I recently had the opportunity to go hands-on with ‘Killer Inn’, a new social deduction game developed by Tactic Studios and published by Square Enix. Even though this meant setting a few alarms and waking up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am, I was keen to get my first taste of what the game had in store.

Set over the course of a single night in a hotel, the game tasks 24 players with unravelling a murder mystery, working together to uncover who amongst them are Lambs, and who are the Wolves. It’s up to the Lambs to search for clues while investigating the murders, which may be some hair or a piece of clothing, and piece together the truth before it’s too late. Meanwhile, the Wolves must try and blend in, sowing doubt, manipulating trust, and eliminating the Lambs one by one before anyone begins to suspect a thing.

During the playtest, the developers and event staff ran several matches for media and influencers to get a first taste of Killer Inn. Unfortunately, tech issues that turned out to be related to my own internet connection caused a few hiccups, and I was only able to participate in a couple of games; one as a spectator, and one where I was able to jump in and play. Although I only got to play one game, I had a fun time and was able to get a good grasp of the core gameplay loop, which will hopefully keep players coming back.

Before the match begins, you arrive at the character select screen, where you’re presented with a large roster of characters, each with their own unique abilities as they level up that can aid you in various ways depending on your role. I played as the Surgeon, who has Surgical Precision, which makes the knife finisher faster as well as leaving no blood behind, and Sadist, which deals 25% more damage while covered in blood.

The Surgeon would seem to play better as one of the Wolves, whereas the Con Man has Deception, which makes his clue refinement 50% stronger, and Insight, which allows him to see the suspicion level of all players. It will be interesting to see the different strategies you can approach later down the line.

You begin the match in your hotel room, but the pace immediately picks up as players rush out to scavenge for useful items. You can rummage through drawers or open chests scattered throughout the inn, uncovering plenty of gear including weapons like knives, guns, or grenades, forensic kits to investigate bodies, and utility items that provide temporary buffs.

Alternatively, you can take your findings to the hotel manager, who acts as a vendor, allowing you to sell items for gold and purchase new tools or weapons to suit your strategy. Work benches are located around the map, where you can upgrade the gear you have, and finally, the focus mode can help with clues.

I struggled to find any weapons at first, but I did manage to collect plenty of items to sell. After finding a forensic kit, I soon discovered a body, and when I used the kit, I found a piece of green cloth at the crime scene, narrowing down the list of suspects. Their names appeared in the top-left corner of the screen, giving me a clear lead. I also happened to find a shotgun on the body, but just as I was preparing to confront one of the suspected Wolves, I was gunned down in the hallway right outside the room where the body was found.

It wouldn’t be a social deduction game without communication (and some gaslighting) between players. After my death, the match came down to the final three, two Lambs and one remaining Wolf. From our spectator’s perspective, one of the Lambs appeared to be working with the Wolf.

I can only imagine what was being said in voice chat, but somehow, the Wolf managed to manipulate the situation, convincing the Lamb to turn on their innocent teammate and eliminate them. We were stunned. Eventually, the realisation hit, and the last Lamb took down the Wolf, securing victory for the Lambs.

Eliminating all the Wolves is one way to victory for the Lambs, but it’s not the only one. Special targets, known as Guardians, are scattered throughout the map, and once their objective becomes active, players can hunt them down to obtain keys that unlock the docks. If the remaining Lambs manage to reach the docks and sail away, they secure a win that way as well. On the flip side, while eliminating all the Lambs guarantees a win for the Wolves, I suspect there are additional win conditions exclusive to their side. I think the developers hinted that there are even more victory scenarios still under wraps.

During both games, I noticed that once players have been found out, it turns into a bit of a PvP death match. I hope that not every game ends like this, and a bit more nuance can be used to win, although this might have been because everyone in our session was still finding their feet.

It wouldn’t be a Square Enix published game without a stunning soundtrack. Even if it’s a smaller title, these composers at Tactic Studios have written some beautiful pieces with a hint of mystery, including a lovely main menu theme.

Finally, I’d like to thank Tactic Studios and Square Enix again for the opportunity to participate in the preview event. Killer Inn shows plenty of potential, especially as a stream or party game. There is a reason the social deduction genre continues to thrive, and this title can hopefully be a strong new addition to the space. While it’s still in development, players will be able to try it out soon as the first beta begins on July 25, 2025.

Written by: Dylan Kocins