Katana Zero (NSW) Review

Fast and bloody action.

 

 An indie game that I missed out when it released back in 2019, Katana Zero is one of those games where it's alright at first, but quickly hooks you in with its slick gameplay and eye-catching presentation. What's cool about Katana Zero is that the majority of it is done by a single developer, which is no small feat. Anyway, since it recently caught my attention, it's time to find what Katana Zero has in store.

 The game follows the "Dragon", an assassin who takes on contracts for a shadowy crime group. Using a drug known as "Chronos", he can briefly slow down time and even experience future events to efficiently neutralize his targets. However, his past is a cryptic one as he's often haunted by nightmares. Throughout the adventure, the Dragon will meet a bunch of colorful characters while unravelling the secrets of his horrific past. The story was a great one as it slowly reels you into its world with the Dragon being the most interesting lead despite his silence. While it's stingy with the exposition, it does manage to tell a engaging tale that gets good until it ends on a cliffhanger, which leaves many plot threads unanswered.

Get ready for a ride that's filled with substance abuse
and whole lot of blood.

 Katana Zero is a 2D action-platformer where you control the Dragon as he clears rooms full of enemies by slashing and dashing at them. You can briefly slow-down time to react to enemies and deflect bullets with your sword, as well as throw nearby objects at them to stun and distract them. Enemies come in different varieties with some carrying guns and knives, making things more tougher as you play. Like Hotline Miami, you can easily kill enemies with one hit but they can also do the same to you, thus requiring you to carefully plan your methods. Katana Zero is also presented with the bright neon lights inspired by the 80s just like Hotline Miami. The game's simple in nature but can get tricky when fighting against a bunch of enemies all at once. Additionally, boss fights are tough and require near-perfect memorization skills. 

Slash and dash your way through foes.

 Interestingly, the game has a choice system which affects your interactions with characters and even sheds light on the Dragon's personality. It cleverly works in gameplay with the second level as you can skip a boss fight by saying that you're "cosplaying" to mask the blood on your clothes and the receptionist will even corroborate your choice if you were told her the cosplay choice earlier in the level. All in all, it took around 5 hours to beat the game and upon completion, you unlock a speed-run and hard modes, which warrant another run.

 Katana Zero is a looker with the colorful retro visuals being a highlight. Sure the aesthetics are nothing new but I find myself drawn to the visuals and it compliments the carnage of the action well. There's no voiceovers but the dialogue and banter between characters was fun and interesting. As for the soundtrack, it was fantastic with upbeat tracks to match the gameplay's action. Some favorites of mine are apartment, club, and ending themes.

Bright and bloody visuals aside, the soundtrack was great.

 Katana Zero was a super enjoyable time and now one of my favorite indies. I loved the action-heavy gameplay, the flashy presentation, and mysterious story. I'm hoping that either a DLC or new game in future will continue the adventure as the game was over just as it was getting really good. For $15, Katana Zero is a must-play for platformer and action fans.