Paradise Killer

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,184 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • graphics
Paradise Killer Game Cover
An incredible world of demons, mystery, and vaporwave, Paradise Killer sets new standards for the detective genre.
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"Paradise Killer" is a first-person investigation game set on an island outside reality, where a rogue human civilization seeks to resurrect dead alien gods. When the Council responsible for this process is murdered and the island is destroyed, "investigation freak" Lady Love Dies is called upon to solve the crime and uncover the truth behind the chaotic events. Uncover the facts and ponder the nature of truth in this stylized, psychedelic murder mystery.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,184 reviews
music509 positive mentions
grinding66 negative mentions
  • The game features a stunning vaporwave aesthetic with vibrant colors and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The worldbuilding is rich and detailed, with a unique setting that immerses players in a bizarre and intriguing narrative.
  • The characters are memorable and well-designed, each with their own distinct personalities and motivations that add depth to the story.
  • The gameplay can feel tedious due to excessive backtracking and a lack of meaningful puzzles, making exploration sometimes feel like a chore.
  • The trial mechanics are underwhelming, as players are not challenged to piece together evidence during the trial, leading to a less satisfying conclusion.
  • The fast travel system is limited by a currency that can create frustration, as players may find themselves running out of resources needed for fast travel.
  • music886 mentions

    The music in *Paradise Killer* has been universally praised for its exceptional quality, blending vaporwave, city pop, and synthwave elements that perfectly complement the game's vibrant aesthetic. Players have described the soundtrack as a standout feature, with many tracks being memorable and enjoyable enough to listen to outside of the game. The combination of catchy tunes and atmospheric soundscapes enhances the exploration experience, making it a significant draw for fans of the genre.

    • “The music, aesthetic, and overall themes were more than enough to keep me engaged the whole time and a little sad when it ended.”
    • “The soundtrack is so good it can be played just as a video game album!”
    • “The music is fantastic and the fact that it slows down to vapor perfection whenever you get an item is the icing on top.”
    • “The music is just whatever in-game music you've selected to play, over the top of that.”
    • “There's a wide range of music but it seems to be selected semi-randomly, which is awkward when the game decides to play you smooth relaxing jazz while you're walking around an altar stained with the blood of thousands of innocents.”
    • “The aesthetic and the soundtrack elevate a open-world exploration and murder mystery into a gaming adventure that will stick with me for years.”
  • story879 mentions

    The story of "Paradise Killer" is a complex and engaging murder mystery set in a vibrant, surreal world filled with unique characters and rich lore. Players navigate an open-world environment, piecing together clues and uncovering a narrative that intertwines themes of nostalgia, betrayal, and existential horror, all while enjoying a captivating soundtrack. While the plot can feel convoluted at times, the freedom to explore and the depth of the storytelling make it a rewarding experience for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “If you like story-focused games, you have to try this one.”
    • “The story is original, and the mechanics are unmatched.”
    • “The story is complex and engaging, with many twists and turns that kept me enthralled until the very end.”
    • “The plot and characters are definitely overrated; this is some simple shallow stuff essentially.”
    • “The story is bland; Paradise Killer just dumps fanfiction-level exposition about demons, gods, and whatnot on you.”
    • “The story itself is sufficiently twisty and takes a lot of exploring and investigating to discover the whole picture.”
  • graphics587 mentions

    The graphics of *Paradise Killer* are characterized by a distinctive vaporwave aesthetic, blending bright colors and retro-inspired designs that evoke a surreal, nostalgic atmosphere. While some players appreciate the unique art style and its ability to create an engaging environment, others find the graphics to be basic or rough around the edges, leading to mixed opinions on their overall quality. Despite these critiques, the game's visuals are often praised for their charm and ability to complement the narrative and gameplay experience.

    • “The vaporwave aesthetic effortlessly delivers on its vibes, with bright colors, ’80s tunes, and retro-inspired mechanics that create an unmistakable atmosphere from the start.”
    • “The art style is vibrant and unique, and the in-game music is exceptional, with tracks being personal favorites.”
    • “The visuals and overall vaporwave aesthetic are fantastic, and the game has recently added ray tracing support and other enhancements, including achievements.”
    • “I found the graphics ugly, the character names silly, and the initial plot hook bizarre.”
    • “The graphics are nothing notable surprisingly.”
    • “The graphics are last gen, the music is 80's kitsch.”
  • gameplay412 mentions

    The gameplay of "Paradise Killer" is a blend of exploration and visual novel mechanics, primarily focused on collecting clues and engaging in dialogue with a diverse cast of characters. While the vibrant aesthetic and intriguing narrative are praised, many players find the gameplay loop repetitive and tedious, often reduced to wandering the expansive island for collectibles and engaging in straightforward trial mechanics that lack depth. Overall, the game is seen as more of an immersive experience driven by its story and atmosphere rather than a robust gameplay offering.

