Killer Is Dead

Last updated
Killer Is Dead
KillerIsDead.jpg
North American cover art
Developer(s) Grasshopper Manufacture [lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)
Director(s) Hideyuki Shin
Producer(s)
  • Yoshimi Yasuda
  • Shuji Ishikawa
Designer(s)
  • Tadayuki Noumaru
  • Kees Gajentaan
  • Hikaru Tamada
Artist(s)
  • Takashi Kasahara
  • Yusuke Ito
Writer(s)
  • Goichi Suda
  • Keisuke Makino
  • Yudai Yamaguchi
  • Hideyuki Shin
Composer(s)
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows
Release
August 1, 2013
  • PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
    • JP: August 1, 2013
    • NA: August 27, 2013
    • AU: August 29, 2013
    • EU: August 30, 2013
    Windows
    • WW: May 23, 2014
Genre(s) Action, hack and slash
Mode(s) Single-player

Killer Is Dead [lower-alpha 2] is a 2013 hack and slash video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture. It is published by Kadokawa Games in Japan, Xseed Games in North America, and Deep Silver in Europe. The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in August 2013, and for Windows in May 2014.

Contents

Gameplay

A "Scarlet" side mission in Killer Is Dead; Mondo fights off a group of enemies within a time limit. Killer Is Dead screenshot.jpg
A "Scarlet" side mission in Killer Is Dead; Mondo fights off a group of enemies within a time limit.

Killer Is Dead is an action video game where players take control of protagonist Mondo Zappa. As Zappa, the player goes through twelve story-driven missions selected from a world map; they range from short linear levels to longer levels that require exploration. [1] Some level areas also require the activation of switches to move forward. [2] During missions, Mondo fights a variety of enemies using his katana and cybernetic gun arm; using the latter changes the camera angle to an over-the-shoulder perspective. [3]

The combat of Killer Is Dead relies on maintaining the combo meter. Each time Mondo hits an enemy, he starts a combo chain which grows as long as Mondo lands consecutive hits without an enemy hitting him. At the highest combo level, special attacks are unlocked which provide different upgrade materials. Some enemies can only be finished off with a cinematic final attack, triggered once Mondo has absorbed enough blood from his enemies by chaining together combos. Mondo can both block and dodge attacks. Dodging plays to combat, as dodging at the right moment causes Mondo to enter Adrenaline Rush, where enemies are slowed and Mondo can land rapid attacks. [1] [2] [3] [4] Mondo's gun arm can transform into three gun types; the rapid fire "Bullet Shot" type, the "Freeze Shooter" which fires ice bullets to slow and even stop enemies, and the power "Charge Cannon" which deals higher damage when shots are charged up. [5]

The game features three mission types: story-based missions that move the narrative forward; sub-missions set within the main levels where Mondo must complete tasks that can vary from pure combat missions to retrieval quests; and "Scarlet" missions where the female support character Scarlet issues combat challenges. After completing each mission, the player is awarded with a rank and a consequent level of upgrade items and in-game currency. These can be used for a fourth mission type dubbed "Gigolo Missions". [6] During Gigolo Missions, Mondo goes out with a selection of women and fill up a "Guts" meter by making eye contact, with more intimate areas such as their breasts granting more points. The woman's attachment to Mondo is increased by buying and presenting gifts during the mission; gifts for the women range from flowers and chocolates to types of lingerie. If the women sees you looking at those areas, a second meter decreases and if it empties Mondo fails the mission. Successfully completing Gigolo Missions grants Mondo access to weapon upgrades. [1] [2] [4] [6]

Synopsis

Setting and characters

Killer Is Dead is set on a near future version of Earth, where space tourism and cybernetic enhancements have become a reality. [7] [8] A key element of the story is Dark Matter, a malign energy stemming from the dark side of the Moon that negatively affects weak-willed humans and generates mindless monsters called Wires. It is the job of a government-funded group dubbed the Bryan Execution Firm to kill those infected with Dark Matter using people known as "Executioners", although doing so will inevitably lead the chosen Executioner to be overwhelmed by Dark Matter. [9]

