Paradise Killer

 Switch
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 32
  3. Negative: 3 out of 32
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  1. Jordie
    Sep 8, 2020
    9
    Fantastic murder mystery/ exploration game with a really unique vapourwave aesthetic.
    It was really fun to explore and piece together the lore and the events leading up to the crime.
    The music is excellent (I even bought the soundtrack), the characters are well written and the game has a really solid length of about 15 to 20 hours. It ends (no spoilers) with a fantastic court trial where    Fantastic murder mystery/ exploration game with a really unique vapourwave aesthetic.
    It was really fun to explore and piece together the lore and the events leading up to the crime.

    The music is excellent (I even bought the soundtrack), the characters are well written and the game has a really solid length of about 15 to 20 hours.
    It ends (no spoilers) with a fantastic court trial where you use the evidence gathered to convince the judge of the narrative you believe happened. So you can potentially accuse the wrong people and create your own ending based on the truth you believe in. Loved playing it all the way through and found myself playing long into the night. Only giving a 9 because I wish there was more. A few more puzzles and a few more places (that are hinted at) to explore. But for the price equal to a quarter of a regular boxed game, you really can't argue with the contents. Would fully recommend to any fans of the mystery or visual novel genres. If you've played Danganronpa, Zero Escape, Ace Attorney or Suda51's games, then you'll love this!    … Expand
  2. Reed618
    Jan 9, 2021
    10
    I was really impressed with paradise killer. It has some danganronpa vibes to it but feels more open and there's less zany humor. It was such a pleasure to explore paradise island. It looks great on switch. I noticed some occasional pop in but it was quite minor. The art style is really fantastic so I wanted to take in every part of the world.

    One thing I loved is how I would    I was really impressed with paradise killer. It has some danganronpa vibes to it but feels more open and there's less zany humor. It was such a pleasure to explore paradise island. It looks great on switch. I noticed some occasional pop in but it was quite minor. The art style is really fantastic so I wanted to take in every part of the world.

    One thing I loved is how I would occasionally stumble across massive pieces of the mystery. Before I knew it I was really pulled in. I found the mystery was overall well written and had some great surprises. I also love that you can start the trial whenever you want regardless of how thoroughly you've investigated and you can create a compelling argument to arrest the wrong person if you'd like.

    There's a lot of interesting lore to dig up that explains how paradise island functions. It can get quite dark surprisingly. Although this is one of the most chilled relaxing games i've played in some time. The world is so vibrant and fun to explore and the music is upbeat. I also really appreciate that you can run and unlock a double jump. There's also no fall damage and you can jump down great heights. So it doesn't feel like a walking simulator since you can travel around quite easily.

    This was a really pleasant surprise and if you're into games like danganronpa this is definitely worth a look. Easily one of my favorite games of 2020.    … Expand
  3. Gitpullorigin
    Sep 27, 2020
    5
    As a big fan of Danganronpa and Ace Attourney, I really wanted to love this game but the visual style and writing is just so, SO repulsive. And I don't mean the character design or the graphics, but rather the color choice which just tries to burn your eyes off.
  4. Varuna47
    Oct 29, 2020
    9
    Amazing game with a great murder mystery. Beautiful music and gorgeous art style. I really recommend it especially if you like a mystery :)
  5. Tortor
    Jul 31, 2023
    10
    Completed in 15 - 20 hours.

    Stylish and incredibly creative experience. It just oozed with personality with amazing character and world building they sucked me right in. I seriously turned this on not expecting much but as soon as I got started, i seriously didn't sleep that night and absolutely suffered physically to play into the next day aiming to beat it. I just wanted to see    Completed in 15 - 20 hours.

    Stylish and incredibly creative experience. It just oozed with personality with amazing character and world building they sucked me right in.

    I seriously turned this on not expecting much but as soon as I got started, i seriously didn't sleep that night and absolutely suffered physically to play into the next day aiming to beat it. I just wanted to see what happened and wanted to explore.

    This game does such a good job just giving you absolute freedom to get lost and figure things out on your own. Despite just feeling sorta dropped in, the mechanics still made the investigation still feel like it had a good flow.

