Every now then I end up spending so much time playing one particular game I need to take a break from it...by playing another game. The two games in questions are Red Dead Redemption 2 and Katana Zero. Katana Zero was already on my list of games this year due in small part to the visuals. I downloaded the game from Steam and decided to play it to give myself a break from Red Dead Redemption 2, and give Nolls more of a chance to catch up in RDR2 as well.
I like crisps and corn snacks, some more than others. Take Hula Hoops, they have been around for ages and have tried many things, they tried a light version, and an XL version with some interesting flavors - Beef and Mustard were my favorite, they were the balls! In recent years they have released flavorings which are tangier than their previous ones. My favorite flavor is the tangy cheese, at its core it still a Hula Hoop but is so much more than that. Playing Katana Zero I found myself asking while it had similarities to other games I played, did it offer enough to stand on its own two feet?
Story
Katana Zero has a lot to offer when it comes to story. Initially, you wake up from a nightmare not able to remember who you are or anything about your past. The only thing you remember is that you can kill, and you are quite proficient at it. Slowly you discover more about who you are and what happened in your past. I can't really disclose more about the story without giving away spoilers. What I can say is that I found it refreshing to find a 2D platformer that provides so much story depth, especially nowadays.
Overall the story was highly engrossing, and I am already hoping there will be some sort of sequel in the future.
Visuals
The visuals are one of the big things that initially attracted me to the game. The game uses stylish neo-noir visuals and at certain points had me reminiscing about some of the artwork used in the opening and closing of Streets of Rage. I really liked the small details in the game, the mug of hot herbal tea steaming away on your counter, the way your character looked slumped into the chair, even the backgrounds looking beat up and damage really added something to the overall feel of the game.
Overall Katana Zero is visually impressive, just like the other elements of the game.
Music
The music used in Katana Zero rolls between intense electronic sounds used to drive you during battles, and soft electronic melodies designed to help give you to reflect. The soundtrack is created by Dutch artist and producer LudoWic who produces electronic music and American artist and composer Bill Kiley. Kiley has created a number of video game soundtracks including; CrittARS, Final Fantasy XV Kings Tale, Valley Rule, A Kitty Dream, Why Am I Dead At Sea?
Overall the soundtrack is awesome. It could easily focus on intense tracks and hold off on melodies but LudoWic and Kiley decided to do both. The soundtrack itself is little over ninety minutes I find it hard to pick my favorite tracks as I liked them all a lot, but if I had a gun to my head I would choose; 'Disturbed Lines', 'All For Now', 'Overdose', 'Rain on Brick', 'Blue Room', and 'At Home'.
Gameplay
Katana Zero is sword slashing 2D platformer, and you have three main weapons; your katana, the ability to slow time (which isn't just a gimmick but actually adds to the story), and rolling. You will need to roll past certain enemy attacks, deflect bullets and pass through lasers to avoid instant death (one hit and you're a goner).
Most missions start with you being given a dossier, which gives you a target to assassinate. During the missions, you will need to kill a number of bad guys before you get to your main objective. Sometimes you will be able to talk to people along the way, which can be very helpful later on in missions.
There are many interesting elements to the gameplay, two of my favorites are after a mission when you trying to get some downtime in your apartment and the other being just before battle when you pop in a cassette and put on your headphones. Perhaps I just like the calm, and storm?
There are only a few boss battles, and I found each to be fun in their own way.
Overall there is so much more I want to tell you about the game but simply can't in fear I might spoil it for you. The gameplay is solid and once you get used to a little trial and error you will be just fine.
Final Thoughts
So after seven or so hours how did I feel? Awesome and sad. Awesome because I enjoyed the game so much, sad because it was over. The story, visuals, music and gameplay were all so engrossing and I really do hope there will be a sequel. This one gets a very solid 5 out of 5
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