Who Wants to Be a Murderer?: Surviving a Gory Game Show
On paper, the idea of a game show being mixed with the horror genre doesn’t seem like it should work. One would think that the glitz and glamour of a shiny new game show and the low-lighting and eeriness of horror exist at opposite ends of the spectrum. However, recent examples like the film “Late Night with the Devil” revealed that there’s an untapped market for those who are willing to combine these elements to create a truly horrific experience. In developer Coding4rtists Who Wants to Be a Murderer?, the player is given a glimpse of just how effective this combination can be.
Combining psychological horror with the game show genre, Who Wants to Be a Murderer? is set in a ‘90s television show. A showy and witty host reads off the questions, and the player must answer them while also playing murderous mini-games to ensure their survival. The game contains unscripted rounds, meaning that the events in each playthrough can play out in a random order. This leads to more replayability as the contestants’ actions and reactions vary greatly through each playthrough.
Without any pretense, the player is dropped into this murderous game show armed with only their wits and people skills. Several other contestants are also present, and they can become allies or enemies. Between rounds of morbid trivia, the player can converse with the other contestants to gain advantages in the competition. These brief conversation sequences are one of the game’s greatest strengths, as they make everyone feel animated and personable. To win, everyone else must die, and it makes killing them off that much more difficult. The host himself is also a treat to listen to, as his dialogue is a spot-on imitation of a host in a popular game show. He makes jokes, advertises products, and harshly judges every contestant, just like any good game show host might.
Minimalist graphics and flashy sound design help Who Wants to Be a Murderer? shine in a way that only a game show can. The raving audiences and cheery jingles contrast the bleak story unfolding before the player’s eyes. While everyone seems to be brimming with enthusiasm, the contestants continue to endure torture after torture as they backstab one another for a cash prize. It’s a cruel yet fair look at the ways in which our entertainment is commodified, and telling it through the vessel of a horror game is just as effective as you would expect.
The story plays out in a rather linear fashion, but there are four endings to choose from. Each ending is another take on the character’s morality as the host constantly pushes you to go further and further to come out victorious on Who Wants to Be a Murderer?. In the end, the question may become literal as the ramifications of your actions mount against you. While the trivia element overshadows the story in a lot of categories, the thematic ties between the game show’s premise and the actions of the player are still quite compelling.
Even with four endings, plenty of trivia questions, and a nice coat of polish, the current version of Who Wants to Be a Murderer? is still technically a demo. The developer has promised a full version of the game on Steam, with more trivia and a longer story. That said, the abbreviated version of the game showcases everything one could have hoped for from a game show horror game. Despite the genre differences, every element in Who Wants to Be a Murderer? blends effortlessly together to create an experience that is filled with contradiction, horror, and a little razzle-dazzle.