Katana Zero is an indie platform game where you take the perspective of Subject Zero, an assassin with amnesia, to kill all enemies in the level. Something I love about Katana Zero is the intermeshing of hack and slash with scenes of intricate dark psychological narratives. Not to mention the slick 80s neon aesthetic and the awesome synthwave soundtrack.
The main mechanics of Katana Zero are pretty simple: the player takes the perspective of Subject Zero and is able to run, jump, wall kick, pick up and throw items, dodge, and attack with a katana. Moreover, players can utilize Zero’s special ability to slow down time and see into the future whenever their respective meters are re-filled. The main objective of each level is to kill all of the enemies while engaging in instant death combat with checkpoints throughout each level. Each combat level is supplemented with cinematic scenes that slowly reveal more of Subject Zero’s identity and psychology.
These game mechanics come together to create a gaming experience that is dynamic, action-filled, and enigmatic. The simple movement mechanics supplemented with instant death combat create gameplay that is easy, yet complex as one is supposed to complete it in one go. This creates an adrenaline-inducing experience that is frustrating, but addictive. As the player progresses through each level, not only does it become harder to defeat enemies, but the plot also becomes darker and more intricate. This particularly was a huge incentive for me defeat levels, as I am a sucker for thrilling dark narratives.
Katana Zero shows strong aesthetics through sense pleasure (visual and auditory), narrative, and challenge. This game offers various avenues through which to enjoy the game—whether one mainly enjoys the hack and slash gameplay, or is incentivized to learn more about the mysterious thrilling plot, or simply enjoys the slick art style and sci-fi electronic soundtrack. For me, it’s all three.
