I didn't think much of the gameplay in the beginning, but the cat-and-mouse-like concept of staying ahead of the killer to finish a very mundane task became intense as the game progressed. This game takes its inspiration from Welcome to the Game and Scrutinized. If you've seen or played those games, you're already familiar with Cheating Death, except this is much less complex. I applaud the developers for taking that concept from those games and making it simple and still entertaining.
For those who are unfamiliar, you have to fill out paperwork at your desk late at night while a murderer is constantly stalking you outside your bedroom. He checks up on you from time to time by peering through your window. To prevent him from coming in and killing you, you need to keep the window closed and hide under your desk before he peers through. The sounds of his footsteps on the grass outside is the only indication he's coming. The murderer is prone to stalking you more when he hears sound and sees light from your room, both of which happen to be elements you need to help you finish your paperwork. The twist at the end makes way for two endings: a good and a bad.
I can't recommend this game enough. I've been inspired to buy Scrutinized on Steam because of this game, it's that much fun. I can't think of anything to really critique the game, except maybe the addition of a handgun for the protagonist considering he's a detective. Maybe allow him a bullet or two which, when used against the antagonist, only buys him one or two chances of not being killed. Also, a laptop to do the paperwork online through the police department's database in addition to actual paperwork would add variety to the gameplay. The cases he has to fill out manually on paper could be because these cases haven't been uploaded to the PD database and, therefore, can only be finished manually.
Remarkable gameplay and commentary. I had a great time watching your video and seeing how you were able to quickly come up with the correct strategies for how to beat the game as smoothly as possible. So smooth in fact, that you actually didn't even know that there was a bad ending to it. You were already ready to cheat death and knowing that the desk is the only way to survive, you were prepared. The player's boss telling you your work was done and that you may go to sleep was a cue for you to look left and press on the bed next to you, ultimately leading to a quite obvious, yet gullible death on behalf of the player.
I appreciate you for the amazing feedback. I also noticed that you were able to understand the key mechanics of the game, despite you not being the designer. You realized the importance of the lamp and how it drives the killer away, saving you a lot of accumulated seconds from hiding under the desk (the game does have a time limit).
The small additions to the game you mentioned are things we definitely have and will continue to consider. For this game however, we decided to keep it nice and simple, easy, and straight to the point.
Kyle -> Kyl was not a typo. We wanted the player to not only be aware of external sources (that being the top of the paper), but also how Kyl T. Knight is quite literally implying (if you say it fast enough) that you will be Killed T'Night (Sounds similar I guess.. Kind of?)
Nonetheless, thanks so much for playing our game. We hope to create more content and see you again!
I think the fact that I caught on to the strategies fairly quickly was serendipitous. I was pressing the Ctrl key several times to look away from the paperwork in the beginning. When I initially pressed Ctrl, it didn't do anything because the game froze for a moment. So when I pressed it a couple more times, the game "caught up" which then exited the paperwork screen and made the character hide. I was about to leave from underneath but it turned out I just hid in time because the killer showed up shortly. That's when I pretty much figured out what was happening. The instructions were also clear enough (at least for me) to clue me in to use the light sparingly. What I didn't know (and something I mentioned in the video) was the necessity of turning off the light before hiding. I wanted to try leaving the light on after hiding. I was assuming the killer wouldn't have entered despite seeing the light on since I was hiding anyway. But then I thought that maybe he'd come in anyway because he'd know someone was in there since the light was on.
The last case was pretty obvious to me that the protagonist was the target. I hid immediately after sending the paperwork because it's what I had been doing to evade the killer, so I figured that was what you were supposed to do. I heard the boss about going to sleep, but I had no idea falling asleep was an actual ability in the game. Despite catching on that I was the last target, I didn't even realize the irony of the name. What's funny is that when I was typing out my review, I kept thinking about the name because I had a feeling it wasn't a misspelling. Then it dawned on me the sound of the name when spoken - Kyl T'Knight = kill tonight - as you mentioned. I've no idea why I didn't catch on to that during the game. I remember saying it over and over in my head during that part of the gameplay to see if it would sound like a clue, but ultimately assuming that 'Kyle' was just misspelled.