The main protagonist is Mondo Zappa, a new Executioner with a business-like attitude towards his work and a liking for beautiful women. His superiors at the Bryan Execution Firm are its cyborg founder Bryan Roses and his second-in-command Vivienne Squall. Mondo is assisted and lives with Mika Takekawa, an air-headed young girl. [7] Three key characters are David, the main antagonist who usurps control of the Moon and directs the Dark Matter; Dolly the Dream Witch, a woman who can enter a person's dreams and alter their memories; and Moon River, the previous ruler of the Moon and one of an ancient line that acted as magistrates and overseers of the Earth. [5] [9] Many characters are thematically connected to celestial bodies; Mondo represents the Earth, David symbolises Mars, Mika the Sun, Moon River the Moon. [9]

Plot

The game opens with an unhinged former assassin-turned-kidnapper Tokio being killed by his replacement, his darkness ascending to the Moon. Two years later, Mondo witnesses the death of his predecessor at Bryan's hands. Mondo is then sent on missions against people who have been tainted by Malice, which causes them to become warped into monsters and perform evil deeds. One of his earliest missions is given by Moon River, ruler of the Moon, to kill David after he usurps her. Mondo and David fight, but Mondo is unable to kill him and David cryptically hints that he needs to grow stronger by absorbing the blood of those corrupted by Dark Matter. Moon River decides to wait until the contract can be completed, and Mondo allows her to live with him until then. [10]

Mondo goes on further missions against people infected with Dark Matter. Following each execution, a piece of the targets' Dark Matter and their blood is absorbed by Mondo's arm, causing him great pain. He is also tormented in his dreams by Dolly, seeing flashbacks of Moon River playing with him as a child with a strange blue unicorn; and David attacking his home, killing his mother and cutting off Mondo's arm before being left at the Bryan Execution Firm by the unicorn. During one mission, Vivienne considers killing Mondo as the Dark Matter begins overtaking him. On another mission, Bryan is nearly killed by Mika, who is likewise being influenced by Dolly. [10]

During his final confrontation with Dolly to free both himself and Mika from her influence, Mondo remembers the truth; he and David are brothers, David was one of Bryan's former Executioners before being tainted with Dark Matter. Mondo was then groomed by Bryan to take down David. David in turn planted Mika—the girl kidnapped by Tokio and rescued by David—as a spy to find out who would be David's assigned killer, and plans to make Mondo the Moon's new ruler while he conquers Earth. In a final confrontation on the Moon, Mondo and David face off, with Mondo using the power of Dark Matter to win the fight. Absorbing David's blood pushes Mondo over the edge, and he cuts off his cyborg arm in an attempt to stem the flow of Dark Matter. The game ends with Mondo taking David's place as ruler of the Moon and its Dark Matter, and Moon River issuing a new contract for Mondo's life. [10]

Development

Planning for Killer Is Dead began in late 2009 and proper development started in early 2011. [11] Suda was inspired to title the project Killer Is Dead after The Smiths's song "The Queen is Dead". [12] Initially the title was only a placeholder; over time Suda felt the name matched the style he wanted. [12] The game was announced in April 2012, the debut trailer premiered in January 2013. [13] [14] Suda describes it as a "Dark Side 007" game, drawing inspiration from Ian Fleming's James Bond books and films. [8] [13] Unlike Bond, the main character of Killer Is Dead deals with a seedier underworld that the surface world does not register. [15]

The game is not a sequel to Killer7 but it maintains the essence of his past "assassin series" games and "picks up where Killer7 and No More Heroes left off". [13] Suda also calls the game "yin" to bright and cheery Lollipop Chainsaw 's "yang". [15] Gameplay feature swords like in No More Heroes but with expanded systems, guns, and wrestling action. [8] [11] The visual style is an enhancement and evolution of the cel-shaded style of No More Heroes. [8] [16] The team had originally experimented with a realistic graphical style and a cartoon style reminiscent of Killer7 before settling on the final design. [15]

Release

The game was released in summer 2013, published by Kadokawa Games in Japan and Marvelous USA in North America. [8] [17] Deep Silver, the European publisher, and Sony Computer Entertainment Asia, the publisher for the Asian release outside Japan, announced that these editions of the game would include both English and original Japanese voice acting tracks. [17] [18]

A PC version was announced on February 17, 2014 as Killer Is Dead: Nightmare Edition. It was released on May 23, 2014 on a disc and as a digital download. [19] It includes a new difficulty mode called Nightmare, in which enemies can only be defeated using three attacks: Adrenaline Burst, Dodge Burst and Headshots. [20]

