Kill It With Fire

in this game you get to take one of nature's most crucial and important creatures and bludgeon and beat its kind to a sticky green pulp with various objects including but not limited to: light sabers, flamethrowers, bombs, rocket launchers, frying pans, laser guns, shotguns, flash bangs, lawn mowers, or even shurikens. you get to tear the ecosystem apart with whatever the hell you feel like, for no reason at all. you get to be the most destructive being towards the town you live in, its inhabitants, and all arachnids, for no reason. 10/10 would highly recommend.

After 100% the whole game, this is what I got...
Anything has to do with spiders is fantastic.
The weapons, trackers, upgrades are just fun to mess around with even though you could just fry-pan everything in your way.
This game just gives you the tools to go all out just to kill some spiders.
With that being said... Everything that DOESN'T involve spiders is rough, sometimes.
Lets talk performance first, I played 12 hours with V-Sync off because it made my frames die on the inside. So half my screen was trying to escape from the other half, the whole time (you just get used to it).
Although the music was BANGIN, for some reason, the main menu music was waaaaaaay too loud.
I streamed the game, so I literally had to change the game audio every time I ended up at the main menu.
(Every time I booted the game, the music would jumpscare me)
The objectives were cool, it gave some specific ways to KILL spiders or it required so other things.
Some objectives either required too much, too long, or worse... BOTH
The shotgun as a weapon sucks... But then you add the "kill 2 spiders with one blast" mission and you die on the inside (Pssssssssst, get the energy drink from future levels first, then come-back).
Don't get me started on the cut the lawn mission, where I had to do it twice (there's an achievement, too, that shoulda triggered the first time).
weird bug that happened three times (on 3 separate attempts) where on the same level, the tracker would tell me that there's a spider inside an object but no matter what, it would not die.
Now I do like me some collecting, but there's just waaaaaay too many things to collect in a game where I just want to murder some toxic spiders before they zombify other dead spiders.
I catch myself sometimes and get a moment of awareness that I'm doing more collecting (Christmas light, batteries, upgrades, collecting for specific missions) more so than actually killing the spiders.
(Yeah, I know, some give you really cool things but damn... Just remove the batteries and that might solve it).
The spiders themselves are REALLY cool (some are clearly weak... I'm looking at you web-spider)
But it made me approach certain ones with caution.
Regarding AI... I don't like the spiders just expose themselves when I'm just near the area doing objectives. Most the time, I didn't know they were there because the objectives are soooo demanding, so I just get a free kill.
Other AI thing is when you're unable to kill them and they try to hide again so you follow them to their next hiding spot but then POOF... They disappear under an object and re-appear somewhere else.
I didn't like that since you can't really get the jump on them again or follow them if you miss your shot.
I think everybody in the S T O R Y is dead since you can't see anyone.
Gibs, for some odd reason, came back after skipping town just to hire you and then disappear again (prolly dead)... Speaking of dead. We die at the end and then we get to play as the co-worker? Since there's an empty office.
Unless you're a cockroach and survived the nuke, then you're GONE.
Which now we have a roach problem. Is that why the alien spiders want our help?
"Oh, even though your friend killed us, we need your help against these roaches."
Is that where the story is headed? Or is it just killing the rest of the spiders... IN SPACE
idk, cool game overall. I know I was dogging it but that's how I felt.
Everything with the spiders is cool and the rest just left me perplexed, often.
Loved the modifiers (that Australia and Tiny mode combo IS NASTY) loved the tracker upgrades, the self upgrades, the weapons. Even though some parts were tedious, they always unlocked some new for you to toy 'round with, which is why I kept doing them.
Can't wait for da zequel... With a z.
It really made me feel like Batman.

if you hate spiders and love power tools, guns, explosives, etc and don't care about what gets broken this is a game for you

why doesn't australia declare nuclear war against spiders? are they stupid?
silly short game, the levels have many different ideas and never repeat a location, but the weapons don't really feel that great to use and it's pretty janky. thank you humble bundle, very cool

Boy this is fun... 10 levels is not that much (I still have 4 to go), but you can re-do them later as game+ with all your gear. There are mysteries to solve to get better stuff as well. Would "betray spider-bro" again anytime. It has good replay value if you want to do all the challenges and mysteries or want to try different approaches.

