There are several artists featured (all of whom add to the numerous reminders that I have no idea what is happening in music right now), including LudoWic whose name appears on most of the tracks featured. There’s a meta feeling to the music and the game’s retro style, in terms of setting tone and giving you a sense of time and place. The game is great on its own, but the soundtrack elevates Katana Zero to a whole new level. There aren’t any direct nods to Carpenter in the game, however there is a cute nod to Silent Hill that was fun to see. Katana Zero features 34 amazing retro-electronic tracks that also feel reminiscent of John Carpenter film scores, particularly his early films, like Escape From New York, and that noir style Katana comes from. The original soundtrack is what brings the Hotline Miami comparison to the forefront, even more than the one-hit-death mechanic that both games share. Each successful run after several failed ones creates a genuine sense of accomplishment and perhaps even a break from the game for the rest of the evening. While the game is, undoubtedly, punishing and difficult, each victory feels satisfying and earned. ![]() In putting Katana in context of what it feels like, I’d place it somewhere between Dead Cells and Hotline Miami–between the incredible soundtrack and the beautiful artwork, those games come more to mind than punishing difficulty. Katana Zero is hard and requires a lot of repetition I am loathed to make any comparisons to Dark Souls other than speaking to its difficulty. Text spatters when you kill enemies during dialogue // Katana Zero, Askiisoft However, as the story goes on, other characters remark on your time-hopping and seem to suggest there is more at play than simple planning. This initially feels contradictory as it suggests that you are planning for the future but then rewinding that plan. Zero Katana frames this time mechanic as “planning,” with each run treated as a failed plan, and the final, successful run played back in real-time as security video. As well, Chronos gives you the ability to slow down time–but only from your perspective. The drug gives you a unique perception of time, allowing you to try a level over and over again when you, inevitably, fall victim to your single-hit lifespan. While these doses aren’t a gameplay mechanic, they do forward the story as you find yourself without the drug on a number of occasions, causing hallucinations and disorientation. Throughout the game, you’ll be constantly dosed with a drug called Chronos by your psychiatrist slash handler during interstitial interactive cutscenes. ![]() ![]() In a world saturated with “live services,” loot boxes, and battle royales, something has been missing from gaming lately and now I know what it was: an incredible synth soundtrack and an urban samurai who can see all possible outcomes of any situation.Ī side-scrolling action platformer in the pixel-art style of SNES games of yore, Katana Zero pits you as an assassin with a mysterious past. This article contains minor spoilers for Katana Zero.
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