Reception

During its first week, the PS3 version of Killer Is Dead debuted in fifth place, selling just over 17,700 units. [29] By the end of 2013, the PS3 version had sold a little over 23,000 units. [30] In the United Kingdom, the game did poorly during its debut month, reaching twenty-sixth place behind many other new titles including Lost Planet 3 and Rayman Legends . [31]

The PS3 and 360 versions of the game both scored 64 out of 100 on review aggregate site Metacritic, based on 39 and 38 critic reviews respectively. [21] [22] Japanese magazine Famitsu gave the game a Platinum award as part of its review; its world design and gameplay were both praised, but the magazine criticised control issues similar to those seen in earlier Grasshopper Manufacture games. [25] Western critics were generally mixed about the game. The story was cited as either poorly written or confusing, while the gameplay was praised for its emphasis on dodging despite a lack of evolution for secondary mechanics. The art design was also praised, but reaction to the music was mixed and voice acting was described as poor. [1] [3] [4] [24] [26] [27] [28] The Gigolo missions were panned by Western critics due to their negative portrayal of women and the actions the player was forced to take to complete them. [1] [3] [4] [24] [26] [27] Control issues were also called out by several critics, in addition to other technical issues. [1] [3] [24] [25]

The PC-exclusive Nightmare Edition scored 71 points out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 8 critic reviews. [23] Adam Beck of Hardcore Gamer gave the game a score of 4/5 and was generally positive; he compared the story's tone favorably to Only God Forgives and praised both the level design and gameplay, but found its PC version underwhelming due to a lack of graphical options and poor control optimization. [32] In contrast, PC Gamer 's Andy Kelly gave a score of 45 out of 100 points, calling it both a weak game compared to Suda's previous work and a poor port of the console version due to similar issues to those raised by Beck, referring to it as the "very definition of style over substance". [33]

Notes

  1. ↑ Additional work for Windows by Kadokawa Games
  2. ↑ Japanese: キラー・イズ・デッド, Hepburn: Kirā Izu Deddo

Related Research Articles

A stealth game is a type of video game in which the player primarily uses stealth to avoid or overcome opponents. Games in the genre typically allow the player to remain undetected by hiding, sneaking, or using disguises. Some games allow the player to choose between a stealthy approach or directly attacking antagonists, but rewarding the player for greater use of stealth. The genre has employed espionage, counter-terrorism, and rogue themes, with protagonists that are special forces operatives, special agents, secret agents, thieves, ninjas, or assassins. Some games have also combined stealth elements with other genres, such as first-person shooters and also platformers.

<i>Killer7</i> 2005 video game

Killer7 is a 2005 action-adventure game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and Capcom and published by Capcom for the GameCube and PlayStation 2. The game was written and directed by Goichi Suda and produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goichi Suda</span> Japanese video game designer and director

Goichi Suda, known by his alias Suda51, is a Japanese video game director, designer, and writer. Affiliated with Human Entertainment from 1994 to 1998, he founded Grasshopper Manufacture in 1998 with a number of other Human Entertainment staff to produce their own titles. His best-known work has come from Grasshopper Manufacture, including The Silver Case (1999), Killer7 (2005), the No More Heroes series, and Lollipop Chainsaw (2012).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capcom Five</span> Five Capcom video games for GameCube

The Capcom Five are five video games that were unveiled by Capcom in late 2002 and published from March 2003. At a time when Nintendo's GameCube console had failed to capture market share, Capcom announced five new GameCube titles with the apparent goal of boosting hardware sales and demonstrating third-party developer support. Capcom USA followed up with confirmation that they would be exclusive to the GameCube. The five games were P.N.03, a futuristic third-person shooter; Viewtiful Joe, a side-scrolling action-platformer; Dead Phoenix, a shoot 'em up; Resident Evil 4, a survival horror third-person shooter; and Killer7, an action-adventure game with first-person shooter elements. Though not directly related to each other, they were all overseen by Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami and, except Killer7, developed by Capcom's Production Studio 4. Capcom USA later clarified that only Resident Evil 4 was intended to be exclusive; the initial announcement was due to a miscommunication with their parent company.