Introduction (3.5/5):
"Kill It With Fire," developed by Casey Donnellan Games LLC and released in 2020, is a first-person action game that turns arachnophobia into an absurd and humorous experience. With its over-the-top approach to spider extermination and a variety of unconventional weapons, the game aims to entertain while providing an outlet for those with a fear of eight-legged creatures.
Graphics and Presentation (3.5/5):
The game employs a cartoonish and colorful visual style that complements its comedic theme. The environments are varied, ranging from suburban homes to offices, each filled with destructible objects and, of course, spiders. While the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they effectively serve the game's comedic atmosphere.
Gameplay Mechanics (3.5/5):
"Kill It With Fire" offers simple and accessible gameplay mechanics centered around the satisfying destruction of spiders. Players are equipped with an array of weapons, from everyday items like books and frying pans to more extreme choices like flamethrowers and explosives. The controls are intuitive, allowing players to easily unleash chaos on the arachnid invaders.
Spider Variety and Challenges (3/5):
The game features a variety of spider species, each with its own behavior and challenges. Some spiders are fast and agile, while others may explode upon contact. The diversity in spider types adds a layer of strategy as players adapt their extermination techniques to different arachnid threats.
Mission Structure (3/5):
The game follows a mission-based structure, with players tasked to eliminate spiders within specific environments. Missions range from simple spider hunts to more complex challenges, adding variety to the gameplay. While the objectives may become repetitive over time, the absurdity of the missions keeps them entertaining.
Weapon Upgrades and Collectibles (3/5):
As players progress, they can unlock and upgrade an arsenal of weapons to exterminate spiders more efficiently. Collectibles such as hidden objects and spider-related achievements add an extra layer of exploration and replayability. However, the upgrades may not drastically alter the core gameplay.
Humor and Absurdity (4/5):
"Kill It With Fire" excels in delivering humor through its absurd premise and over-the-top reactions to spider encounters. From the exaggerated fear of the protagonist to the comical weapons at their disposal, the game successfully turns arachnophobia into a source of laughter.
Sound Design (3/5):
The sound design contributes to the comedic atmosphere, featuring amusing spider noises, quirky background music, and humorous voice lines from the protagonist. While not groundbreaking, the sound elements enhance the overall lightheartedness of the game.
Replayability (3/5):
The game offers moderate replayability, particularly for players who enjoy completing challenges, finding collectibles, and experimenting with different weapons. The short mission structure and the limited variety in objectives may impact long-term engagement.
Performance and Technical Aspects (3.5/5):
"Kill It With Fire" generally performs well, with smooth controls and minimal technical issues. However, some players may encounter minor bugs or glitches that, while not game-breaking, can affect the overall polish of the experience.
Overall (3.4/5):
"Kill It With Fire" successfully combines humor, absurdity, and arachnid annihilation in a quirky first-person action game. While its mission structure and objectives may become repetitive over time, the game's comedic approach and variety of weapons make it an entertaining experience, especially for those looking for a lighthearted way to confront their fear of spiders.

My Score: 8,5/10
Prologue
Spiders, small eight-legged carnivorous beings known as arachnids that can be found in a wide variety of sizes, colors, habits and almost everywhere in the world. People's relationship with these beings is varied, some like them, others are indifferent, some don't pay attention because they are part of the cycle of nature and while others don't like them at all and try to kill them at first sight, but for those who can't or don't want to even come close, there are Exterminators, people paid to eliminate undesirable beings like spiders. ^^
This is the case of our protagonist, an Exterminator hired for what seemed like it would be just another typical case of eliminating some spiders in a typical suburban house, but little did he know that the situation was much worse than he thought, with a real infestation of several and the most varied species of spiders. Therefore, it is necessary to use unconventional methods to carry out the service, such as fire, firearms, explosives and many others, which really made me worry whether the owner of the house has insurance that covers all types of damage that were caused, in the hunt for the terrible spiders. ^^
Pros:
+ A simple but really addictive and fun game.
+ A vast arsenal of classic weapons and others that are not normal to use to eliminate spiders.
+ Various species of eight-legged beings to eliminate, each with their own unique abilities and sounds.
+ Various improvements that can be found throughout the stages to help in the hunt against the little creepy beings.
+ Environments that can be destroyed without any remorse, after all, anything goes to find and eliminate the spiders in this game.
+ It's perfectly possible to return later in a level, with a bigger and better arsenal to finish all the challenges you weren't able to do before.
Cons:
- Unfortunately, even if you find all the points to spend on improvements, it is not possible to have them all at the same time.
- Even with the improvement that allows the finder to find useful items, sometimes it can be very difficult to find them, as some are really well hidden.
- Some of the challenges during the levels are really difficult, requiring several attempts in my case.
Game mechanics
In this way our work begins, having to eliminate the spiders but also carry out some somewhat dubious work, which begins within a humble house but soon expands to other locations with their secrets and objectives, in the hunt for beings with eight legs. Furthermore, as we explore we also find new ones, some normal, others not recommended if used at home to eliminate spiders, but our client only specified that he wanted the spiders eliminated, he did not specify how, so the player can use literally any method they wish. ^^
Along with the objectives and small beings, we can also find items that release improvements throughout the phase, some just aesthetic, others items like the improved detector, and others very useful like infinite ammunition, the improvements can be equipped and removed at any time, between phases, then they are at the player's discretion. Another highlight are the challenges, each level has a different challenge that can be done after completing all the objectives, the first ones are simpler but as the stages progress they become more complex and difficult, even need to complete all the challenges to being able to do the final challenge and see the true ending. ^^
Art and sound
Produced by the Casey Donnellan Games studio, the game features somewhat simple graphics as is clearly visible in round objects that have several straight lines but are well done, portraying well the different scenarios, weapons and species of spiders that we can find, in addition to the fire and destruction effects of the scenery, which are always caused by the player. As for the soundtrack, nothing I would call spectacular, but pleasant to listen to, the game even has a sound effect that plays whenever a spider enters the player's visual field, which can be deactivated if desired. ^^
Conclusion
Kill It With Fire was a funny case for me, because in fact my first contact was with the Demo of the sequel, after that I decided to give the first one a chance and I must say, I had a lot of fun looking for the arachnid beings for each thing, while the story and the weapons that were released were getting more and more crazier, all with the aim of eliminating these little furry beings that can cause so much headache, although I must admit that the destruction I caused was much greater than any that the spiders had made. Anyway, it's a game that I recommend, very crazy, chaotic and fun and I can't wait for the sequel that will be released soon, which just from the Demo, I could already see will be even crazier and full of spiders. ^^