You’ve seen the Anime! Now check out the game which inspired the adaptation. For fans of plot-driven dark fantasy stories, Angels of Death by PLAYISM delivers a gripping tale fraught with mystery, suspense, and twisted character development. As you travel through the puzzling halls of Angels of Death, you will stumble upon more and more peculiar events that all add to the question: What is this place? Prepare yourself to delve into the many floors of one deep psycho-mystery journey. Also, because this game is 95% story, I will do my absolute best not to spoil too much.
Story
“I want you… to kill me.”
“Prove yourself useful, and I’ll gladly kill you.”
You play the game as Rachel, a tender-aged girl, who awakens in a mysterious hospital alone and barely any memory of how she arrived here. As she attempts to fumble her way through this realm she slowly comes to the realization that this is no ordinary hospital: no ordinary building. Each floor is different, with its own hidden dangers. WHat they all seem to have in common, however, is an owner: a Boss. These bosses, at first, seem like ordinary people, but Rachel soon learns that each of them are afflicted in some way with the desire to kill anyone and everyone who comes across their path in morbid and bizarre ways. Each floor also has its own mysteries and rules. While most are unique, one that seems to be common is that no Boss is allowed to kill another Boss. Breaking that rule means becoming free game for any other Boss to torment however they seem fit.
The real meat of the story is Rachel’s relationship with Isaac: the ‘former’ Boss of the 6th level basement floor who is also a deranged serial killer with an erratic and violent personality. After a series of soul-crushing events, Isaac confronts Rachel with his blood-soaked scythe ready to kill her, but unfortunately for him, it seems Rachel has lost the will to live. “Your eyes are already dead. I’m not into chopping up lifeless Dolls. That’s just creepy.” On top of that, Isaac is now being hunted by the other Bosses and must escape so that he can continue killing as he sees fit. Because of this, the two strike up a deal. Rachel agrees to help Isaac escape only if, once they are free, he kills her immediately.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Angels of Death by PLAYISM plays like a top-down pixelated RPG must like most classic JRPGs from the early 2000s. There isn’t much combat, of an abundance of action sequences. Instead, as you travel through the different floors of this unpredictable world, you are constantly on the edge of your seat waiting to see what will happen next. As you move through the game your main goal is to ascend one floor at a time until you eventually escape. In order to do so, you must find hidden tools that allow you to unlock the elevator control rooms. Almost every usable item requires you to pause the game in order to access your inventory, which breaks the immersion at times. Not a good look for a game that’s banking on your complete immersion into the plot. Speaking of which, this game features a linear storyline, with a predesigned sequence to the way you must complete each floor, so don’t worry too much about missing anything. You’re just here to enjoy the dread.
Aesthetics & Sound
Originally released on Steam in 2016, Angels of Death both looks and sounds like a project made utilizing the popular RPG Maker VX. The pixelated levels are crafted using the assets found in the program and the soundbites fit perfectly with this indie title. The game uses sprite-based character models and hand drawn character portraits in a penciled Anime style. All of the environments are dimly lit, dank, and gives off an aura of creepy as you pass through them. While most of the floors are pretty cramped in terms of space, they give you just enough room to move about and get a feel for the area in its entirety.
Summary
Angels of Death by PLAYISM is a deep and gripping story-driven mystery that, even while it might not be everyone’s cup of tea gameplay wise, this odd plot will render your mind useless for anything other than wondering what in the world is going on… in a good way. While I wouldn’t consider Angels of Death scary, it has a level of general creepiness and existential dread throughout the title that’ll keep you wanting more. Fortunately, for those who might not have the patience to lumber through the RPG, there is an amazing Anime adaptation of the same name: my first experience with Angels of Death.
8/10
Check Out the Angels of Death Trailer:
For more information, please visit: https://www.gamemaga.jp/satsuriku/
Related: ANGELS OF DEATH Heading to PS4 and Xbox One April 22
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PlayStation 4 Review
As the (self-proclaimed) King of Casuals, I'm always seeking out new titles to play and experience across all platforms. Eventually, I have ambitions to take the many different styles of this medium to create titles that will wow the masses in fresh, innovative ways.
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