I'm really looking forward to more games! I HIGHLY enjoyed Cheating Death!
Hey TheCardsharp, it's been a while! Just wanted to let you know that we've very recently released the sequel to this game! We would love for you to try when you get the chance. The link is here: Cheating Fate
Hey! Yeah, I received notification from Itch.io a couple days ago about the release. I’ve downloaded it and will play it soon. Thank you for the heads up!
PLAY THIS GAME! The suspense will leave you sitting on the edge of your chair, also make sure to listen carefully! I really enjoyed this, from the creepy vibes to jumpscares, got me EVERY time! :) Well done! Here is my gameplay of it! Part 2 comin soon
Good game!, Short and simple but scary and definitely keeps you on edge with constantly having to listen for the ruffling of leaves outside. It would have been even creepier if the guy came in your room while you hid under the desk and walked around before leaving and maybe some voices that can be heard as well. The ending also really creeped me out.
One of the most smooth, flawless runs I've seen anyone play so far! Thanks so much for playing and your feedback!
Those things have been definitely been considered and I agree they would be great additions to the game! There also could have been a use for the left side of the game (killer also comes through door). However, for this project we decided to keep it short and simple. Maybe for a sequel.. ;)
Bro this game is wild lol. I actually really stupid and took forever to realize what the controls were (dont ask how lmfao). Anyway i really enjoyed this game and id love to see more
Thanks so much for playing! I had a great time watching your video, though you kept skipping through the tutorials/controls menu :) Refer to my comment on your video for more information
Hey there! Just wanted to let you know that we've finally released the sequel to this game and we would love for you to play it! The link is here: Cheating Fate
You almost fooled me at the end! Who am I kidding you did fool me at the end and I had to restart the game, But the ending was really cool, it was worth it, I apologize for my first video on the game but trust me this video is a lot better
Hey William! Long time no see! We just wanted to let you know that we've actually released the sequel to this game, called Cheating Fate, and we would LOVE for you to play it and give it a shot. The link is here: Cheating Fate
Hi again Enigmatic Prod! We just wanted to let you know that we've very recently released the sequel to Cheating Death! We would greatly appreciate it if you could play it :) The link is here: Cheating Fate
Wow, this game is awesome! Great job guys for making a fun short horror game. As a deaf person I struggled with the audio tape recorder, but it made it somehow more fun for me. I'm glad you added subtitles to the phone call. I also kept forgetting to turn off the light and got attacked a lot, the attacker is quite startling. I hope to see more from you guys!
Very entertaining video! You definitely startled me at the beginning. I'm so glad you were able to finish the game and experience the ending. How lucky you were at the end indeed! Thanks so much for playing :)
Just wanted to let you know that we've just released our newest game which is actually the sequel to Cheating Death! I will attach the link here: Cheating Fate. We would love for you to check it out!
pretty sure this game is buggy, when i turn off the lights right wen i heard the footsteps a few seconds later he kills me but if i had my loud printer on he doesn't, it really made me confused
Hi! Few things to note here (I'm replying the same thing under your comment section of the video).
1.) The game is NOT troll nor buggy (as far as I know).
2.) You were not utilizing an extremely key aspect of the game, which was to 'Hide Under Desk', found on the Quick Tutorial page that you have access to every time you press Play or by pressing Escape. Instead of playing the game the same way and dying the same way every time, you should realize the key mechanic you were missing. So if it's so key, why isn't it clearly addressed in the paper? That mechanic is so important, that it just so happens to help you prevent death every time. So I intended for the player to figure it out shortly after dying a few times.