    • “The gameplay lands somewhere between a whodunit point-and-click a-la Nancy Drew and the open-ended, curiosity-driven loop of Outer Wilds.”
    • “The gameplay is lightweight, but you have a whole vaporwave island to explore at your own leisure, and the story is the perfect mix of absurdity and mystery to keep you going.”
    • “The gameplay consists of making your way around a liminal, odd island that's equal parts beautiful and eerie to collect hundreds of collectibles, clues, upgrades, and currency to make your investigation easier.”
    • “90% awkward visual novel and 10% janky gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is very repetitive, and even though the cast is diverse and varied, the travelling back and forth between them is not.”
    • “The actual gameplay was a single repetitive 'puzzle' mechanic and janky 3D exploration around a map that's too big for its own good.”
  • atmosphere84 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant vaporwave aesthetic, characterized by bright colors, nostalgic '80s music, and unique art design that immerses players in a surreal and captivating world. Reviewers highlight the exceptional soundtrack and worldbuilding, which enhance the overall experience, making it a compelling environment for exploration and storytelling. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay mechanics, the game's atmosphere is consistently described as engaging, beautiful, and integral to its appeal.

    • “The vaporwave aesthetic: it effortlessly delivers on its vaporwave vibes, with bright colors, ’80s tunes, and retro-inspired mechanics that create an unmistakable atmosphere from the start.”
    • “Everything from the soundtrack to the art to the dialogue made it one of the most atmospheric games I've played <3”
    • “Incredible atmosphere, banging soundtrack, wonderful writing, impeccable vibes”
    • “However, after reading the reviews, I got convinced by a promising vaporwave atmosphere.”
    • “This is one of very few games (and probably not only games) that manages to create a convincing atmosphere of total madness.”
    • “Very weird atmosphere and world to get used to at first, but once you get past that initial confusion you get invested in the world and its characters.”
  • character development75 mentions

    Character development in the game is marked by unique and memorable character designs that enhance the overall experience, with many players praising the distinct personalities and aesthetics of each character. While some reviews highlight the lack of deep emotional moments or significant character growth, the vibrant art style and engaging writing contribute to a captivating atmosphere that keeps players invested. Overall, the game excels in creating a visually striking world filled with quirky characters, though opinions vary on the depth of their development.

    • “Every single person had distinctive and complex character development, the world building is immense and very original, and the case itself is really complicated but holds really well together once you've found all the evidence.”
    • “The writing and character development also elevate the material and create characters you care about and want to learn more about throughout your time on island 24.”
    • “The character designs and writing are extremely interesting, and the flow of the mystery unraveling felt really well paced.”
    • “There is no character development, emotional moments, or satisfying 'ah ha' conclusions.”
    • “The zany names and nonsensical story struck the wrong notes for me and I never felt invested - character design in particular was downright awful; at the end of the game, I tried to get the largest number of people arrested just because I disliked them that much.”
    • “I think the game should involve a lot more interaction with them, a lot more character development, and also far more gathering of evidence and a lot more evidence in general.”
  • grinding67 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious, particularly due to the extensive exploration required to collect items and evidence across a large, open world. Many players found the repetitive nature of backtracking, dialogue interactions, and item collection to detract from the overall enjoyment, especially towards the end of the game. While some appreciated the unique mystery and visuals, the cumbersome mechanics and pacing issues often overshadowed the experience, leading to a mixed reception regarding the grinding elements.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “However, for some players, the somewhat empty world filled randomly with collectibles can be quite tedious.”
    • “Finally, forcing me to wait or click through a screen for every single action like picking up a crystal, taking fast travel, or riding an elevator made the whole experience feel really tedious.”
    • “The gameplay was also quite tedious as it was a lot of running around somewhat aimlessly over a space that was simply too large.”
  • replayability34 mentions

    Overall, the game has been noted for its low replayability, with many players expressing that while the initial experience is enjoyable and memorable, there is little incentive to replay once the story and evidence have been fully explored. Some players mentioned specific aspects, like the trials and achievements, that could encourage a second playthrough, but the consensus is that the linear nature and predictable outcomes limit replay value. Despite this, many still recommend the game for its unique experience and engaging world, suggesting that the initial playthrough is well worth the time and investment.

