I just want to get one thing straight; I’m not a murderer. However, there are some people who really grind my gears and when my mind nods off into the subconscious, well, my thoughts can sometimes get a little…anyway, you don’t need to know that. What you do need to know is that if you do have any bloodthirsty thoughts, you don’t need to face a lifetime in a penitentiary or on the lam; all you have to do is download MurderDIEary by iSEEtoon and live vicariously through the murderous characters depicted on your iPhone or iPad’s screen!
Scary confessions aside, this app will appeal to anyone who is a fan of TV shows such as Dexter or CSI, where the plotlines revolve around thrilling murder plots and the dialogue is crisp, the story is engaging and there are plenty of twists to keep you hooked.
The app is set out like a four-panel comic, with wicked anime-esque illustrations that remind me a little of Gorillaz videos. You follow the story through the chapters, beginning with the revelation that the protagonist, the handsome and charismatic Tang Lee, discovers that he has become a cold-blooded serial killer; the catch is, all of his victims are evil criminals. Remind you of any popular TV shows?!
If you enjoy watching Dexter, you’ll definitely like the archetypal antihero slant that the producers have put on the plotline, with the ‘good-guy-gone-bad-but-actually-quite-good’ vibe that resonates throughout.
Summary
I really enjoyed reading this webtoon and hope that there are more stories to come as the action on screen really lends itself to the digital medium of an iPhone or an iPad; with slick graphics and a genuinely engaging storyline, it’s little wonder that Murder DIEary won a special Korea Content Award from the Korean Content Agency in 2011.
Pros
- The drawings are very impressive, albeit in a simple way; I love the way that the characters can express so much just through their eyes.
- There are 13 chapters to this saga, which means that you can kill a fair amount of time engrossing yourself in the story.
Room For Improvement
- Obviously once you’ve read it you’ll know the story; however, for a free app you really can’t complain!