3.) Why did you keep dying even after turning off the lights? The paper said that the killer is ATTRACTED to light, but in real life, a murderer has their ways. It is not 100% prevention. Turning off the light actually helps a lot. A lot of players forget to utilize this and waste a lot of time. Like I said, even when he opens the window regardless, you had to hide under the desk.
As for the loud printer, that was just a coincidence. You turned off the lights and he ran away. Nonetheless, I'm glad you gave the game a try! I appreciate the game commentary and feedback. Knowing this new information, I really hope you'd give the game another try.
I played through a couple of times and got both endings. Just like games such as FNaF and Welcome to the Game, you have to have a plan and a routine. Wonderful game overall! I quite enjoyed playing it! I might make a video playing it!<3
We tried to make it so that the player is inclined to strategize in order to beat the game (at least efficiently). I'm very glad you got to experience the endings! If you make a video, we will most definitely watch it. Let us know :)
This game really took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to feel as paranoid as I did, and the gameplay is genuinely fun. The ending is a perfect fit. Overall this is just a great experience!
Hey there! We just recently released the sequel to this game! We would greatly appreciate it if you give it a chance and try it out! The link to the page is here: Cheating Fate
this game is a pretty good concept for a game very similar to welcome to the game it has sound mechanics and I like the mechanic of filling out the police reports and the killer got me a couple time (scare wise) and the recorder is a really good mechanic as well it makes it harder to hear the killer sneaking up to you, over all pretty epic game if you want to see my playthrough of this (not the full game sadly I couldn't beat it) here is a link to it
if you watched I appreciate you and consider subscribing it really helps my channel grow and even if you just checked it out I still appreciate that
Thanks for the awesome video and commentary. I learn a lot about how others play and what things I can fix/balance to make the player experience more satisfactory. I appreciate your feedback a lot. We hope you try out the game sometime in the future again till the end as we just updated the game to be slightly easier in regards to getting particular answers wrong. Thanks for playing!
Hi BlizzardSunny! We just wanted to reach out again and mention that we've just recently released the sequel to this game, Cheating Fate! We would absolutely love for you to check it out.
I loved the simplicity of this, almost seeming like Welcome To The Game Jr in a very good way. The reveal of the last document was very creepy, and I'd totally get murdered again.
Thanks so much for the gameplay as well as the video! The reason why you kept dying was because you didn't utilize the 'Hiding under the Desk' mechanic. There is also a good ending and bad ending! Unfortunately, you only experienced the bad ending
*spoilers ahead* A pretty good game actually. The concept is nice, but the mechanics are fairly simple. There isn't a lot to manage. I liked the jump scare. I love the concept that the last document was actually about yourself.
Yo, not gonna lie this game was really good. It took me a sec to get the entire concept, but it was very entertaining. You really gotta pay attention to what your doing so you don't die, plus its hella scary and makes you anxious. I don't wanna say too much to spoil the game, but I promise you will enjoy it.
Honestly really enjoyed playing this. the difficulty level of normal seemed impossible at first and I had to lower it to easy but once you get a feel for the game it comes natural. I Especially enjoyed how the game kept my attention the entire time by making me constantly paranoid of the audio cues. good game.
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I didn't think much of the gameplay in the beginning, but the cat-and-mouse-like concept of staying ahead of the killer to finish a very mundane task became intense as the game progressed. This game takes its inspiration from Welcome to the Game and Scrutinized. If you've seen or played those games, you're already familiar with Cheating Death, except this is much less complex. I applaud the developers for taking that concept from those games and making it simple and still entertaining.
For those who are unfamiliar, you have to fill out paperwork at your desk late at night while a murderer is constantly stalking you outside your bedroom. He checks up on you from time to time by peering through your window. To prevent him from coming in and killing you, you need to keep the window closed and hide under your desk before he peers through. The sounds of his footsteps on the grass outside is the only indication he's coming. The murderer is prone to stalking you more when he hears sound and sees light from your room, both of which happen to be elements you need to help you finish your paperwork. The twist at the end makes way for two endings: a good and a bad.
