Laced between the confusing story, unique gameplay, and interesting sounds is SUDA 51's dream of a game that breaks all boundaries and really tries something new and innovative.
This is one of my favorit games of all time. Suprising, disturbing Story, Awesome unique artsytle and sound design. The whole gameplay mix is unique and weird but it works and is on point. if you can choose, definitely get the gamecube over the PS2 version, because for the better technics and gamepad. i hope there will be some day a HD Port of this gem.
Killer7 is kind of an enigma. It lifts its disparate gameplay mechanics from a number of different genres such as survival horror, first-person shooters, adventure games, and even rail shooters. Its story is an utterly incoherent, fast-paced, and babbling fever dream comprised of political intrigue, spiritual symbolism and cultural variance. Simply put, nothing about Killer7's mechanics or narrative should work, on paper. But it all does work, incredibly well.
The game is often disarming and challenging. Both in terms of mechanics and narrative. In both regards, there's always something new around every corner and in every chapter to take the player by complete surprise. It's an utterly unpredictable experience, and that unpredictability works strongly in the game's favor. It creates a strong sense of discomfort and unease. Killer7 doesn't want you to get comfortable. As soon as you think you are, it throws a legitimately disturbing and challenging narrative aspect your way, or a new enemy type or puzzle that completely changes your way of thinking about how the game has been played up to that point.
And despite this constantly changing pace, there are definitive constants. There is a genuine gameplay loop to Killer7. In essence, you explore levels, kill enemies, solve puzzles, collect items, and find what are essentially keys to unlock a door to that level's boss. It ends up playing somewhat like a Resident Evil that, instead of exploring a few consistent, large areas, is separated into chapters which act as the game's levels. Simply put, if you like the exploration, the backtracking, and the puzzles of Resident Evil, you'll likely find a lot to like in Killer7's gameplay.
The often disarming and challenging nature of Killer7 doesn't end with its gameplay or story, however. The sound design in general is often as advanced and equally interesting. The voice acting and direction is top notch. The music is both eclectic and suiting. The sound design, much like the rest of the experience, is masterfully crafted.
I won't pretend that the game is for everyone, though. Killer7 is intentionally weird. Not to insulting or unconvincing degrees. In fact, this is likely the most convincingly strange game I've ever played. It doesn't feel as if it's trying to convince you that it's weird. It just is. It occupies that space and you end up accepting it for exactly what it is. But its dedication to being as obtuse as it is will surely turn some players off.
However, even if you initially think it's just too weird, Killer7 is a game worth sticking with. Initially, the gameplay was just too obtuse, to me. I really wasn't jiving with the on-rails exploration, or the shooting mechanics. Everything about the experience just felt kind of off. But I stuck with it to the end, and what I found was one of the most surprisingly well crafted games I would personally lump into the "adventure" category, and a story that, despite as incoherent and confusing as it can be, ended up being filled to the brim with legitimately great plot twists, revelations, and surprisingly great commentaries. It manages to become an incredibly immersive and interesting experience completely in spite of everything that shouldn't make it immersive.
Killer7 can manage to be incredibly inaccessible and often confusing, but once seen through, it's as equally rewarding and brilliant. I promise that you haven't played anything quite like Killer7, and you likely won't find anything else like it in the future. It's a dark, comedic, genuinely disturbing, yet genuinely fun adventure game, crafted in such a simple and effective way to allow everything it offers to fit perfectly together. It gives you only as much control as it deems necessary, and only as much narrative thread as necessary, and what we're left with is a concise game that simultaneously manages to feel all over the place. It's a game made of contradictions that the folks at Grasshopper Manufacture somehow made work in every conceivable way. It really is a marvel, and even if you've already experienced some of the later GHM games that weren't your cup of tea, I think it's still worth playing. Simply for the fact that a piece of media like Killer7 exists, and that it managed to turn out as legitimately great as it did, I personally consider it an essential experience that should not be missed in your lifetime.
