Katana ZERO includes some really compelling gameplay mechanics. Each track encapsulates the mood of a given area, and when coupled with the rapid action, it’s nothing short of amazing. You can expect a lot of heavy synthwave tracks and other electro goodness that sound like they are straight out of Blade Runner. The game features a fully-original soundtrack with tracks from LudoWic, Bill Kiley, Tunç Çakır, DJ Electrohead and Justin Stander. At the beginning of each area, Zero inserts a cassette into his cassette player and plays music that is specific to each level. The sound design also nails the vibe Katana ZERO is striving towards. The rewind effects that take place at the beginning of each section - as well as when you are killed - feel extremely authentic, perfectly capturing that VCR distortion effect you may recall. This allows certain aspects of the game to have a three-dimensional appearance, with characters and items almost leaping out of the screen. Between the blues, pinks and purples lay a number of other remarkable visual effects, such as realistic lighting that look absolutely stunning. Each area is enveloped in bright neon colors, drawing inspiration from the hit movie Drive’s film poster, according to the game’s developer, Justin Stander. Graphically, Katana ZERO features a dazzling array of high-quality pixel art that sticks to a very specific 80’s-era theme. You’ll need to use all available resources to take down groups of enemies. After you clear an area, you’re shown a replay of the events that just transpired, presented to you as if it were footage from a security camera that captured everything. This is a clever spin on death because throughout the game your character never really dies. Because your character has the ability to see into the future, what you’re actually playing through is all of the failed attempts you’ve made until you can piece together the perfect sequence of events that ends in success. This means instead of actually dying, the game instantly rewinds back to the beginning of that section while informing you that what you did won’t work. The game cleverly has you “planning” your perfect route to eliminate everybody in a given area. The gameplay and story heavily revolve around the concept of time. While this comparison is evident from the beginning, Katana ZERO quickly separates itself by adding in its own elements that make it a unique experience, such as superior mobility options and time manipulation. During my playthrough, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a game like Hotline Miami, which was popularized in part due to the same one-shot kill mechanic and breakneck speed. The sense of urgency coupled with the imminent danger presented by each level lends to exhilarating gameplay. Gameplay in Katana ZERO is blistering fast and features one-shot kills, both for your enemies and yourself. Your therapist never fails to administer your shot of Chronos. As you play through the roughly four-hour campaign, you’ll encounter a number of different areas and enemies, as well as uncover more about your mysterious background. During your periodic appointments with your therapist, you are given assignments to track down and execute dangerous individuals, turning you into a time-manipulating assassin, armed with your katana -or whatever items you come across-to carry out each mission. As the story unfolds, you learn that you are being administered a time-altering drug called Chronos that allows you to see into the future. Katana ZERO tells the tale of a young soldier named Zero who has suffered injuries after serving in an important war only seven years prior. What may appear on the surface to be a retro-inspired side-scrolling brawler from games of yesteryear is actually a narrative-driven experience exploring posttraumatic stress disorder, loss, and time manipulation -thanks to a mysterious drug called Chronos. Katana ZERO is mind-bending thriller cleverly disguised as an action game.
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