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windowkill

97%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
grinding, story
97% User Score Based on 3,718 reviews

Platforms

PCPCSDSteam DeckWinWindowsLinLinux
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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
windowkill screenshot
windowkill screenshot
windowkill screenshot
windowkill screenshot
windowkill screenshot
windowkill screenshot

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,718 reviews
gameplay166 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and innovative concept that utilizes actual windows on the desktop, creating a fresh and engaging gameplay experience.
  • It offers a variety of unlockable characters and upgrades, enhancing replayability and allowing for different playstyles.
  • The game is fun and addictive, with a good balance of challenge and accessibility, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore players.
  • The game can become overwhelming and chaotic, especially in later stages, leading to performance issues and difficulty in managing the gameplay.
  • Some players find the upgrade system lacking in depth, with limited meaningful choices and repetitive gameplay after a few runs.
  • There are reports of crashes and bugs, particularly when playing for extended periods or with certain characters, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay
    356 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 challenge to the gameplay loop. While some find the mechanics initially difficult to grasp, many agree that the game offers addictive and rewarding gameplay, 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.”
    • “Incredibly fun bullet hell, with very interesting mechanics and very unusual, but cleverly used window control, everything feels so incredibly smooth and natural.”
    • “Dealing with this boss is paradoxical and shatters the flow of gameplay.”
    • “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.”
  • music
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its engaging and addictive quality, often describing it as reminiscent of early 2000s gaming soundtracks. The soundtrack, featuring genres like breakcore and drum 'n' bass, enhances the gameplay experience and keeps players immersed, although some have expressed a desire for more variety, such as boss-specific tracks. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that complements the game's unique mechanics and visual style.

    • “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 compliments 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 effect and music, but that would just be the icing on the cake.”
  • graphics
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are characterized by a simple yet stylized art style that enhances visual clarity and complements its engaging gameplay. While some users noted occasional blurriness and stuttering, the overall aesthetic is praised for its clean, cohesive design and retro vibes, making it visually appealing and easy to enjoy. The combination of minimalistic graphics and a vibrant soundtrack contributes to an immersive experience that many players find addictive and enjoyable.

    • “A simple but stylized art style frames the action, allowing for clear visual readability while Keestak's smooth breakcore OST hones your focus.”
    • “Graphics are extremely clean and cohesive, the soundtrack is an absolute banger, customization is great, and the main menu looks amazing.”
    • “The visuals are simple, yet engaging; the music is just banging, and the windowed aspect to it isn't just for aesthetics (which I thought was the case at first).”
    • “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, but it may be my own fault (needing to update my graphics driver, etc.) other than the stuttering, the game is very well optimized.”
    • “The multiple window aesthetic is not just for show.”
  • replayability
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its fun mechanics, unlockable characters, and unique concepts that enhance replay value. However, some reviews note a lack of depth and content, leading to repetitiveness and limiting its long-term replayability. Overall, while it offers enjoyable experiences and challenges, it may not sustain interest indefinitely 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!”
    • “This is such a creative game and it has so much replay value.”
    • “Windowkill is, despite its seemingly simple concept, a very depth-full game with many secrets and high replay value, especially given the different 'characters' you can unlock that give new ways of killing enemies.”
    • “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
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing significant performance issues and lag, particularly when the difficulty scales by spawning more enemies. 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 window screen instead of the game. I find that funny, but if you don't like it, 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, and windows spawning that you'll have to use fake windows to regain performance.”
  • humor
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding the quirky mechanics, such as dragging windows and unexpected interactions, to be genuinely amusing. Many reviews highlight the fast-paced gameplay and the humorous challenges, particularly the "funny smiley guy" character, which adds to the overall comedic experience. Overall, the game is described as creative and entertaining, making it a fun choice for those who enjoy lighthearted humor in gaming.

    • “However, there are a lot of funny things you can do precisely due to the dragging of windows, which makes it really fun.”
    • “The game is fast-paced without performance issues; the only messy thing you are going to deal with is accidentally clicking something wrong in your window screen instead of the game, but I like that, I find it funny. However, if you don't like that, the game allows you to play with a controller.”
    • “Love the game, really funny and creative.”
  • grinding
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate a mixed experience with grinding in the game. While some players find certain achievements excessively grindy and tedious, particularly those requiring repetitive actions or long waits for specific conditions, others appreciate the skill-based meta-progression that minimizes the need for grinding. Overall, the game is noted for not demanding significant grinding, but frustrations arise from specific achievement requirements and multiplayer setup challenges.

    • “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
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that "Windowkill" lacks a story mode, with multiple users noting the absence of a narrative as a significant drawback. While the gameplay is generally well-received, the quick completion time and lack of story content are highlighted as issues.

    • “Windowkill is a really good game, but the only problems I have with it are that the game can be beaten really quickly and there is no story mode.”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional response to the game, with some experiencing intense frustration and sadness due to its difficulty and technical issues. The claustrophobic atmosphere adds to the emotional weight, making it a challenging experience that can lead to feelings of overwhelm. Overall, while the game has a cool concept, its emotional impact is mixed, with some players feeling deeply affected, both positively and negatively.

    • “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
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users have reported stability issues, particularly freezing when using the laser character and bugs with window positioning in multi-monitor setups. Many hope these problems will 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.”

Buy windowkill

6h Median play time
8h Average play time
4-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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