound effects to play. But most importantly we have the phone lines. It’s here where most of the action will take place. 

A caller will ring up in jeopardy, and it is left to you to try and help them out. This is where Killer Frequency gets clever and a bit interesting. In one instance you need to remember how to administer first aid and the steps needed to stop a stabbing. Another moment in time will have you heading to the radio station offices, finding a maze map to help navigate a victim who is trapped there by giving them directions. Each caller requires a different set of gameplay techniques to get them out of trouble and – frankly – all of them are wonderful and enjoyable to explore. I killed all my callers due to total ineptitude, but you should be able to save them all. 

The thing is, Killer Frequency is dialogue-heavy and parts of the game may feel a bit too much. If you don’t find yourself getting on with the story, I don’t think the unique gameplay mechanics will swing it for you. Personally, Killer Frequency always kept me on my toes and rarely did the excitement diminish.  

The visuals utilise a cel-shaded type of animation that works well. The station has some brilliant bits of detail included, especially in terms of magazines, broken arcade machines, letters, and old PCs. The neon colour scheme is great, as are the album covers of the records you get to play. The sound is radiant, with a collection of great original tracks from the 1980s. There’s also a killer signature tune in the end credits. Most of the heavy lifting is done by the stellar voice-over cast working with a range of brilliant characters where they can deliver pathos and comedy in equal measure. 

Killer Frequency provides some brilliant 1980’s slasher horror vibes, but never takes itself too seriously. It does a great job of introducing and implementing some superb gameplay mechanics, trying different things as you attempt to keep your callers alive. But away from that, you may just enjoy chucking some records on and working through the life of a DJ.

There’s no doubt that Killer Frequency may come with a bit too much dialogue for some, and occasionally some bits do drag, but ultimately there is a great story found within; one that explores the twilight zone of late-night radio. 

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