    • “While the murder mystery doesn't have much replay value, I'll likely revisit Island 24 for the music alone.”
    • “I'm not a very good reviewer, but I'll make an exception for this game and say for the price it is, you absolutely need to give it a try. The world feels so alive and you become so attached to the characters. During the trial, you may find your choices affected by the bonds you make with characters, not wanting to give the guilty verdict to certain lovers or friends. There is a ton of replayability in finding secrets, different endings, and relationships.”
    • “The climatic trial at the end was very cool and offers some interesting choices, so there's some definite replay value there.”
    • “I admit, replayability isn't the greatest.”
    • “This game has no replay value and is extremely linear in its nature.”
    • “While the murder mystery doesn't have much replay value, I'll likely revisit island 24 for the music alone.”
  • humor33 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a unique blend of dark, quirky, and absurd, with well-written dialogue and memorable characters that often elicit laughter. Players appreciate the bizarre and humorous elements woven into the narrative, including funny relic descriptions and the antics of a sassy demon sidekick. Overall, the game balances its comedic moments with deeper, more serious themes, creating an engaging and entertaining experience.

    • “I loved the free rein you are given to explore the island and discover a huge, complicated mess of characters and motives and history in a darkly funny and disturbing world.”
    • “The dialogue and characters are very well written and there's a lot of great humor throughout the game.”
    • “It's also endlessly funny, with weird bits of lore to pick up that remind you just how messed up this pleasing looking world really is.”
  • emotional22 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of light-hearted dialogue and moral ambiguity, which creates a unique investigative experience. While players enjoy the engaging characters and the thrill of uncovering motives, many feel a lack of emotional depth in relationships and character development, leading to a sense of detachment during critical moments. Despite this, the game successfully evokes feelings of intelligence and moral conflict, particularly during the final trial, leaving players with a mix of satisfaction and emotional weight from their choices.

    • “Overall, Paradise Killer is an interesting murder mystery with lovable characters that made me feel bad to convict.”
    • “Having to accuse characters I had come to like of crimes was quite an emotional experience for me.”
    • “All that said, the elements come together in what was a truly satisfying final trial complete with great writing, emotional moments, and a prevailing sense of moral ambiguity seeping into every exchange.”
  • optimization11 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is inconsistent, with some players experiencing smooth performance on mid-range hardware, while others report significant issues that hinder 100% completion. While some users managed to maintain stable frame rates, others found the game poorly optimized, requiring adjustments to settings for better performance.

    • “Performance - 2/2”
    • “Regarding performance, I played on a RTX 2060, i7 8700, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1080p and managed to maintain constant 60 FPS, without running into any glitches.”
    • “Performance was super smooth on my aging PC (GTX 970, i5 6500) and I had zero bugs or crashes over 20 hours of gameplay.”
    • “Maybe there's a decent game in there, but the art, controls, performance, voice acting, writing, and overall design were amateur and unpolished.”
    • “But if you want 100% completion, it’s not possible with performance issues.”
    • “[b]Performance:[/b] not the most optimized game.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing significant bugs, such as getting stuck on ladders and encountering freezing issues, particularly after specific actions. However, others report smooth performance with consistent frame rates and minimal glitches, suggesting that experiences may vary based on individual setups. Overall, while some aspects feel amateurish, the game is not universally plagued by bugs.

    • “The game is well polished and bug-free, showcasing a high level of stability.”
    • “Despite some amateurish elements, the game is not really buggy at all.”
    • “It had some buggy ladders (oh my god, I probably spent a good 1-2% of my playthrough stuck trying to get to the top of a couple difficult ladders where I would just fall immediately back down) and a few spots you can just get stuck (which the 'respawn' seems to be a solution for).”
    • “It has very clunky, confusing dialogue and some of the mechanics are a bit glitchy and buggy.”
    • “The game freezes immediately after grabbing the starlight right at the beginning of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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Play time

14hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
8-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 13 analyzed playthroughs

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