Serial Cleaner is a story driven, fast paced, action and stealth game with a pretty sweet 1970’s theme. Everything from the characters to the style is immersed in the retro style in this humorous game. I first got a look at this at PAX East 2017. You, the protagonist and player, are tasked to clean up murder scenes, mostly. The protagonist also gets to hide bodies, clean up blood and even hide murder weapons. Police however, are scattered everywhere waiting for something, or someone to catch, and don’t forget about the nosy bystanders that will alert everyone around them as well. So, get to work, chill those bodies, and become the Wolf.
In order to win at this game, you’ll need to be fast-paced and willing to explore, experiment, and think quickly. No one wants to smudge their record by getting caught. Unfortunately this is only a one player game but you’ll be hooked in no time. One of neat features of this game too, is that it uses Real-World Data and changes the levels according to the time of day and where the player is located. So keep an eye on those backgrounds to see if they match up.
If you’re a movie aficionado, then there should be some recognizable traits to this game as well. Serial Cleaner was inspired by the movies Pulp Fiction and Fargo and these traits also reflect in the game style. Another neat, and maybe morbid, part to this game’s inspiration is the real murders that the game portrays from crime scene information. So far, I haven’t caught on to any famous murder scenes, but this may be due to my own lack of information.
Aside from the fun facts about the games hidden gems, this game rewards its players on experimentation and exploration. Try throwing a murder weapon in a lake, trashcan or who knows where else. There may be a bonus in it for you. Also, be prepared to move, move, move. The guards are constantly using their flashlights to detect any problems and the levels will get trickier as you go. The play style is comparable to Party Hard, a game where you had to go on a stealthy killing spree. One might even expect that this game is a spiritual sequel to that game. You start where the killer in Party left off.
Overall, this game is funny and totally worth a try. Don’t be surprised if you get frustrated and have to repeat some levels. The more you explore the further you’ll get. Those pesky cops are had to get past so get the crime scenes cleaned up fast and bonus if you recognize any of the hidden inspirations throughout the game.
Developed by iFun4All S.A
Publisher: Curve Digital
Available on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/522210/Serial_Cleaner/
