Price: 7/10 $15 for a 6 hour game. Worth every penny. Has above average replay value.

PC requirements: 9/10 Check if you can run MS paint. Anybody can run this, as long as your computer isn’t a potato. If your computer is a potato, you can lower graphics manually in settings on the main menu, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want the full, authentic, on-your-toes experience.

Gametime: 5/10 This game is rather short, about 6 hours, but every minute is absolutely worth it. Attention to detail

Gameplay: 10/10 Easy to learn. Hard to master. Combat is smooth, invigorating, and fluid at a breakneck pace. Features insta-death mechanics; very Hotline Miami-esque, but preserves its own distinct style. The most pivotal draw is the time warping ability incorporated into the story itself, allowing you to slow down time and have finite precognition.

Bugs: 10/10 Nigh non-existent. I haven’t run into a bug in all of 63 hours of my playtime thus far. Steam reviews seem to agree.

Story: 9/10 I had to replay the game to get a firmer grip on the story, but in my first playthrough, there were some parts that really hit hard, leaving me at a loss for words. Askiisoft absolutely did not skip any quality on it.

Characters: 9/10 Despite being a short game, all characters in this are insanely developed. Personally I got genuinely attached, but attachment is subjective, however there is no denying that these characters are 3-dimensional.

Graphics: 8/10 Although a pixel game, sprites move in very life-like fashion. It originally caught me off guard, I didn’t know that sprites could be so vibrant and alive.

Visuals: 10/10 I’ve fallen head over heels for the aesthetic, style, and colors this game uses. The game is described as ‘neo-noir’ but also features overtones of 80’s retro futurism; but still containing gritty and dark themes.

Sound effects: 10/10 The sound effects all around adds that extra oomph to the action, hearing that KA CHUNK as you slice an enemy is not only intense, but invigorating, adding to the gameplay. The sound effects are 8-bit like; fits nicely with the pixelated style of the game. Although the sounds may be ‘chunky,’ each character has their own ‘blips,’ or voices when their dialogue boxes are shown. Love the attention to detail.

Music: 10/10 As for the music in the game, Bill Kiley and Ludowic absolutely did not cut corners with the soundtrack; it’s immersive, thematically relevant, and in my opinion, a bop. The soundtrack is something I’ve listened to while drawing, studying, and writing. Did not disappoint. “Full confession” and “Come and See” really hit me right in the feels.

This game has been more than memorable for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone, even if they only have their toes dipped into the gaming scene. In conclusion, I’d give Katana Zero a 9.5/10. Every aspect of it went above and beyond. Bought it expecting a hack and slash game with nice aesthetics, but got not only that, but an amazing story, soundtrack, and the desire for more.

Price: 7/10 $15 for a 6 hour game. Worth every penny. Has above average replay value. PC requirements: 9/10 Check if you can run MS paint. Anybody can run this, as long as your computer isn’t a potato. If your computer is a potato, you can lower graphics manually in settings on the main menu, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want the full, authentic, on-your-toes experience. Gametime: 5/10 This game is rather short, about 6 hours, but every minute is absolutely worth it. Attention to detail Gameplay: 10/10 Easy to learn. Hard to master. Combat is smooth, invigorating, and fluid at a breakneck pace. Features insta-death mechanics; very Hotline Miami-esque, but preserves its own distinct style. The most pivotal draw is the time warping ability incorporated into the story itself, allowing you to slow down time and have finite precognition. Bugs: 10/10 Nigh non-existent. I haven’t run into a bug in all of 63 hours of my playtime thus far. Steam reviews seem to agree. Story: 9/10 I had to replay the game to get a firmer grip on the story, but in my first playthrough, there were some parts that really hit hard, leaving me at a loss for words. Askiisoft absolutely did not skip any quality on it. Characters: 9/10 Despite being a short game, all characters in this are insanely developed. Personally I got genuinely attached, but attachment is subjective, however there is no denying that these characters are 3-dimensional. Graphics: 8/10 Although a pixel game, sprites move in very life-like fashion. It originally caught me off guard, I didn’t know that sprites could be so vibrant and alive. Visuals: 10/10 I’ve fallen head over heels for the aesthetic, style, and colors this game uses. The game is described as ‘neo-noir’ but also features overtones of 80’s retro futurism; but still containing gritty and dark themes. Sound effects: 10/10 The sound effects all around adds that extra oomph to the action, hearing that KA CHUNK as you slice an enemy is not only intense, but invigorating, adding to the gameplay. The sound effects are 8-bit like; fits nicely with the pixelated style of the game. Although the sounds may be ‘chunky,’ each character has their own ‘blips,’ or voices when their dialogue boxes are shown. Love the attention to detail. Music: 10/10 As for the music in the game, Bill Kiley and Ludowic absolutely did not cut corners with the soundtrack; it’s immersive, thematically relevant, and in my opinion, a bop. The soundtrack is something I’ve listened to while drawing, studying, and writing. Did not disappoint. “Full confession” and “Come and See” really hit me right in the feels. This game has been more than memorable for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone, even if they only have their toes dipped into the gaming scene. In conclusion, I’d give Katana Zero a 9.5/10. Every aspect of it went above and beyond. Bought it expecting a hack and slash game with nice aesthetics, but got not only that, but an amazing story, soundtrack, and the desire for more.