We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. PS Plus Premium can be utter trash. But it doesn’t mean its catalogue of games is second-tier. And recently, we’ve been using it to play games we may have missed the first time around, such as Still Wakes the Deep.
Killer Frequency was another one of those.
We sat down one evening, controller in hand, Mrs beside me, expecting a decent little horror distraction. What we got instead was a surprisingly clever, tense, and oddly charming slice of ‘80s-inspired suspense that had us leaning forward on the sofa like we were actually manning the desk at a late-night radio station.
And yes, before we get into the murders and moral dilemmas, we absolutely spent far too long throwing paper balls into the studio bin. Because if a game gives me a pointless side distraction, I’m taking it.
Welcome to 1987: Mind the serial killer
Developed by Team17, Killer Frequency drops you into the shoes of Forrest Nash, a big-city radio DJ who’s fled to small-town Gallows Creek after a career mishap. Unfortunately for Forrest, the town just so happens to have a masked serial killer problem, and their first target was the town’s police officers. Leading to them redirecting their 9111 line to your radio station.
And you’re live on air.
The premise is simple but brilliant: townsfolk call into your late-night show as they’re being hunted, and it’s up to you to guide them to safety. You’ll gather clues, flick through old newspaper clippings, check maps, solve light environmental puzzles, and make snap decisions that genuinely determine whether someone survives the night.
It’s part horror, part puzzle game, part interactive thriller. And it works.
Choices that actually matter
This is the bit I love in games.
In Killer Frequency, your words matter. Your timing matters. Whether you tell someone to hide in a cupboard or make a run for it? That matters too.
There’s something uniquely tense about hearing panic through the radio speaker while you’re frantically scanning the studio for clues. You’re not sprinting through corridors with a shotgun. You’re sitting in a swivel chair, heart racing, trying to work out which routes to take using pins in a town map.
Other reviews have praised how the game builds tension without leaning on cheap jump scares, and I’d agree. It’s not about loud noises. It’s about dread. The slow realisation that if you get this wrong, someone dies, and it’s technically your fault.
We had moments where we paused the game just to debate what to say next. That’s when you know it’s doing something right.
Atmosphere over realism
Graphically, Killer Frequency isn’t chasing photorealism. Characters have a stylised, almost cartoonish look, but it fits. The whole game feels like a playable 1980s slasher flick.
The radio station is drenched in neon glow and wood panelling. Outside, Gallows Creek feels small, isolated, and just a little bit off. The soundtrack leans into that retro vibe beautifully, and the voice acting does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to selling the stakes.
One of my favourite touches? Hidden vinyl records are scattered around the station. Find them, pop them on, and you can play tracks live on air. It’s small, but it makes the space feel lived in.
And again, yes, I will happily waste time spinning tunes and perfecting my paper ball aim instead of saving fictional townsfolk.
Puzzles and pacing
The puzzles in Killer Frequency aren’t brain-melting, but they’re smart enough to keep you engaged. You’ll be matching clues to locations, working out lock combinations, and piecing together the killer’s patterns.
It’s accessible, which I think works in its favour. This isn’t meant to be an escape room simulator. It’s about maintaining momentum and tension.
The game runs around six to eight hours, depending on how thorough you are, and there’s replay value if you want to see how different decisions play out. Saving everyone is harder than you think.
Trust me.
Playing it together
Killer Frequency is one of those games that’s weirdly perfect for couch co-op in the unofficial sense. We played it together, discussing choices, arguing over decisions, celebrating when someone survived, and feeling genuine guilt when they didn’t.
It becomes less of a solo horror and more of a shared thriller experience.
Not every game manages that.
Final thoughts on Killer Frequency
Killer Frequency is a reminder that you don’t need ultra-realistic graphics or blockbuster budgets to create tension. A strong premise, solid writing, meaningful choices, and atmosphere go a long way.
It’s clever. It’s tense. It’s got heart. And it understands that sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the monster, it’s responsibility.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Especially if you enjoy narrative-driven games where your decisions carry weight.
Just don’t blame me when you’re sitting there agonising over whether to tell someone to check the attic.
Killer Frequency was developed by Team17 and released back in June 2023. It’s available to play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. To check out more of our game reviews, click right here.
