Killer is Dead: Nightmare Edition

Killer is Dead for PC, PS3 and X360 is a 3D action game, in which the player assumes the role of a hitman, Mando Zappa, who has a cybernetic arm and is a master swordsman. The game has been developed by the Japanese Grasshopper Games, which is known for creating Lollipop Chainsaw and two installments in the No More Heroes series. Each game developed by this studio features a large dose of absurd and surreal humor, textures, and character models. Killer is Dead was initially released in 2013 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The PC Windows version of the game has been enriched with the DLC and a new difficulty level (nightmare). By choosing it, the player can defeat his enemies using several preset methods and skills (Adrenaline Burst, Dodge Burst, Headshot). Moreover, the main protagonist cannot use the finishing blow called Final Judgement, which is based on QTE sequences.

Plot

The story of the game is set in a near future, in which the player assumes the role of one Mondo Zappa – a playboy and, at the same time, a perfectly trained hitman. Zappa takes consecutive orders from the company called Bryan Execution managed by a mighty cyborg named Bryan Roses. The missions involve eliminating multiple criminals and outlaws. On their adventures, players get to meet several allies. Moreover, the main protagonist has to face his mysterious past.

Mechanics

The developers aimed at utilizing a similar narration style as the one featured in Killer 7 and No More Heroes. Like in the case of the latter one, the story was written by Goichi "Suda 51" Suda, who is also known for working on such games as Fatal Frame IV and Diabolical Pitch.

Similarly to No More Heroes, the melee combat in the game described herein makes for one of the most important aspects of gameplay. Moreover, the main protagonist is equipped with multiples gadgets and skills that are useful in both combat and traversing the diverse locations. The combat system is based on combos and special attacks that are charged by defeating consecutive enemies. Apart from the regular opponents, there are also bosses that the players have to defeat in multi-stage battles.

Technical aspects

The visuals featured in Killer is Dead for PC, PS3 and X360 are based on the cell-shading technology. Even though both the character models and textures are neither diversified nor rich with details, the developers have implemented many elements to their game making its atmosphere unique.

Last updated on 14 May 2014