This is a review for a game that many of you may not know about. It is a very unique title from a very unique developer who goes by Suda51. This man's games tend to be absolutely insane in nature, with surreal themes and characters, and tend to have unique gameplay which tends to be hit or miss, depending on who you are. One thing is for sure when you play a Suda51 game, however: and that is you are in for a unique experience. Killer is Dead follows this trend of insanity.
STORY: 8.5/10
The story, like most aspects of Killer is Dead, is insane. Absolutely insane. It follows the story of a man named Mondo Zappa, who is an assassin for a group of assassins that kills killers. They hunt down the hunters. Hence the name: Killer is Dead. The story is very surreal in nature and it is for this reason that it can be difficult to follow. However, you can still make out what is going on in the game, to a degree. The story isn't there for its cohesion; it is there for you to be along for the ride. It throws a lot at you and often times raises more questions than answers. Don't let this discourage you, though. This story has much intrigue and is a very entertaining one. You will understand some of it, and what can be comprehended is awesome. It will make you think. It just could have been elaborated upon so we wouldn't be left so high and dry. But the story is by no means "bad". As for the voice acting, it's quite good. Lead character Mondo Zappa's voice is very low and brooding, and is well-performed. The melodrama that some characters put into their parts may take some getting used to, but in the end it can be appreciated.
GAMEPLAY: 8.3/10
Killer is Dead is an action/beat-'em-up game. That being said, you spend most of your time beating up enemies during the game. The action can only be described as Japanese. I don't mean this description to be racist in any way; it's just, the action is a Japanese anime level of insane. It is ultraviolent, very bloody, very fast paced, and most of the time, very fun. You will do most of your fighting with your sword, which will slice bodies in half, chop heads off, and stab through your wide range of baddies. A somewhat controversial aspect of this game is its one-button attack. Attacking enemies can be a largely button-mashing affair. However, this fighting system's saving grace is the numerous other options of attack mechanics that you have at your disposal. The dodge button is a necessity to survive a crowd of enemies, and the guard break is a necessity as well. Learning how to use all three of these effectively is a simple to learn, hard to master type of situation. You also have three other sub-weapons at your disposal: a rapid-fire gun (which is the basically the only weapon I ever used), a drill, a charge cannon, and a freeze ray. You'll commonly use the gun to fire off headshots and take down airborne enemies, but the other three are practically useless and are really only fun to mess around with. All in all, the fighting system works well, and while it could have been a bit deeper, it works well and is much deeper than what meets the eye. Gameplay is fast, frantic, and difficult, save for a few walking dream sequences. A subject of scrutiny from major game critics for this game has been the Gigolo missions. These missions feature you in the first person view of Mondo as he attempts to bed a woman, by looking at them in various places. These missions are meant to be a satire on how unrealistic the whole "Bond Girl" aspect of James Bond is. The missions are weird, and forgettable, but luckily you never "have" to play them, and the only reason you would play them is to unlock a few guns, and you'll never have to touch them again.
MUSIC: 9/10
This game has a really cool soundtrack. It ranges from beautiful piano ballads to off-the-wall techno. Music that accompanies fast, frantic gameplay or a heartfelt cutscene fits in well. The soundtrack goes well with the schizophrenic feel of Killer is Dead. A neat fact worth noting is this game's soundtrack was composed by the same guy who did Silent Hill 2's soundtrack, which, in this reviewer's opinion, is an atmospheric masterpiece. If you buy the Limited Edition copy of the game, you will receive the 25-track soundtrack on a disk, in all of its glory.?
GRAPHICS: 9/10
The game's graphics are absolutely insane. They have a dark, cel-shaded style to them, and are filled with immense detail. The incredible range of settings that this game has to offer always are a joy to look at thanks to the absolutely insane yet beautiful art style. Unfortunately, what keeps the graphics from getting a 10 out of 10 is the unfortunate screen tearing. It happens more in some levels than others, but it is noticeable, and should have been fixed before this game was released. Luckily, it does not ruin the experience. It is a significant problem, however. But overall, the screen tearing does not keep this game from being a joy to look at.
OVERALL: 8.9/10
This game is just a scratch away from achieving greatness. It is an absolutely insane experience from start to finish. Insane in both good and bad ways. The amount of time and detail that was put into this game is something to behold. The combat mostly succeeds in making the frantic action work, but could have used a little less button mashing. The is a surreal roller coaster that may not fill you in on everything you should know, but is still worth experiencing. The art style is incredible, and is unfortunately brought down a bit due to screen tearing. Killer is Dead may be flawed in many areas, but is greater than the sum of its parts. This game is not for everyone. But if you're into stylish, action-fueled, surreal insanity, this is almost heaven. One thing is for sure: Killer is Dead is a unique experience. And that in itself is quite an accomplishment.
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