    Its a lot of information but it's honestly so satisfying connecting the dots on your own. I seriously was so convinced at certain points of 'oh this character doesn't seem there is anything to worry about them so I can cross them off' to 'soooooo I was wrong, they character is shady as hell'.

    Honestly the writing is just so fantastic. The characters felt like living breathing people. The world, ugh, it was just tragic and uncomfortable. I seriously got sick to my stomach at certain points because how the world was depicted just was so eerie, uncomfortable and surreal at times.

    I've never played a game like this in my life and honestly, I seriously want more games like this in my life.

    The quality of writing though is just so above and beyond what I'd ever expect in a game.

    I seriously will remember this game for a while.    … Expand
  6. AngelStarr
    Nov 12, 2020
    10
    I've never, ever given any game a perfect ten. And no - this game is not perfect, of course.
    But I will explain: I have simply fallen in love, deeply, with what they've created here.. I'm a die-hard sci-fi fan of Magnum opus such as the Hyperion saga (Dan Simmons), and The Dune saga (Frank Herbert)...
    And here, I am close to the end of the game, and I swear, I am in tears. I love this    I've never, ever given any game a perfect ten. And no - this game is not perfect, of course.
    But I will explain: I have simply fallen in love, deeply, with what they've created here.. I'm a die-hard sci-fi fan of Magnum opus such as the Hyperion saga (Dan Simmons), and The Dune saga (Frank Herbert)...
    And here, I am close to the end of the game, and I swear, I am in tears. I love this place, this... Universe, so much!
    I can't explain the spell that this game has cast over me. It feels like something out of my dream world, my fantastical wildest subconscious imagination - come to life!
    I wish it didn't have to end. I'm crying, really. Honestly: I've simply been lovestruck, and heartbroken, by this fabulous, epic, magnificent creation.
    This is the closest thing I've ever come to experiencing *actually* being in a different, parallel reality.
    I am so grateful. And so moved.
    I love this with all my heart.
    I send my heartfelt gratitude for this. Thank you.    … Expand
  7. mozarty
    Feb 23, 2021
    10
    Amazing game with a great murder mystery. Beautiful music and gorgeous art style. I really recommend it especially if you like a mystery :)
  8. Frank447
    Dec 26, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall, a fantastic exploration / mystery game.

    Pros: The island the game is played on is exceptionally large both in terms of horizontal and vertical distances that that be travelled and explored. The areas for exploration are tied together into a cohesive narrative describing how the island operates (sewage treatment plant, power station, hydroponic fields, living areas, court house, etc.) and there are no annoying load screens as the player travels about from area to area. The background music that plays is a rich variety of Latin themed songs that are "found" and repayable on demand throughout the exploration experience. The variety of architectural styles (Industrial, Art Deco, etc.) and geographic features (Mountains, Waterfalls, etc.) that exist through the game really make the journey worth the while. The characters that the player runs into, interacts with, and ultimately accuse of committing crimes are unique, colorful, and entertaining.

    The murder mystery aspect of the game is very open ended with several separate smaller crimes that occur prior to the main crime. Even when all the clues are gathered, there is no definitive "answer" to each of the crimes.

    Spoiler: One thing I do like is that after Lady Love Dies gets a foot massage, she gains the ability to meditate and reveal the locations of items not already found becomes available (similar to the vibrating motion controller from the Zelda series). These "hidden" items appear as floating hearts in LLD's view that shift back and forth between pink and yellow in color.

    Cons (visual):
    The highlighted pink items (ladders, containers that can be opened, etc.) that draw attention to the player are garish and detract from the beauty of the scenery. Likewise, the items that are found (blood crystals, whisky bottles, relics, etc.) look like something from an 8-bit video game (highly pixelated).

    The overall map for the entire island (accessible from the options menu) is also highly pixellated and way undersized for the video display with no zoom in / zoom out feature. This makes it essentially worthless for navigating the island.

    The clue navigation screen is highly pixellated (though functional).

    With this game being available for both the PC and Switch, I can only guess that the map display screen and clue screens are pixel art that was created to run on the lowest acceptable PC graphic setting (600x800).

