Lately, I have just been on an action game kick. And so I decided to jump back into my Hard Mode playthrough of Killer Is Dead. A gem that came out in 2013 from Grasshopper Manufacture. The studio that is best known for No More Heroes, killer7, and Lollipop Chainsaw. But this was my first experience with the GhM style, and I was completely enamored.
According to some very handy Achievement tracking, I started playing in 2014. That sounds about right because I remember playing KID in High School. It was one of those games where I just wanted to keep going. And it stuck with me throughout all these years. I can even remember seeing the cover at my local GameStop, and being draw toward it. A title that oozes so much style that it doesn't even try to contain.
Not to mention, the game's unabashed horniness. It's both comedic and sexy. A combination that works within reason. And I think that KID nails that approach. Our main character, Mondo Zappa, is so cool that women can't possibly contain themselves is as unserious as they come. The fact that the Gigolo Missions reward the player with the other sub-weapons is more than enough evidence. I say this because the mini-game revolves around Mondo having to raise his arousal through staring at women, then giving them gifts based on interests. You get different rewards based on how many times you are able to woo them (Natalia, Koharu, and Betty are the choices for this minigame).
But at the end of the day, KID is a game about cutting down your targets. That's the job. And I think that the main episodes exemplify this aspect quite well. The player is forced to cut down every target. All thirteen episodes have this feature where you hold a specific input and release. This aspect puts the decision in the player's hands.
It reminds me of the fight against The Boss in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. To finish the fight, you must shoot The Boss. The game will wait until you finally commit to the action. A powerful thing to do to a player in my opinion. So, the subsequent death is on your hands whether you like it or not. While some deaths are easy to execute, some carry compelling emotions behind them. The Episode that I think has all of these trappings is Episode 7: The Tiger that Faded into Darkness.
Mondo is given a job from his boss, Bryan Roses. A client has requested the assassination of a Yakuza Leader named Hamada-Yama. A man that has been terrorizing Kyoto in order to return it to a former glory. His unchecked power has come in the form of an abnormality, with Dark Matter turning his Tiger Tattoo into a supernatural being that works in tandem with Hamada-Yama himself.
An intriguing setup to a section of the game that is one of the most important. Hamada-Yama, and many other characters in the game give Mondo glimpses into his future, yet he does not take notice because of his dedication to the job. But what I love most about Hamada-Yama, is how the events surrounding him unfold.
Mondo fights through his estate and has a battle under the moonlight. Exchanging blows until Hamada-Yama can fight no more. Before finishing the job, Hamada-Yama requests a warrior's death. Disembowelment , followed by a beheading. A common act for high ranking Japanese military leaders during the Samurai periods of Japan's history. So, Hamada-Yama receiving an honorable death by the hands of Mondo, says a lot. A mutual respect was had.
But the greatness of this Episode does not end there. Because during this episode Mondo and Vivienne, the brains of the execution office, make note of the client for this job being Bryan Roses. And so, the end cutscene showing Bryan receiving Hamada-Yama's head as confirmation. While the camera then proceeds to pan to a photo of the two, is powerful. For all of the game's mystery, there are many of these melancholic moments sprinkled throughout.
The main cast in this game is very strong. They remind me quite a bit of the Cowboy Bebop cast for example. A group of people with different interests and walks of life . And they even do the bit where they constantly lose money on jobs. It's really funny how similar they are. But obviously the main difference comes in how Mondo and Bryan get quite a bit of character depth, while Vivienne and Mika, Mondo's assistant, don't quite get that same treatment.
There are plenty of details to be extracted through character actions and dialogue, but with Bryan getting an Episode to shine light on some of his past. It would have been nice to see Vivienne get something like that as well. However, what we get is still some of the most intriguing storytelling for me in any game.
The over-arching plot follows a man's descent into madness after absorbing Dark Matter from the Moon. It's all about the Moon. Every mission is under the all encompassing moonlight. The secrets are there for the player to decipher as we complete job after job. And the Job, Killer Is Dead.
A phrase that is echoed throughout the game. A statement that is not just the title of the game. It is said so often with purpose, that you'd have to ignore it in order to tune it out. But ignoring it, ignores the vicious cycle at play. The main villain, David, has it figured out. Former co-worker Damon is a warning sign. Not to mention, Bryan and Vivienne take notice, yet are powerless to stop the cycle. Moon Madness is real, and it corrupts all.
