I’ll go to the moon and back for you. A romantic saying for people nowadays but the same sentence gets a whole other meaning when Mondo Zappa pronounces it. Mondo is a high-class assassin and will do everything it takes to get the job done. Going to the moon to hunt you down in your own house is just one of his daily routines.
Killer is Dead is created by the sick mind of Suda 51. You may have heard of his other games as well: Killer 7, No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned and Lollipop Chainsaw. All of those games were different and unique and always featured some kind of assassin. Mondo is the newest assassin to join the crew and he’s proving himself to be one crazy bad-ass as well.
First of all Mondo prefers the Katana as weapon but also has a bloodsucking bionic arm called Musselback. This arm can also transform in guns and drills later in the game, but more on that later on. Let’s focus on our main character for now. Mondo joined a group called the Bryan Execution firm. This firm will kill all kind of monsters if the price is right. Not long after joining the group, Mondo is assigned to kill David, a terrible self-claimed king that lives on the moon. Mondo accepted the job and faced David only to find out he’s immortal. Your quest is to kill off David once and for all. Going to the moon and back between missions is something you’ll do quite a lot in this game.
David isn’t the only danger however. The threat is called ‘Wires’ and can be compared with some kind of zombie/monster that’s infected by Moon radiations. Yes, it all sounds weird and it sure is, but it’s basically the perfect excuse to introduce the most innovating characters and boss battles in a long time. Just like Suda 51’ other games, Killer is Dead is filled with crazy and unique characters. Getting to know their sick personality before killing them is a true joy to watch.
Before you can face the boss of the stage you’ll have to defeat his/her minions first. This is where the high paced hack & slash element comes in action. Killer is Dead is an action game that is played at a really high pace, you’ll have trouble with it at first but after a while you’ll just go with the flow. At first Mondo can just attack using the action button and create several combos in order to defeat the enemy. Later on the system gets more complex with blocking, dodging and Musselback attacks. If you can block the enemy at the right time you’ll be able to go into a burst mode where you can inflict a lot of extra damage as well. Although it’s one of the best working hack & slash mechanics out there, certainly at this speed, the action always remains rather the same. Defeating all those minions isn’t always that fun.
To keep the game fresh however, new types of enemies are often introduced and will force you to use other tactics to defeat them. It’s a noble effort to keep the levels different from each other but what really makes each level come to life is the art. Killer is Dead is a very beautiful and unique game when it comes to visuals. It uses an alternative cell-shaded look with a lot of shadows. It’s strange at first but you’ll come to love this new art after seconds in the game. It’s a unique piece of art and the way all characters are introduced with beautiful videos is just breathtaking.
Killer is Dead is a very beautiful and unique game
Everything you’ve read until now doesn’t make that much sense when you haven’t played other Suda 51 games before. If you have, you’ll be wondering if another key element of those games make an appearance in Killer is Dead. For those who don’t really understand what I’m playing at, yes there are girls in this game and no there aren’t that much clothes.
Mondo is a real playboy and just loves to spend his free time with some of the girls. He has an assistant called Mika who can revive him in battle and make soft boiled eggs but it isn’t a ‘sexual’ relationship. Mondo search for distraction during the so called Gigolo-missions. Those missions can be activated when you find a secret hidden in the regular levels. After unlocking it you can chose to follow the main story on the map or do a Gigolo-mission first.
In those missions you’ll sit face to face with a very sexy lady and the goal is to take her home. You do this by looking her in the eye when she looks at you… When she doesn’t, you have to look at more ‘intimate’ parts to gain points. After enough point you can give the girl a present. If she likes you (and the present) she takes you with her. This game mechanism is a little bit farfetched but will definitely please the manly gamers worldwide. Those missions serve a purpose as well however. When you succeed in taking a girl home, she’ll upgrade your Musselback. Thanks to the ladies you’ll be able to gain other weapons for the Musselback.
The Musselback isn’t the only thing you can upgrade throughout the game. You can upgrade Mondo’s stats and weapons using the money you collect during missions. Thanks to this system you’ll be able to make Mondo even stronger and faster than he was before. You don’t really need to upgrade the assassin in order to reach the end but upgrading him means more bad-ass and beautiful attacks.
As far as the story, art style and enemies go, Killer is Dead sure offers a new and unique experience. It’s a shame that the game sometimes suffers from Suda 51’s great demands. You’ll often notice ‘screen tearing’ when you’re battling at such a high pace and not all of the textures load at the same time. Those are minors setbacks but I’m sure some of you might get frustrated with those small issues. Aside from that Killer is Dead basically is a rather straightforward action game where you can’t really go on a different path then the one the creators set for you. But this doesn’t really bother thanks to the amazing environment and unique characters.
We can say that Killer is Dead is a unique and beautiful game that really deserves more attention. The art is just perfect and the boss battles are one of the most memorable battles in ages. It’s a strange game and it sure isn’t meant for a big audience but if you’re looking for something different and fresh, this is the game you need. Don’t be set back by the minor bugs or the lack of freedom, this is by far one of the most intriguing and fun trips you’ll expierence this year. Keep your eyes and mind open and enjoy your stay inside the brain of Japan’s most crazy game designer.