Recommending Killer 7 is frightening, much like recommending A Clockwork Orange, or Pulp Fiction, or Eraserhead. The art we love is not always universally enjoyable, but we all want to share that favorite special vision with others, while still worrying about what they will think. We offer our sincere but guarded blessing to Killer 7.
It represents a welcoming step away from the masses of clones, while its serious tone, portrayed in equal doses of graphic brutality and absurd comedy will keep those willing to persevere hooked on the edge of the seat awaiting the sounds of cackled laughter.
At the end of the day, I walked away with a handful of great memories and the satisfaction that I had experienced something so innovative and insane. Unfortunately, I also left Killer7 with an insatiable hunger for answers and clarity. [July 2005, p.115]
At best, playing the game is like having someone shout in your ear for 15 hours straight. At worst, it's like getting a high colonic with balsamic vinegar.
This game is amazing, it truly is, if you haven’t played it then you truly need to, it is a unique gaming experience like no other. The ideas here are engrossing, the level designs are remarkable works of art. Not only that this game is loads of fun.
The sound track is excellent. This game is so atmospheric, you can truly lose yourself in another universe, one that you have never experienced before and will never experience again.
The game flows beautifully, there are no real sticking points.
I’m really glad to have a flawless copy of this on the GameCube too as it is getting more and more expensive to buy as the years tick by.
Highly recommended, a unique experience like no other, a truly engrossing atmosphere, stunning soundtrack and graphics… lots of blood!
The best thing about this game is switching between the difference characters, all with their own skills, abilities and weapon set
Love it, I will be playing it again and again.
Killer 7 follows the story **** of assassins known as The Killer 7 as they try to put a stop to terrorist group Heavens Smiles. Unusually for a video game it is this story, as much as the gameplay, that will keep most players interested and it is a story that most players won't forget in a hurry.
The unique gameplay sees the player following a set path around the game world by pressing the A button to move forward and hitting B to turn around. At first this seems restricting but it is quickly forgotten about as the game still allows the player to decide which direction to take at junctions as well as whether or not to enter certain doors. Whilst exploring and trying to figure out the puzzles a manic laugh will hint that an enemy is nearby. Pulling out your weapon switches the player to a first person viewpoint allowing accurate targeting of the Heavens Smiles in order to hit weak points or utilise the specific strategy required to defeat them. Once defeated the blood of some enemies is automatically collected for use in upgrading or healing your characters as well as unlocking special abilities. All the characters have attributes that can be upgraded. You can choose to focus on upgrading just one character or share-out the blood evenly. Each of your seven Killers have certain traits that make them suitable for getting by in certain situations such as lock picking breaking through a cracked wall.
Adding to the games uniqueness are the cel shaded, comic book style graphics. Each of the seven killers is well designed and some of the Heavens Smiles are a truly terrifying sight.
Some reviews have stated that controls can be a little fiddly, but since this is not meant to be a straight up first person shooter it is not a huge issue. In fact the only genuine criticism I can level at the game is that the pace can be a tad slow at times.
Killer7 is far more avant garde than it is about being an approachable game. In such a way, a lot of things can be praised about Killer7. The protag super powers and way they interact with the world, the way people talk, how death and cutscenes are shown; Killer 7 is a very stylish game, no question. Once you start to remove all the fluff though, you get a game with a ton of cryptic hints, frustrating movement patterns, and a story that doesn't make sense.I'm not inherently mad at Killer7 for how it presents itself either, but it was completely jarring coming in expecting something akin to No More Heroes only to get Star Fox with puzzles that make some other games blush. Killer7 is a hard sale and I wish it wasn't. It really has a lot of neat ideas and sets up a world that is super interesting to dive into that they even made a book. While I'm not nearly impressed with this game as most, I do wish we get more of this series as it was at least an interesting start.
SummaryFeaturing visual artistry and dark imagery with striking cel-shaded graphics, Killer 7 chronicles the connection between two men whose intertwined paths develop into a compelling tale of revenge and altering personas. Killer 7 propels players into the consciousness of one man and his seven different personalities. The player’s challenge ...