Paradise Killer
| Paradise Killer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Kaizen Game Works |
| Composer(s) | Barry Topping |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Switch, Windows |
| Release | September 4, 2020 |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Paradise Killer is an open world adventure mystery video game developed by British[1] studio Kaizen Game Works. In it the player explores Paradise Island while trying to uncover the culprit behind a murder. The game released on September 4, 2020 for Windows and Nintendo Switch.[2][3]
Gameplay
Paradise Killer is a detective story told as an open world adventure game.[4] The player wanders a 3D world in search of evidence and clues, in order to solve several mysteries.[5] Although the player can bring the characters to trial at any time, it is more effective to gather more evidence in order to gain a conviction.[6]
Development
The game was inspired from a variety of different sources including H. P. Lovecraft, Danganronpa, and Franz Kafka. The developers mentioned wanting to create a place that would be familiar and comprehensible to the player, while still feeling alien enough to make the player interested to explore it. Kaizan mentions that the game was designed to feel more real though how artifacts are scattered around island, creating a sense of mystery. The music of the game is inspired by City pop.[7]
Reception
The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised the soundtrack and the open-ended nature of the investigation mechanics. The game has a score of 81 on Metacritic.[8] Alice Bell of Rock, Paper, Shotgun praised the game's setting and the soundtrack.[9] Joe Skrebels, writing for IGN enjoyed the vaporwave aesthetic of the game and the endgame trial.[5] GameSpot called it "a detective game like no other, an excellent, bizarre, and utterly singular take on the adventure game".[4] Destructoid said the game was "sometimes boring, often intriguing, frequently funny, and startlingly deep. I didn’t go into this expecting such an amazing detective experience, but that’s exactly what I got".[6]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 8.5/10 |
| Edge | 8/10 |
| GameSpot | 9/10 |
| IGN | 9/10 |
| Nintendo Life | 8/10 |
References
- ^ "About". Kaizen Game Works. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ "Save 25% on Paradise Killer on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ "Paradise Killer for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Game Details". www.nintendo.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ a b "Paradise Killer Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
- ^ a b Paradise Killer Review - IGN, retrieved 2020-12-29
- ^ a b "Review: Paradise Killer". Destructoid. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
- ^ "Making weirdness work: The sun-drenched horror of Paradise Killer". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ "Paradise Killer". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
- ^ Bell, Alice (2020-09-09). "Paradise Killer review". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 2020-12-18.