I can't recommend this game enough. I've been inspired to buy Scrutinized on Steam because of this game, it's that much fun. I can't think of anything to really critique the game, except maybe the addition of a handgun for the protagonist considering he's a detective. Maybe allow him a bullet or two which, when used against the antagonist, only buys him one or two chances of not being killed. Also, a laptop to do the paperwork online through the police department's database in addition to actual paperwork would add variety to the gameplay. The cases he has to fill out manually on paper could be because these cases haven't been uploaded to the PD database and, therefore, can only be finished manually.
Remarkable gameplay and commentary. I had a great time watching your video and seeing how you were able to quickly come up with the correct strategies for how to beat the game as smoothly as possible. So smooth in fact, that you actually didn't even know that there was a bad ending to it. You were already ready to cheat death and knowing that the desk is the only way to survive, you were prepared. The player's boss telling you your work was done and that you may go to sleep was a cue for you to look left and press on the bed next to you, ultimately leading to a quite obvious, yet gullible death on behalf of the player.
I appreciate you for the amazing feedback. I also noticed that you were able to understand the key mechanics of the game, despite you not being the designer. You realized the importance of the lamp and how it drives the killer away, saving you a lot of accumulated seconds from hiding under the desk (the game does have a time limit).
The small additions to the game you mentioned are things we definitely have and will continue to consider. For this game however, we decided to keep it nice and simple, easy, and straight to the point.
Kyle -> Kyl was not a typo. We wanted the player to not only be aware of external sources (that being the top of the paper), but also how Kyl T. Knight is quite literally implying (if you say it fast enough) that you will be Killed T'Night (Sounds similar I guess.. Kind of?)
Nonetheless, thanks so much for playing our game. We hope to create more content and see you again!
I think the fact that I caught on to the strategies fairly quickly was serendipitous. I was pressing the Ctrl key several times to look away from the paperwork in the beginning. When I initially pressed Ctrl, it didn't do anything because the game froze for a moment. So when I pressed it a couple more times, the game "caught up" which then exited the paperwork screen and made the character hide. I was about to leave from underneath but it turned out I just hid in time because the killer showed up shortly. That's when I pretty much figured out what was happening. The instructions were also clear enough (at least for me) to clue me in to use the light sparingly. What I didn't know (and something I mentioned in the video) was the necessity of turning off the light before hiding. I wanted to try leaving the light on after hiding. I was assuming the killer wouldn't have entered despite seeing the light on since I was hiding anyway. But then I thought that maybe he'd come in anyway because he'd know someone was in there since the light was on.
The last case was pretty obvious to me that the protagonist was the target. I hid immediately after sending the paperwork because it's what I had been doing to evade the killer, so I figured that was what you were supposed to do. I heard the boss about going to sleep, but I had no idea falling asleep was an actual ability in the game. Despite catching on that I was the last target, I didn't even realize the irony of the name. What's funny is that when I was typing out my review, I kept thinking about the name because I had a feeling it wasn't a misspelling. Then it dawned on me the sound of the name when spoken - Kyl T'Knight = kill tonight - as you mentioned. I've no idea why I didn't catch on to that during the game. I remember saying it over and over in my head during that part of the gameplay to see if it would sound like a clue, but ultimately assuming that 'Kyle' was just misspelled.
I'm really looking forward to more games! I HIGHLY enjoyed Cheating Death!
Hey TheCardsharp, it's been a while! Just wanted to let you know that we've very recently released the sequel to this game! We would love for you to try when you get the chance. The link is here: Cheating Fate
Hey! Yeah, I received notification from Itch.io a couple days ago about the release. I’ve downloaded it and will play it soon. Thank you for the heads up!
Very cool game, I overlooked a few things in the ending but I realized them later on lol, great game and pretty tense at times.