<i>Flower, Sun, and Rain</i> 2001 video game

Flower, Sun, and Rain is an adventure video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Victor Interactive Software for the PlayStation 2 in 2001. It was initially only released in Japan. A port for the Nintendo DS (DS) was developed by h.a.n.d. under supervision by Grasshopper Manufacture. It was published by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan (2008) and North America (2009) and Rising Star Games in Europe (2008).

<i>The Silver Case</i> 1999 video game

The Silver Case is an adventure visual novel video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by ASCII Entertainment for the PlayStation in 1999. It was directed, designed and co-written by Goichi Suda. A remastered version was released digitally by Grasshopper Manufacture worldwide for Windows and macOS in 2016, while a port, a physical release, for the PlayStation 4 was released by NIS America in 2017; a Japanese release of the PlayStation 4 version was released in March 2018 by Nippon Ichi Software. A Linux port was released in August 2017. A port for the Nintendo DS was also in development, but never released due to Suda's dissatisfaction with the final product. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released in 2021.

<i>Terminator Salvation</i> (video game) 2009 video game

Terminator Salvation is a third-person shooter action video game, released on May 19, 2009 to coincide with the release of the film of the same title on the same week. It was developed by The Halcyon Company's gaming subsidiary, Halcyon Games, along with Grin and published by Equity Games and Evolved Games. The game was Grin's last game and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, mobile, and iOS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Touchdown</span> Protagonist of the No More Heroes video games

Travis Touchdown is a fictional character and the main antihero of the video game franchise No More Heroes. He is 27 years old in the original game, and is both an otaku and a professional assassin, wielding a Beam Katana. He was created by Goichi Suda, and voiced by Kazuya Nakai in Japanese and Robin Atkin Downes in English.

<i>Shadows of the Damned</i> 2011 action-adventure video game

Shadows of the Damned is a 2011 action-adventure video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was directed by Massimo Guarini, produced by Shinji Mikami and written by Suda51. The game follows Garcia Hotspur, a Mexican demon hunter who goes to the City of the Damned to battle its evils in order to save his girlfriend Paula, who was captured by the Lord of Demons, Fleming.

<i>No More Heroes</i> (video game) 2007 video game

No More Heroes is an action-adventure hack and slash video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture for the Wii. It was released by Marvelous Entertainment in Japan in 2007, Ubisoft in North America and Rising Star Games in PAL territories in 2008. The game was directed, designed, and written by Goichi Suda, also known by his nickname Suda51. The game follows Travis Touchdown, an otaku who wins a beam katana in an auction, from which he inadvertently becomes involved in the United Assassins Association and forced to kill assassins higher in rank to prevent other assassins from targeting him.

<i>Diabolical Pitch</i> 2012 video game

Diabolical Pitch is a baseball action video game from Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda51 for the Xbox 360 Kinect.

<i>Lollipop Chainsaw</i> 2012 video game

Lollipop Chainsaw is a 2012 action-adventure hack-and-slash video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture. A collaboration between game designer Goichi Suda and filmmaker James Gunn, the game was published in Japan by Kadokawa Games and internationally by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

<i>Liberation Maiden</i> 2012 video game

Liberation Maiden is a shooter game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Level-5. It was originally included in the Guild01 compilation for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012, and later made available separately on Nintendo eShop. A stand-alone high definition version was also released for the iOS in 2013.

<i>Let It Die</i> (video game) 2016 video game

Let It Die is a free-to-play hack and slash video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by GungHo Online Entertainment. The game was released for the PlayStation 4 in December 2016, and in Japan in February 2017. It was released for Microsoft Windows in September 2018.

<i>Santa Fe Mysteries: The Elk Moon Murder</i> 1996 video game

Santa Fe Mysteries: The Elk Moon Murder is a video game, the first in the Santa Fe Mysteries series, followed by Santa Fe Mysteries: Sacred Ground. In The Elk Moon Murder, a famous Native American artist named Anna Elk Moon is murdered in the American Southwest.

