windowkill

About

"Windowkill" is a shoot-em-up game with both single-player and local cooperative modes for 2 players. It features split-screen gameplay and a unique mechanic involving a problematic window. The game has been updated to version 3.0 and is available on Steam. The soundtrack is by Keestak, and the game was originally created for Ludum Dare 54.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,859 reviews

gameplay83 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game features a unique and innovative concept that utilizes the desktop window as a gameplay mechanic, making it a refreshing experience.
Gameplay is addictive and chaotic, with a variety of characters and upgrades that keep each run interesting.
The graphics and soundtrack are well-executed, enhancing the overall experience and immersing players in the game.

The game can become overwhelming and chaotic, especially in later stages, leading to performance issues and difficulty in managing the gameplay.
Some players have reported a lack of variety in enemies and bosses, which can make runs feel repetitive after a while.
Controller support is limited, with certain mechanics requiring mouse input, which can be frustrating for players who prefer using a gamepad.

gameplay
178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
52%
2%
The gameplay of "Windowkill" is widely praised for its innovative use of window mechanics, creating a unique and engaging experience in the twin-stick shooter genre. Players appreciate the blend of chaotic bullet hell action with strategic window management, which adds depth and variety to the gameplay loop. While some find the mechanics challenging to master and the progression a bit repetitive, the overall consensus highlights the game's creativity and addictive nature, making it a standout title in its category.
- “The gameplay is fun and balanced, the window idea and the way enemies/bosses play with it rocks, the soundtrack is pretty to listen to.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and offers a unique experience that sets it apart from other games.”
- “The central concept is super creative, and the gameplay is wonderfully addictive.”
- “The shooting gameplay, the economy, and the window management don't synergize in the way that I wanted.”
- “All enemies were repeats, all bosses were repeats, all the gameplay just boiled down to being a huge mess of shapes on my screen.”
- “With upgrades this deterministic, the only ways to increase DPS are to buy as many fire rate and multishot upgrades as possible, so the gameplay is identical every run, and you'll have seen everything it has to offer within a few games.”
music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
25%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its engaging and addictive quality, with many reviewers highlighting its nostalgic early 2000s vibe and diverse styles, including breakcore and drum 'n' bass. Players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance gameplay, creating a captivating atmosphere that keeps them immersed. While some desire more variety, the existing music is described as phenomenal and a perfect fit for the game's unique mechanics and visuals.
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal, it drew me in and kept me on my toes the entire time!”
- “The concept is unique and inspired, the visual direction is fantastic, and the soundtrack by Keestak complements that vision incredibly well.”
- “This game is such a blast to play, the music is a vibe and a half and the game gimmick is super unique and fun.”
- “Needs more soundtrack, maybe boss specific music?”
- “The game is good and all, but someone knows how to fix that there is no music?”
- “I wish there were more options for maybe customizing sound effects and music, but that would just be the icing on the cake.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
40%
10%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their clean, simple, and stylized aesthetic, which enhances visual readability and complements the engaging gameplay and music. While some users noted issues like blurriness and stuttering, the overall consensus highlights the appealing retro and vaporwave vibes, making it visually captivating and enjoyable. The unique use of window size as a gameplay mechanic adds to its charm, making it a standout feature in the game's design.
- “A simple but stylized art style frames the action, allowing for clear visual readability while Keestak's smooth breakcore OST hones your focus.”
- “Superb hoard-based shoot 'em up, with a high level of skill and tons of replayability all in one super cool aesthetic!”
- “Graphics are extremely clean and cohesive, the soundtrack is an absolute banger, customization is great, and the main menu looks amazing.”
- “It's blurry and juddery graphically.”
- “In terms of performance, on my fairly capable Windows 11 laptop, while connected to an external monitor, I do experience frequent stuttering.”
- “The multiple window aesthetic is not just for show.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
20%
15%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players praise its fun mechanics, unique concepts, and high replay value due to unlockable characters and challenges, others note that it can become repetitive and lacks depth over time. Some reviews highlight that the game is enjoyable and offers a good amount of replayability for its price, but it may not sustain long-term interest for all players.