Here's my gameplay
Thanks for playing and the awesome video! I enjoyed watching :)
Hey again! We just wanted to let you know that our newest sequel to this game, Cheating Fate, is out! We would love for you to try and play it :)
The link is here: Cheating Fate
PLAY THIS GAME! The suspense will leave you sitting on the edge of your chair, also make sure to listen carefully! I really enjoyed this, from the creepy vibes to jumpscares, got me EVERY time! :) Well done! Here is my gameplay of it! Part 2 comin soon
I absolutely love your energy :) Amazing video. Thanks so much for playing. Looking forward to part 2!
Thank you !!! Honestly loved the game!!! Everything about it :) ! Looking forward to trying more of your content!
Good game!, Short and simple but scary and definitely keeps you on edge with constantly having to listen for the ruffling of leaves outside. It would have been even creepier if the guy came in your room while you hid under the desk and walked around before leaving and maybe some voices that can be heard as well. The ending also really creeped me out.
One of the most smooth, flawless runs I've seen anyone play so far! Thanks so much for playing and your feedback!
Those things have been definitely been considered and I agree they would be great additions to the game! There also could have been a use for the left side of the game (killer also comes through door). However, for this project we decided to keep it short and simple. Maybe for a sequel.. ;)
Bro this game is wild lol. I actually really stupid and took forever to realize what the controls were (dont ask how lmfao). Anyway i really enjoyed this game and id love to see more
Thanks so much for playing! I had a great time watching your video, though you kept skipping through the tutorials/controls menu :) Refer to my comment on your video for more information
Hey there! Just wanted to let you know that we've finally released the sequel to this game and we would love for you to play it! The link is here: Cheating Fate
You almost fooled me at the end! Who am I kidding you did fool me at the end and I had to restart the game, But the ending was really cool, it was worth it, I apologize for my first video on the game but trust me this video is a lot better
Thank you so very much for giving this game another chance. We are all human! Absolutely no harm done. I'm just so glad it went better this time!
Hey William! Long time no see! We just wanted to let you know that we've actually released the sequel to this game, called Cheating Fate, and we would LOVE for you to play it and give it a shot. The link is here: Cheating Fate
Absolute Blast to play! As Always, Great game! Fun Ending as well! Check out the full game!
Absolutely amazing and hilarious gameplay + commentary. I thoroughly enjoyed watching your video! Thanks so much for playing!
Hi again Enigmatic Prod! We just wanted to let you know that we've very recently released the sequel to Cheating Death! We would greatly appreciate it if you could play it :) The link is here: Cheating Fate
Absolutely Would Love to. Enjoyed the first one...will def be giving the sequel a go. Thanks for heads up Jang Games!
Very entertaining video! You definitely startled me at the beginning. I'm so glad you were able to finish the game and experience the ending. How lucky you were at the end indeed! Thanks so much for playing :)
Hey there Berry! It's been a while :)
Just wanted to let you know that we've just released our newest game which is actually the sequel to Cheating Death! I will attach the link here: Cheating Fate. We would love for you to check it out!
Oooh exciting! Alright I will check it out and see if I can make a video
pretty sure this game is buggy, when i turn off the lights right wen i heard the footsteps a few seconds later he kills me but if i had my loud printer on he doesn't, it really made me confused
Hi! Few things to note here (I'm replying the same thing under your comment section of the video).
1.) The game is NOT troll nor buggy (as far as I know).
2.) You were not utilizing an extremely key aspect of the game, which was to 'Hide Under Desk', found on the Quick Tutorial page that you have access to every time you press Play or by pressing Escape. Instead of playing the game the same way and dying the same way every time, you should realize the key mechanic you were missing. So if it's so key, why isn't it clearly addressed in the paper? That mechanic is so important, that it just so happens to help you prevent death every time. So I intended for the player to figure it out shortly after dying a few times.
3.) Why did you keep dying even after turning off the lights? The paper said that the killer is ATTRACTED to light, but in real life, a murderer has their ways. It is not 100% prevention. Turning off the light actually helps a lot. A lot of players forget to utilize this and waste a lot of time. Like I said, even when he opens the window regardless, you had to hide under the desk.
