I learned about Killer Frequency last year when I saw a YouTuber covered one of the early versions of this game before it got the full-on Steam release. I am not one usually for horror games, but watching the playthrough I realized this wasn’t a game out to scare me. I bought it but put off playing it since I had just seen a playthrough of the whole game. Well, a year later, I’ve forgotten enough of the plot points, and I figured it was a good game for the spooky season.
When this game first hit the scene, it was often referred to as a horror game by Internet pundits and the like, but I think that sets the wrong expectations for this game. It’s much more a suspense thriller. You aren’t being constantly jump scared, there’s no gore or body horror, often a staple of horror games, and you aren’t usually directly in the line of danger. There’s a few scenes where the music ramps up as you explore the alleyways and basement that do create a sense of dread as you worry if the killer is behind the next corner and there are a few scares to be had.
Set in 1987, the story sees you as a midnight radio DJ, Forrest Nash, in the small town of Gallows Creek. As your show gets started you receive a call from the local police station. It’s the 911 dispatcher, Leslie, telling you the sheriff has been killed by a local legend, the Whistling Man, a serial killer who disappeared in the 50s. The only other cop was knocked out cold by the killer and she can’t call out of town for help, so she’s going to drive to the nearby town with the downed officer to get help. In the meantime, it’s up to you to be 911 for the night. The premise is a bit out there, but not to the point of breaking the suspension of disbelief. I have heard of small towns that will use nursing homes or hospitals to help run 911 dispatches, but they are usually trained beforehand. During your radio show that night, you’ll field calls from locals who are being stalked by the Whistling Man. Early on, the story is simply helping people survive. Forrest is paired with his producer Peggy. You guys have some banter back and forth, Forrest is a grumpy DJ who used to run a major show in Chicago, but an incident landed him in Gallows Creek. Peggy is a cheery local who tries to be the counterpoint to Forrest. They have a good dynamic. I’ve noticed this trend in media of “Gruff, cynical, but quietly emotional, guy who develops a friendship over radio with a woman who’s been through it, but is trying to make the best outta life”. Okay, this is only the 3rd time I’ve noticed this, but I do find it’s a story premise I resonate with.
This game is meant to be a fun thriller, but I do find the story falters in developing the two main characters. We know Nash is a sourpuss who laments being stuck in a backwater town, but we never dig into what caused him to become blacklisted in the radio DJ world. Early we learn Peggy has some history with her parents and a sister that seems plot relevant, but we don’t learn much outside that. There were times between the emergency calls that would’ve been good for some personal moments to ease the mood. There is a mysterious woman, Dawn, who calls in and spurs on the last half of the story as you work to find out who is the Whistling Man and why he’s killing people tonight. In between the suspenseful moments, the game does humor fairly well. There’s the obnoxious owner of Ponty’s Pizza who pretends to be a caller to get free ad time, and the overall surreal goofiness that even with a killer on the loose, the show must go on. Forrest greets every emergency caller like their radio listeners, it’s goofy, but the game doesn’t get too tongue in cheek about it and balances it out nicely with the suspense segments.
Here comes the spoilery parts of the story, skip to “To get to the gameplay” to avoid them. Some of the callers mention “the thing” that happened years ago. Your first suspect is Clive, the radio station’s janitor. You go investigate his office and find a secret conspiracy room where Clive’s been investigating the death of a high school football player back in ‘68, George Barrow. The original report was that he died of drowning after drinking at a party, but then you find some notes from the coroner that make it clear there was a cover-up afoot. All of the callers being attacked by the Whistling Man were present at the party George died at. If Nash successfully saved them during the night, he calls them back to learn more about what happened that night. Right before a caller gives the big reveal, the power is cut & Peggy leaves. Eventually Nash gets locked in the sound booth with the Whistling Man looking at him through the glass. It’s the tensest scene in the game.
It turns out Dawn, real name Marie, is the Whistling Man, and so is her son she had with George in high school. She explains how they went to a party in the woods and the football team, led by their team captain, pulled a cruel prank that the Whistling Man returned. George fled up a hill and accidently fell off a cliff face to his death. The team captain was a Gallows, the wealthy old money family of the town, so George’s death was covered up to protect young Gallows future prospects, which includes running for mayor. It’s a very small-town type of crime story. The reveal is handled well, most of the loose ends are tied up nicely and there’s no glaring plot holes. To some extent you sympathize with the trauma these people caused Marie, but you can also tell her revenge will never be satisfied, she'll never be able to "kill away" her problem. There’s a nice breadcrumb earlier in the form of program from a high school play that starred George and Marie where she played a character called ‘Dawn’ found among Clive’s things, the game doesn’t make any note of it, but it’s a nice addition for gamers really paying attention. There’s is one twists that’s kind of a nothing twist where we learn Peggy and Marie are sisters. It only comes in at the end of the story to make you care more about the stakes since now your friend risks dying.
To get to the gameplay, there’s not much in the way of interactions. This game very much takes cues from walking simulators. There’s a lot of similarities between this game and Firewatch. You can pick up items and examine them or read notes to solve puzzles. Each caller is a puzzle to solve, such as directing someone through a corn maze or walking them through hotwiring a car. Luckily this game isn’t too brutal with time limits. You can hear the Whistling Man in the background of the call, but you still have plenty of time to work out your solutions in most situations. That said, I wouldn’t be opposed to a timer during calls. An ample one, mind you, but still enough to heighten that feeling of “this person’s life is in your hands & you gotta act quick”. There may have been a secret timer running, but I usually figured out puzzles quick enough. You have a set of radio DJ tools at your control as well, like a soundboard, collection of songs, and promo ads cassettes. They are mostly there for show, people don’t react to when you play a fart sound during their call or anything like that. I tried to follow the general rules of a radio program, playing outro jingles before commercials, announcing songs, not repeating songs close together, etc. It was mostly for my own roleplay, because this game isn’t trying to be a radio DJ simulator, though that would be something I’d play.
While the immediately noticeable influence of Killer Frequency is 80s slasher movies, most every street name is named after either a famous horror director or a reference to something in the movie itself, like Romero Drive or Haddonfield Lane, I also got a sort of Dirty Harry, 70s serial killer movie vibe. While the Whistling Man is propped up as possibly a killer back from the dead, there’s also this vibe of “he’s being methodical” not just slashing everyone like a Jason or Michael Myers. You aren’t trying to simply survive the night, but to solve the mystery. The Whistling Man also has a serial killer vibe with his appearance. It’s definitely something I could see me putting together for a Halloween costume. The radio station you spend the game in felt more like something out of the 70s vs the 80s. That could be intentional given this is a small town that wouldn’t be on the cutting edge of tech and fashion. The records you spin are all lo-fi techno tunes that do feel very 80s and add nice ambience to the game. You don’t get to listen to them long before a caller comes in though. They all have ironic song titles like “I Will Find You” or “Stab in the Twilight”. Overall, the game nails the atmosphere of a dingy 80s radio station, and the neon lights add to the spooky retro mood.
All in all, I really enjoyed Killer Frequency. While I wish there was more story development between our two main characters, I think that’s on me for expecting a Firewatch type game. It’s not enough to detract from a good serial killer mystery in a charmingly retro setting. These type of thriller games are my favorite to come out of the “horror” genre. I was never scared, since the terror was always happening over a phone line, but I still wanted to make sure everyone got out alive that night. If you are someone who likes classic crime movies, puzzle games, or audio dramas, I can highly recommend Killer Frequency. If you like novel games or find it on a sale, I’d still recommend giving it a try.