    Cons (navigating the world):
    The ability for LLD fall off of tall buildings or high cliffs without taking damage, while convenient, is not adequately explained in the game (how she does it). There are references in the game to inhabitants of the island being pushed off high places (cliff in one instance) and so gravity and deaths related to falling are an integral part of the murder mystery.

    When LLD jumps or wades into deep water, she is respawned to the closest save point. I would have like to have seen scuba gear as an acquired item to explore the deep water areas near the island (at least until the oxygen tank is emptied). Also, the respawn when entering deep water seems inconsistent with LLD's behavior when she falls - if she respawns when she drowns why doesn't she respawn when she falls from a cliff?

    Cons (murder mystery):
    I wish the game would have incorporated a deeper puzzle solving mechanic using a matrix of both verbal testimony and hard evidence. Logical inferences (hard evidence contradicts a verbal statement) would be left for the player to identify rather than being automatically identified.    … Expand
  9. bergcamp101
    May 11, 2021
    8
    This game the most strange lore, I've even met. By far. Nevertheless, it feels so good after 5-10 hours, when you start uncover mysteries, and you're finally beginning to answer the question - what the hell is going on here. For the story, and the final trial, and the crimes here - applause.
  10. ScruffyKuma
    Dec 19, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A brilliant game with a fantastic atmosphere built on the vaporwave aesthetic with a pinch of complex lore and world devouring gods. Perfect for any lovers of detective like games; unlike Danganronpa and Phoenix Wright this has less of a linear experience. Instead focusing o your own interpretation which is quite fun to explore.
    While not a core mechanic, the music in the game and the ability to create your own playlist of the music you collect around Island 24 is a very fun and interactive idea that helpsed me fall in love with the world even more. The notes of jazz, smooth pop and even futuristic beeps and boops resonate throughout the beaches of the island making a perfect time, despite the murder I'm supposed to uncover.
    Along with that, the collectables that have been left behind by sacrificed citizens or stashed in vending machines are all so neatly hidden to make a very entertaining scavenger hunt just to find all the little hidden trophies to add to your collection of "junk" with satyrical or apt descriptions    … Expand
  11. shoebill
    Apr 6, 2021
    10
    Really well-done exploration/mystery game. The aesthetics are unique, and I appreciate the big swing at doing something different. It helps that I'm a huge fan of city pop and vaporwave. The pure exploration is very fun for a while, though it starts to lag as you start to wonder how you'll eventually use the collectibles that you've picked up. The answer to that - the trial at the endReally well-done exploration/mystery game. The aesthetics are unique, and I appreciate the big swing at doing something different. It helps that I'm a huge fan of city pop and vaporwave. The pure exploration is very fun for a while, though it starts to lag as you start to wonder how you'll eventually use the collectibles that you've picked up. The answer to that - the trial at the end - is a little anemic, and I wouldn't play this game to focus on puzzling or anything other than the joy of exploration/discovery. There are also a few repetitive environments (high-rise apartment blocks), and some key items/locations that are inordinately hard to find. I wasn't too fussed about using a walkthrough for 2-3 discoveries, though. Story-wise, the world-building is really fantastic, and I hope the developers make more games set in this universe. It's definitely much closer to a pure fantasy game than sci-fi (that didn't come through clearly enough in other reviews I had read), but I didn't find that disappointing. The world's "rules" are applied consistently. I had tons of fun with this, and hope you do too!
    Update: I'm still dreaming about this game 3 months later. Updating this to a 10/10.    … Expand
  12. Shirco
    May 13, 2021
    10
    One of the best and most original game I played in those last years.

    Paradise Killer can have a complicated start at first. You can easily feel lost with all the information that gets poured into your brain during the first hour. But once you get past this phase and start to really understand the world and the story of Paradise Killer, you will realise what a gem this game is. I didn't    One of the best and most original game I played in those last years.

    Paradise Killer can have a complicated start at first. You can easily feel lost with all the information that gets poured into your brain during the first hour. But once you get past this phase and start to really understand the world and the story of Paradise Killer, you will realise what a gem this game is.