<i>No More Heroes III</i> 2021 video game

No More Heroes III is a 2021 action-adventure hack and slash video game developed and published by Grasshopper Manufacture for the Nintendo Switch. Marvelous published the game in Japan. It is the fourth installment in the No More Heroes series and is the third mainline entry in the series. Set eleven years after the events of No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (2010), the game stars professional assassin Travis Touchdown and follows his return to the fictional city of Santa Destroy, as he must defend the world from a powerful army of alien invaders led by the galactic overlord prince FU and his nine soldiers who adopt the façade of galactic superheroes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Silva, Marty (2013-08-27). "Killer Is Dead Review". IGN . Archived from the original on 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  2. 1 2 3 Carter, Chris (2013-08-27). "Very quick tips: Killer is Dead". Destructoid . Archived from the original on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Walton, Mark (2013-08-27). "Killer Is Dead Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Moore, Ben (2013-08-27). "Killer is Dead - Review". GameTrailers. Archived from the original on 2013-08-31. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  5. 1 2 Yip, Spencer (2013-06-18). "Killer Is Dead Takes Players To The Dark Side Of The Moon". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2013-06-21. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  6. 1 2 『KILLER IS DEAD』でモンドが挑む4つのミッションを紹介、究極のやり込み要素は“下着プレゼント” (in Japanese). Famitsu. 2013-07-29. Archived from the original on 2013-08-03. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  7. 1 2 Romano, Sal (2013-01-16). "Killer is Dead detailed in Famitsu". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Gifford, Kevin (2013-01-16). "Grasshopper's Suda51 gives first details on his latest game, Killer is Dead". Polygon . Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  9. 1 2 3 Grasshopper Manufacture, Kadokawa Games (2014-05-23). Killer Is Dead (Windows). Deep Silver. Scene: Theater Mode.
  10. 1 2 3 Grasshopper Manufacture (2013-08-27). Killer Is Dead (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360). Marvelous USA.
  11. 1 2 Gantayat, Anoop (2012-04-04). "Killer is Dead Detailed". Andriasang. Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  12. 1 2 "Talking Killer Is Dead with Suda51". Destructoid. March 28, 2013. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved Jan 13, 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 Gantayat, Anoop (2012-04-04). "New From Grasshopper and Suda 51: Killer is Dead". Andriasang. Archived from the original on 2012-12-25. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  14. ↑ Prescott, Shaun (18 January 2013). "Killer is Dead debut trailer unveiled". Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 Gifford, Kevin (2013-01-23). "Yakuza guys riding on tigers: Killer is Dead in detail, according to Suda51". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  16. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (2013-01-17). "Killer is Dead's first trailer is drenched in stylish, bloody action". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  17. 1 2 Spencer (2013-02-05). "Killer Is Dead's Asia Version Has English Text And Dual Language Option". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 2013-05-13. Retrieved 2013-05-03.
  18. ↑ "Twitter / deepsilver: Before you ask: Killer is Dead ..." Archived from the original on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
  19. ↑ "Suda 51's Killer is Dead to Get PC Release". Anime News Network. 17 February 2014. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  20. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (17 February 2014). "Suda 51's Killer is Dead hits PC in May". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  21. 1 2 "Killer is Dead for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  22. 1 2 "Killer is Dead for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  23. 1 2 "Killer s Dead: Nightmare Edition for PC". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Carsillo, Ray (2013-08-27). "EGM Review: Killer Is Dead". Electronic Gaming Monthly . Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
  25. 1 2 3 Gifford, Kevin (2013-07-27). "Japan Review Check: Killer is Dead". Polygon . Archived from the original on 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  26. 1 2 3 Juba, Joe (2013-08-27). "Killer is Dead - An Assassin Who Can't Execute". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  27. 1 2 3 Kubba, Sinan (2013-08-27). "Killer Is Dead review: Drunk on the moon". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
  28. 1 2 Gies, Arthur (2013-08-27). "Killers Is Dead Review: Blunt Instrument". Polygon . Archived from the original on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  29. ↑ Romano, Sal (2013-08-07). "Media Create Sales: 7/29/13 – 8/4/13". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 2013-08-10. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  30. ↑ 2013年テレビゲームソフト売り上げランキング（ファミ通版） (in Japanese). Geimin.net. Archived from the original on 2014-07-12. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  31. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (2013-09-02). "Rayman Legends outsells Origins week one by 20 per cent in UK chart". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 2018-03-04. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  32. ↑ Beck, Adam (2014-05-26). "Review: Killer Is Dead - Nightmare Edition". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on 2014-07-03. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  33. ↑ Kelly, Andy (2014-05-29). "Killer Is Dead review". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 2014-06-01. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.