OVERALL IMPRESSION:
What happens when you mix a retro pixel art aesthetic, with a dystopian neo-noir backdrop and a deadly samurai with amneisa? You get to Katana Zero. Like any good samurai fantasy one hit is all it takes to dispatch an enemy. The lightning fast combat allows you to live out your samurai dreams. But just like the narrative what’s on the surface isn’t everything. What appears to be action sequences are actually clever puzzles that are played out at break neck speeds. Combine it with a narrative that injects mystery, over the top villains and doesn’t take itself too seriously and you have the right mix of a cult classic.
GAMEPLAY:
This is a stylish retro inspired action platformer with lightning quick combat encounters. You can dispatch an entire room in seconds as a badass samurai assassin. However, it’s also not just an action game. Each sequence is pretty cleverly designed and stages are more akin to puzzles that you solve through your actions. In fact, in some stages you can be stuck if you just view the game as an action game when in fact you need to ‘see’ the solution by looking beyond just taking out your foe but usually utilizing some clever item or mechanic in the environment.
Combat Basics
Combat is quite straight forward. You have an attack, a roll, a jump and the ability to slow time. It’s a simple kit that allows you to feel like a complete badass. When you slow time, you can also perform other abilities, such as reflect bullets. Most enemies are a one hit kill. This also applies to your own health.
When the action sequence is combined with the environment and enemies you then have more layers of complexity to create varying puzzles. For example, if you forge straight ahead and try to brute force your way through a map, you may encounter enemies that are too quick and deadly from a direct approach. Instead, you may need to find alternate routes of entry or environmental tools to overcome challenges. Moreover, it’s not all just straight action sequences. There are also encounters with stealth sequences where the goal is to avoid enemies. Altogether, it’s a very intriguing premise that turns an action game into a strategic puzzle where fractions of a second matter and are the difference between life and death.
STORY:
Surprisingly, this title is a psychological mind trip. This game walks two extremes. The visceral, full speed, take no prisoners action combat and the slower, more relaxed narrative that delves into the psyche of the protagonist, Subject Zero, an elite samurai assassin with trouble remembering their past.
Like any good neo-noir narrative, there is plenty of mystery, questioning of authority and truth and psychological drama that unfolds. You don’t always expect this type of narrative experience in an action platformer but I’d say its one of the main qualities of the game that make it stand out from its competitors.
The dialogue choices in this game are quite interesting. You have the option to pick a quick choice, which usually tries to end the dialogue as fast as possible or you have the option to wait to gain more choices that further elaborate and reveal additional choices and dialogue. I’ve never encountered this type of dialogue setup in a game. It’s a simple feature but one that has interesting results. For example, there’s a sequence in a hotel where you can chat with a receptionist. You could quick skip it and move on. But if you don’t you have the option to reveal further options. It’s nothing serious. In fact, its apparent the game doesn’t take itself too seriously. But on your exit, there are further dialogue options that connect back to the conversation that you had. It’s a simple feature but a quirk that really makes you feel more connected to the world and story.
ART DESIGN:
Aesthetically, this game feels like it is straight out of the late 80s and early 90s era of console titles. The classic pixel art aesthetic pays homage of games of the past in the overall visual design and color palette albeit with more added blood and gore you would expect in a samurai action game. Although it does garner nostalgic vibes, it also fits perfectly for the type of game that it is. A combat platformer with a unique combination of action, puzzle and narrative.
MUSIC & SOUND:
The music and sound are an integral component of the overall vibe of this game. At times, it feels like an 80s/90s rave party with its synth wave electronic sound waves. Combined with classic 8-bit like sound effects and you get a title that feels like it could have come out at the height of the original Nintendo console. Altogether, the soundtrack is a banger and one that makes you want to assassinate an entire room of thugs.
CHALLENGES:
The lightning quick pace of action and the need to avoid any and all damage means you’ll be replaying several sections over and over. It’s an innate part of the game design loop that rewards strategy and at times viewing the ‘problem’ from another perspective to discover solutions. However, it can be frustrating if you don’t ‘perceive’ the solution right away. In addition, due to the sheer speed, even with the ability to slow time there are some sequences where it can still be challenging to get the timing perfect as multiple sequences of action chains are needed with narrow windows of acceptable error/delay. There’s plenty of challenge but also overcoming said issues feels like an achievement.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
This is a unique experience that we don’t always come across in this style of game. For those that enjoy the retro pixel aesthetic, dream of living a samurai assassin fantasy in a neo-noir dystopia and enjoy a bit of mystery and intrigue in their narrative, this may be a title you’ll want to check out.
THANKS:
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GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, MacOs, Android, iOS
RELEASE: 2019
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Askiisoft, Devolver Digital
GENRE/TAGS: Platformer, Action, Retro Style, Pixel Art, Neo-noir, Samurai
TARGET AUDIENCE: Fans of retro action platformers with a twist
IMAGE CREDITS: Dave Zhang, Katana Zero
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