In the last few years, social deduction games have really taken off. Perhaps it’s due to their party game affordances during Covid lockdown or the wealth of murder mysteries in the last few years. Whatever the reason is, we’ve seen a lot of these types of games lately. Some are better than others. Square Enix has now thrown its mystery-solving hat into the ring with KILLER INN.
So, what makes KILLER INN stand out from the likes of say, Among Us or DEATH NOTE Killer Within? We’ll find out soon enough, as the game launches into Early Access in just a couple of weeks. Starting on February 12th, you can purchase the Early Access build on Steam for $9.99. While the price will rise later on, those who purchase it in Early Access will have access to the full title upon release.
In the meantime, KILLER INN‘s trailer and press release give us an idea of how this game hopes to separate itself from the social deduction pack. For starters, KILLER INN allows for up to 24 players. This is much higher than DEATH NOTE Killer Within’s cap of 10 players or even Among Us‘s cap of 15. The question is, will it freshen up the genre or prove too chaotic?
Gameplay-wise, KILLER INN seems to mostly stick to the social deduction script. Players take on one of two roles; wolves who have to hunt the lambs, or lambs who have to uncover the wolves or escape. But one aspect that could elevate it is that of the investigation mechanics. If a lamb gets killed, players can conduct an investigation to gather clues to catch the killer. I actually played DEATH NOTE longer than I would’ve otherwise because of a similar mechanic.
While there are many social deduction games out there, there are actually few that mimic great detective fiction. I don’t know how much KILLER INN will lean into that genre, but if it embraces it I could see it rising above the competition. Time will tell.
And time will tell quite soon. KILLER INN, a collaboration between Square Enix and TBS GAMES, will arrive on Steam in Early Access on February 12th. Currently, the PC game does not have a date for its full release just yet. You may wishlist it on Steam here.
Source: Press Release