- “Superb hoard-based shoot 'em up, with a high level of skill and tons of replayability all in one super cool aesthetic!”
- “Extremely fun and massive replay value.”
- “Has awesome amounts of replayability and has such a unique gimmick to the whole experience.”
- “What it lacks in depth and replayability, it makes up for in being creative.”
- “Lacks replayability and gets repetitive quickly.”
- “6 weeks later - this is a 10/10 game idea with a 6/10 execution, still worth it but not much replay value.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing significant performance issues and lag, particularly when enemy spawns increase. However, many users noted that adjusting settings, such as using "fake windows," can alleviate these problems, allowing for smoother gameplay. Overall, while there are still some performance concerns, the developers have made commendable efforts to enhance optimization since the game's initial release.
- “The game is fast-paced without performance issues; the only messy thing you might deal with is accidentally clicking something wrong on your screen instead of the game. However, I find that funny. If you don't like that, the game allows you to play with a controller.”
- “I didn't expect to be blown away just as much, if not more, as the first time with the sheer amount of concepts and content that Torcado has added, as well as the subtle but very welcome changes and performance tweaks.”
- “In terms of performance, on my fairly capable Windows 11 laptop, while connected to an external monitor, I do experience frequent stuttering, but it may be my own fault (needing to update my graphics driver, etc.). Other than the stuttering, the game is very well optimized, and I'm surprised by how smoothly the windows bounce around and respond to bullets and enemy movements.”
- “Sadly, it quickly succumbs to performance issues and lag, because the way it chooses to scale difficulty is 'spawn more enemies.'”
- “Ultimately, the game's biggest flaw is performance.”
- “The game can use real system windows, but it's only usable for the first 20 minutes until it starts getting laggier with so many enemies/bosses/windows spawning that you'll have to use fake windows to regain performance.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding the quirky mechanics and chaotic gameplay amusing. The use of window dragging adds a layer of fun, leading to unexpected and humorous moments, while the overall fast-paced nature keeps the experience lively and entertaining. Many users highlight the game's creative and funny concepts, contributing to its charm.
- “Haha, funny window game go brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.”
- “However, there are a lot of funny things you can do precisely due to the dragging of windows, which makes it really fun.”
- “Very cool game with a funny concept.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, with some achievements requiring repetitive actions or long waits for necessary items, leading to frustration. However, some players appreciate the skill-based meta-progression that allows for unlocking content through gameplay rather than lengthy grinding. Overall, while some aspects of grinding are criticized, others find the game enjoyable without demanding excessive effort.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Not even getting the achievements is fun, and is instead just tedious either due to 'do something however many times total' or the ultra-slow difficulty curve that makes you wait a long time before spawning what you need to get an achievement.”
- “Only complaint is that some achievements are super grindy, like the one for surviving without grabbing coins for 4 whole minutes.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
57%
The reviews indicate that "Windowkill" lacks a narrative component, with multiple users noting the absence of a story mode. While the gameplay is praised, the quick completion time and lack of a storyline are seen as significant drawbacks.
- “The game can be beaten really quickly and there is no story mode.”
- “There is no story.”
- “There is no story.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional response to the game, with some feeling overwhelmed and frustrated to the point of tears due to its difficulty and technical issues. The claustrophobic atmosphere and complex mechanics contribute to a sense of emotional strain, though some appreciate the game's concept despite their struggles.
- “This game made me cry in a corner for 29 hours straight because it is too hard.”
- “Game stopped responding in the middle of a good run; I will never emotionally recover from this.”
- “I've never played a game that made me feel claustrophobic; way too much to keep track of on top of managing your window size. Definitely not my cup of tea, but a cool concept though.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report stability issues, particularly freezing when using the laser character and bugs with window positioning in multi-monitor setups. There is hope for these problems to be addressed in future patches.
- “Great game, but it freezes when I use the laser character. Hopefully, they fix it.”
- “Another issue is that the window positions tend to get a bit buggy when you enable multi-monitor, but hopefully this will be fixed in patches.”