Square Enix has announced a new online multiplayer game called Killer Inn, which combines social deduction with murderous action.
Courtesy of developer Tactic Studios (the studio behind first-person puzzle game Claire De Lune), Killer Inn is a 24-player online game with players split into two teams: Wolves and Lambs.
Wolves will be tasked with anonymously murdering the Lambs, while the Lambs must uncover the Wolves without killing each other. Lamb-on-Lamb action is forbidden.
Players will find a number of items to assist with their detective work, like stamina buffs or antidotes. Completing quests will provide access to treasure chests with more valuable weapon and armour items.
Then, upon finding a body, they will uncover clues as to the murderer – stray hairs, blood stains, clothing scraps, and fingerprints, for example. Eventually, matches will erupt into all-out third-person shooting to eliminate the opposing team – presuming players have correctly deduced their opponents.
Safe zones will provide a moment to breathe and assess, while escape routes for Lambs can be boobytrapped by the Wolves.
Killer Inn will utilise 3D audio voice chat to discuss tactics with fellow players, which sounds potentially toxic. Matches are predominantly invite-only, though it will have solo matchmaking too so you don’t necessarily need another 23 friends to play with.
There are also 25 diverse characters to play as, each with specific skills. It includes the likes of a surgeon, an otaku, a cosplayer, a singer, and more.
In all, Killer Inn looks like a combination of Among Us, TV show Traitors, and board game Guess Who. It’s not necessarily a bad combination, but Square Enix doesn’t have a great reputation for online multiplayer games.
Last year it released Foamstars, which received its final season less than a year after release. The game does remain online, but was widely panned for its similarities to Nintendo’s Splatoon series.
Let’s hope Killer Inn doesn’t follow a similar fate. A closed beta test will take place soon on Steam.