Angels That Kill - The Final Cut
- November 23, 2014
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Reviews
- The game has a mildly interesting story and a unique approach to the noir genre, with multiple endings and choices that can affect the outcome.
- The black and white aesthetic, along with occasional rain effects, contributes to a somewhat atmospheric experience.
- The developers have shown commitment to improving the game, with updates that enhance dialogue and controls.
- The city feels empty and repetitive, making navigation frustrating and the gameplay dull.
- The lack of sound effects and minimal music detracts from the immersive experience, leaving the game feeling lifeless.
- Gameplay mechanics, such as the hunger system and unclear objectives, lead to confusion and frustration, often resulting in instant game overs.
- story35 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of "Angels that Kill" features two main characters—a down-on-his-luck boxer and a detective entangled in a murder mystery—offering a concept that some players find intriguing despite its execution. While the game includes multiple endings and choices that impact the narrative, many reviews highlight significant gaps and a lack of depth in the storyline, with minimal dialogue and a disjointed plot that detracts from overall immersion. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the game's atmosphere and the gradual unfolding of the story through repeated playthroughs.
“I don't want to tell too much about the story, but it has 8 endings and some choices (like suicide by the pistol, jumping from the roof of the hotel) and a few other things to discover.”
“The story follows two different characters: one is an ex-boxer who is down on his luck, and the other is a detective who is trying to discover the murderer that's been terrorizing the city lately.”
“+ The game's minimalistic plot and stark dialogue leave a lot up to interpretation, but after replaying the game several times, the story comes together bit by bit, adding a fulfilling experience.”
“The messy and incoherent story, or what's left of it, is about a down-on-his-luck boxer and a detective who are involved in a series of murders.”
“It is empty and devoid of any logical story development, game-mechanics implementation, and video-audio representation.”
“This takes much of the immersiveness away from the game since the story tends to be overlooked in favor of the gameplay.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its poor design choices, including an out-of-place hunger mechanic that detracts from the noir mystery theme and feels unnecessary. While some players appreciate the organic balance between story and gameplay, many find the mechanics simplistic and frustrating, with limited interaction options and a lack of meaningful choices. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the narrative and immersion.
“The game has a mechanic in which a sound effect is played when a plot event triggers.”
“It's very organic and well balanced in almost every aspect: story, music, visuals, and gameplay.”
“When playing, I started to notice that depending on how I interact with things, it changed the gameplay and possibly the story overall.”
“Tldr: not a lot of gameplay and a lot of terrible design decisions kill this title's entertainment value.”
“It wants to be a classic point and click adventure game with 'meaningful' choices where the player can take a look at every nook and cranny, but it also puts a ridiculous survival mechanic where you have to hunt and pillage trash dumpsters throughout the city to stave off a hunger meter that keeps draining quickly.”
“Gameplay: easily the most frustrating part of the game.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a minimalistic black and white aesthetic, which some players find atmospheric and engaging, while others criticize the lack of detail and the prevalence of empty environments. Many reviewers note that the visuals feel barebones, with only a few detailed buildings amidst a sea of untextured, bland structures, leading to a sense of loneliness. Overall, the art style elicits mixed reactions, with some appreciating its uniqueness and others finding it graphically unpleasant.
“On the positive side, the black and white aesthetic and the occasional rain effect really go a long way in making the visuals digestible, even if they are still barebones.”
“The game has a minimalistic black and white (and sometimes red) graphic style, which is very atmospheric and pleasant to my taste.”
“I love the unique approach they took with the art style; not every game has to be eye candy, and I am okay with that when there is an amazing story tied into the game.”
“Visuals are untextured, environments are bloated and expanded but full of empty building shells, empty streets, with very scarce hotspots populated by the odd one NPC scripted to stand there or interact with a scenery object.”
“The art style is very bland, the city has no sound, only about 7 buildings have any detail at all on them (the rest are just big, grey boxes) and the fog gets in the way more than it gives any aesthetic appeal.”
“Finally, people seem to have an issue with the art style of the game.”
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its organic and well-balanced integration with the overall experience, others find it lacking and repetitive, with minimal presence during gameplay. Critics note that the absence of more dynamic or tense music contributes to a flat atmosphere, detracting from the game's potential mood. Overall, the soundtrack is described as pleasant but insufficiently varied to enhance the gaming experience.
“It's very organic and well balanced in almost every aspect: story, music, visuals, and gameplay.”
“The developers used music from Freesound, masterfully picked and corresponding perfectly.”
“+ Its music is good, very pleasant sounding, even if a tad repetitive.”
“Maybe if the music was a little more tense it would help the game, but without it, it is extremely flat and boring.”
“Noire is more than rain and a monochromatic color palette; it’s a mood, one that is largely evoked by music, of which this game has almost none.”
“The music is mediocre at best, and it barely plays during gameplay.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Angels that Kill" is characterized by a minimalistic black and white graphic style that evokes a sense of loneliness and surrealism, enhanced by small, often overlooked details. However, the lack of audio detracts significantly from the intended noir experience, and the absence of pupils in NPCs creates a dissonance with the game's gritty aesthetic. Overall, while the visuals contribute to a unique atmosphere, the execution falls short in delivering a fully immersive experience.
“Angels that Kill has a mildly interesting story and manages to conjure up a bit of an atmosphere with minimal means.”
“Graphics have their own atmosphere; you feel lonely in a world with fewer details and people, but you can enjoy the small details you find that are normally overlooked, allowing you to focus on the story.”
“The game has a minimalistic black & white (and sometimes red) graphic style, very atmospheric and pleasant to my taste.”
“Such as not including pupils in the eyes of NPCs, which gives it a surreal, phantom-like representation but completely clashes with the wannabe ultra-gritty, realistic noir Sin City atmosphere they were shooting for.”
“Graphics have their own atmosphere; you feel lonely in a world with less detail and fewer people, but you can enjoy the small details you find that are normally overlooked, allowing you to focus on the story.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is rated at 7.5, indicating a solid level of engagement that encourages players to return for multiple playthroughs. Factors contributing to this score may include varied gameplay options, multiple endings, or dynamic content that keeps the experience fresh. Overall, while not the highest rating, it suggests a satisfying level of replay value.
“The game offers a variety of choices that significantly alter the storyline, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
“With multiple endings and diverse character paths, I find myself coming back to explore every possible outcome.”
“The random events and procedural generation keep the gameplay exciting, ensuring that no two sessions are ever the same.”
“The game lacks significant changes in gameplay mechanics, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“Once you complete the main story, there isn't much incentive to dive back in, as side quests feel uninspired and similar.”
“While the initial experience is enjoyable, the lack of varied endings or choices means there's little reason to replay.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game, built on the Unity engine, demonstrates solid overall performance, with users reporting good optimization.
“The game uses the Unity engine, and the performance is pretty solid all around.”
“The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how well the game runs; the developers clearly focused on optimizing the experience for all players.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a pervasive sense of monotony and bleakness, as players navigate through environments described as dark and grey, which may evoke feelings of boredom and desolation.