As for the loud printer, that was just a coincidence. You turned off the lights and he ran away. Nonetheless, I'm glad you gave the game a try! I appreciate the game commentary and feedback. Knowing this new information, I really hope you'd give the game another try.
Well this game is worth to play really liked the ending. Good Job Check Out My Gameplay. Thank You For Your Time
I watched the whole video :) Thanks so much for playing and commentating
I played through a couple of times and got both endings. Just like games such as FNaF and Welcome to the Game, you have to have a plan and a routine. Wonderful game overall! I quite enjoyed playing it! I might make a video playing it!<3
We tried to make it so that the player is inclined to strategize in order to beat the game (at least efficiently). I'm very glad you got to experience the endings! If you make a video, we will most definitely watch it. Let us know :)
this is my revisit to this game I played it once before but this time i beat it with both endings and if you want to check that out here is the link
if you checked it out I appreciate that and consider liking and subscribing it really helps my channel growThanks for playing again and beating it! Glad you enjoyed 👍 from me
This game really took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to feel as paranoid as I did, and the gameplay is genuinely fun. The ending is a perfect fit. Overall this is just a great experience!
Thanks so much for playing and commentating! We're really glad you were able to get both endings and that your strategic playstyle was near flawless!
This is a intense & scary game!, Well done, Mac M1 Gameplay!
Thanks for playing and showing your gameplay!
Hey there! We just recently released the sequel to this game! We would greatly appreciate it if you give it a chance and try it out! The link to the page is here: Cheating Fate
This was an amazing game. This is the best horror game i've played. 10/10. It got my heart pumping which normally doesnt happen with games.
Thank you so much for playing. I really appreciate that
this game is a pretty good concept for a game very similar to welcome to the game it has sound mechanics and I like the mechanic of filling out the police reports and the killer got me a couple time (scare wise) and the recorder is a really good mechanic as well it makes it harder to hear the killer sneaking up to you, over all pretty epic game if you want to see my playthrough of this (not the full game sadly I couldn't beat it) here is a link to it
if you watched I appreciate you and consider subscribing it really helps my channel grow and even if you just checked it out I still appreciate that
Thanks for the awesome video and commentary. I learn a lot about how others play and what things I can fix/balance to make the player experience more satisfactory. I appreciate your feedback a lot. We hope you try out the game sometime in the future again till the end as we just updated the game to be slightly easier in regards to getting particular answers wrong. Thanks for playing!
Hi BlizzardSunny! We just wanted to reach out again and mention that we've just recently released the sequel to this game, Cheating Fate! We would absolutely love for you to check it out.
Cheating Fate
I loved the simplicity of this, almost seeming like Welcome To The Game Jr in a very good way. The reveal of the last document was very creepy, and I'd totally get murdered again.
* Spoilers ahead *
------------------------------------------------------
Thanks so much for the gameplay as well as the video! The reason why you kept dying was because you didn't utilize the 'Hiding under the Desk' mechanic. There is also a good ending and bad ending! Unfortunately, you only experienced the bad ending
*spoilers ahead* A pretty good game actually. The concept is nice, but the mechanics are fairly simple. There isn't a lot to manage. I liked the jump scare. I love the concept that the last document was actually about yourself.
Glad you enjoyed!
Yo, not gonna lie this game was really good. It took me a sec to get the entire concept, but it was very entertaining. You really gotta pay attention to what your doing so you don't die, plus its hella scary and makes you anxious. I don't wanna say too much to spoil the game, but I promise you will enjoy it.
Thanks for playing my man
Honestly really enjoyed playing this. the difficulty level of normal seemed impossible at first and I had to lower it to easy but once you get a feel for the game it comes natural. I Especially enjoyed how the game kept my attention the entire time by making me constantly paranoid of the audio cues. good game.
I lowered the difficulty of normal :) Thanks for playing