But now, let's shift over to the gameplay side of things. First off, the movement is solid and the combos are very satisfying. And the biggest detriment to all great action games is here as well. The dubious camera. It works most of the time, yet there are many moments when you will have to guess or mash your dodge out of a corner. Even adding a jump button will not fix some of the camera angles that the player will encounter.
Also, something to note is how this game handles progression. Upgrading skills is vastly important to combos and extensions of those combos, how fast you can end fights, and healing. These aspects are very important. So, if someone says they are struggling with encounters, then that means they need to upgrade certain aspects. I remember struggling a bit when I was a teenager for this exact reason.
KID expects the player to have some form of healing by a certain point. So, if you don't have it, then you will struggle, and probably waste in-game money as a result. For novice players, KID can be daunting. Yet, veterans of the genre should breeze through it. I would place it in the middle between Onechanbara, the easiest, and Ninja Gaiden, the hardest. Moderately difficult, but not beating-your-head-in level.
Now, let's talk about the weapons. First is Mondo's Katana, Gekkou. A weapon that gains speed as the combo number goes up. You even get these flashy animations like an overhead where Mondo makes a circle in the air. The hits also feel meaty, and are quite satisfying to land. It's one of those things where you start rolling, and the momentum doesn't stop. You also get access to a parry that can chain into long combos, along with a launcher. So, this means that you'll take regular enemies off their feet and stun bigger enemies. If you play well enough, you can easily get 30+ hit combos that offer unique executions for more rewards.
But, the Sub-Weapons are not to be outdone. Mondo has his artificial arm, Musselback. This stuns enemies and allows for combo extensions. It's good for the early game, but sees less use later on as many enemies do not need to be guard broken. But then, there are the projectiles. You have the Bullet Shot, which fires bullets using blood. Blood is used for healing and the ammunition for Sub-Weapons, FYI. Then there's the Freeze Shot, it freezes. Useful for keeping enemies away, yet not really worth it in comparison to the other Subs. Much like the Freeze Shot, the Drill does exactly one thing. However, it is supposed to also guard break, yet I think it's too slow to warrant any practical use. So, the real winner is the Charge Cannon. Works like Samus's Arm Cannon. You charge it up, and blow things away. The high blood cost that comes with using it is worth it because the damage output is just that good.
Like, some of the Sub-Weapons, I feel that some special moves are just useless. The only real drawback to the combat really. Upper Slash and Spiral finish are either too finicky on the input or too slow to be worth a damn. You end up buying them because they exist, not because they are viable.
Where does the reliability come from outside of the main story? The plethora of side and challenge missions of course. Especially, if you plan to get all the achievements, or 100% the game. While there is a repetitiveness to the gameplay loop, I still find the game fun as hell.
KID is a stylish game that features a slew of wonderful moments that range in tone. It's a game that understands the structure of an episodic series with an over-arching plotline. Each Episode is interesting, and they feature a slew of little nuggets to gnaw on.
Funnily enough, this was my first experience with Suda51. As well as my first time listening to an Akira Yamaoka soundtrack. Not to mention, my favorite performance from Patrick Seitz is featured as he plays our hero, Mondo Zappa. I am quite glad to be such a fan of a game as exceptional as Killer Is Dead. And I would also like to shout out the Director, Hideyuki Shin. His contribution should not go unnoticed, especially because I also played Let It Die. Another game each of these people worked on, aside from Patrick Seitz.
So, play Killer Is Dead. The game is very rewarding, and scales the difficulty quite well across the various modes. The big issue will definitely be the QTEs. While most people will be fine, many others will simply not be able to progress in a game like this. Regardless, Killer Is Dead is a one-of-a-kind gem that shines bright in the moonlight.
And remember to Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan, Free Venezuela and to Free Lebanon from the onslaught of their oppressors. Never stop talking about them. They think that we don't care, but we see everything. Never forget that. They are trying to suppress our voices because they matter, remember that. There may have been a ceasefire in Gaza, but Palestine still needs to be completely free.
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