    I didn't finish the game in one go but I did multiple sessions of an hour or two. And each time I finished my session, I couldn't think about anything else for some minutes or hours, trying to figure out in my head what happened and why it happened from the information I just got. This game is easily in my top 5 most favourite game of all time thanks to his unique style and gameplay.

    It's hard to make a review without spoilers but I think the less you know about this game, the more you will enjoy it. If you love a good mystery and to be some kind of detective and search the truth without being held by the hand, Paradise Killer is made for you! This game has all the qualities of a great game, a good novel that you want to finish to discover the end of the story and on top of that it has a banger soundtrack. What else could you ask for?!    … Expand
  13. Elite_Institute
    Mar 5, 2022
    9
    "Paradise Killer is definitely not for everyone, and you will likely either love it or hate it. The game offers a huge world and offers extremely little handholding throughout your investigation, with the story and lore slowly becoming comprehensible as you go. That being said, if you can click with this bizarre world, you will find a deeply compelling mystery that twists and turns, making"Paradise Killer is definitely not for everyone, and you will likely either love it or hate it. The game offers a huge world and offers extremely little handholding throughout your investigation, with the story and lore slowly becoming comprehensible as you go. That being said, if you can click with this bizarre world, you will find a deeply compelling mystery that twists and turns, making you question everyone and everything. I very much hope that we can rejoin Lady Love Dies on Paradise 25 in the not too distant future."

    https://theeliteinstitute.net/2021/04/30/paradise-killer/    … Expand
  14. TheLinkgirl
    Jun 8, 2022
    8
    These sorts of detective games are not normally my thing, but the style and aesthetic of Paradise Killer really drew me in. An open world murder mystery is probably not something you would expect to work super well, but I felt more and more drawn in the further I got, and really started to appreciate the world. The characters are extremely memorable, and at times, when I learned aboutThese sorts of detective games are not normally my thing, but the style and aesthetic of Paradise Killer really drew me in. An open world murder mystery is probably not something you would expect to work super well, but I felt more and more drawn in the further I got, and really started to appreciate the world. The characters are extremely memorable, and at times, when I learned about their possible motives or where they had left breadcrumbs, I had some genuine moments of shock and realisation.

    Paradise Killer is a great mystery game, though I say it not being a huge fan of these sorts of games. Regardless, I'd say it's worth a play just to formulate your own truth.    … Expand
  15. heybranny
    Jan 6, 2023
    2
    A lot of backtracking, and traversing the island is frustrating and slow. If you want to travel fast you have to spend currency which slows down game progression. The story was interesting but that’s about it.

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Best Switch Game of 2020
81
#81 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Gaming Age
    Nov 10, 2020
    75
    Beneath all the ugly/stylish trappings, you have an open-world mystery game, where you have to search for clues, question suspects, and figure out whodunnit. In that sense, the game is fairly rewarding, and it even challenges you in a way that most other games of this ilk don’t, in that it leaves the “who” of the whodunnit up to you, and makes it clear that the decision of who to convict is in your hands. Given how frequently most mystery games only offer one path to a solution, it’s intriguing to see a game that takes such an open-ended approach. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s a great idea wrapped in a nauseating package. No judgment if Paradise Killer’s hyperstylish aesthetic appeals to you, but I’m going to have to pass on this one.
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  2. GameSpace
    Oct 16, 2020
    90
    Paradise Killer takes place in one of the most bizarre universes one may ever partake in. There are certain elements of the game that lend itself to a retro feeling detective game replete with a tasteful, customizable soundtrack. While the universe and its semantics might throw you a curveball once in a while you'll easily get lost in the large and beautiful open-world. Couple that with a rewarding exploration and puzzle system and you might just forget that you have a murder to solve!
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  3. Starbit
    Oct 13, 2020
    80
    Paradise Killer brings a unique approach to a visual novel adventure game, where first-person exploration in an open world becomes part of the picture and the player takes part in a criminal investigation with potential multiple outcomes. While the exploration part can feel rather slow and cumbersome regarding the distances travelled in the game, the investigation component is nothing short of a wonder, with its myriad of characters and intricate, alluring plot. Everyone who feels attracted towards visual novels and investigatory adventures should take a close look at Paradise Killer.
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