Paradise Killer

Quirky, mysterious, and impressively charming, Paradise Killer is a surreal detective game that will capture players inside its twisted reality. As mystifying as it is methodical, the game manages to strike a perfect balance between its most odd elements and its well-developed crime investigation mechanics.

Players looking for an eccentric game with a unique attitude and a fascinating backstory might feel right at home with Paradise Killer. At the same time, those looking for a more realistic police thriller might also find what they were looking for here. As odd as that sounds, Paradise Killer is a game that has to be played to be believed.

Metaphysical detectives

At its core, Paradise Killer is a detective game where you have to uncover the “truth” behind a grizzly murder. However, there’s a lot more to unpack here. For players who have played games made by Swery (like the popular Deadly Premonition), this is like that taken to the extreme.

Not only is the case a mystery: each character you meet in your investigation has its own quirks and oddities that you’ll have to see through. Unlike games like Ace Attorney, where there’s usually a very clear culprit, the truth behind a case in Paradise Killer is murkier than that.

More than one truth

Cases in Paradise Killer are almost entirely shaped by the player. Based on the evidence you gather, the culprit and certain circumstances regarding the crime can change. This effectively means that the crime can morph depending on the clues you find, giving the game an extra level of replayability.

It’s also worth mentioning that Paradise Killer features a semi-open world, a rarity in this type of game. Unlike games like Danganronpa, where only the areas pertaining to a crime may be explored, here, you are free to gather clues from all over the island.

As you unlock new clues, you’ll also reveal new areas of the island to explore. These secret areas contain useful information about the mysterious island you’re on. Aside from the criminal investigation, players are invited to piece together the mystery of Paradise, and an ancient alien civilization in contact with space gods. As we mentioned earlier, this is one trippy ride.

Art and style

Everything from the design of the characters to their peculiar naming conventions screams “style” in Paradise Killer. Characters are seen as 2D, hand-drawn sprites, again, much like Danganronpa.

Players will step into the shoes of Lady Love Dies, an “investigation freak” famous for cracking difficult cases. As each character is exceptionally well-written and developed, it becomes hard to incriminate some of them as your investigation progresses.

Every aspect of Paradise Killer’s design comes together as one: the UI, the music, the character portraits… Simply put, this is one seriously stylish detective game. If there’s one area where Paradise Killer falls kind of flat is in its writing.

Most of the time, characters hardly react to you accusing them of something as severe as murder. It lacks a bit of dramatic impact, something that the Ace Attorney series has mastered throughout the years. That said, the entertaining investigation segments and complex mystery make up for the game’s minimal shortcomings.

Pros:

• Fascinating mysteries
• Entertaining investigation segments
• Clean UI
• Stylish design

Cons:

• Some weak dialogue
• Sparse voice acting