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Killer 7 Review
Written: 05/06/06
Webster's dictionary defines the words "Killer" and "7" as "One that kills" and "The cardinal number equal to 6 + 1". Putting these together yields "One that kills The cardinal number equal to 6 + 1." Is Killer 7 really a game with such a disdain for cardinal numbers that it goes around murdering them with wanton malice, or is it simply misunderstood, guilty of only committing the completely forgivable -- and even justifiable -- crime of manslaughter? The answer awaits in the following review if you keep your eyes open...
The game starts with Garcian, the "head" of the Killer 7, stealthily being handed an envelope by Christopher Mills, an inside man for the US government. This envelope contains information vital to the Killer 7's next assignment. After a brief cutscene wherein Garcian and Christopher exchange pleasantries via a telephony apparatus, Garcian steps inside the Celtic building. "Assignment: No. 33" the screen reads. "Destroy the 'Heaven Smile' headquarters and capture the chief alive."
You now find yourself in control of seven unique personalities, most of whom (Garcian is a special case) are selectable at will. Time to kill some bad guys and save the United States from a terrorist threat, right? Well, yes and no. The story starts out a little odd and quickly spirals into a mess of absolute madness. This is a good thing, mind, and if you aren't in the mood for, as the kids like to say, a "mindfuck," you're playing Killer 7 for all the wrong reasons.
Graphics
Using an interesting cel-shaded engine, Killer 7's unique, stylized graphics immediately set it apart from any other game you've played before. There's a lot of neat shadowing, and environments have a sort of minimalist look, but the lack of detail somehow works to the game's advantage. In fact, the visuals have a noir feel that serves to complement both the story and the music. Truly, the visuals are very nice, and there are never any issues with the framerate or slowdown.
Locales are varied, and the number of enemies, all of whom have their own distinct look, is impressive. Menus are easily navigable, and you can tell a lot of thought went into the game's presentation. Kudos to the designers for it all. Killer 7 gets an A+ for effort AND an A+ for the actual end results. Usually it's one or the other, you see.
Sound
I finally got a TV with stereo sound capabilities, and boy am I glad I did, because Killer 7 has an outstanding soundtrack and some excellent voice acting!
Killer 7's musical stylings run the gamut from low-key atmospheric stuff to jazz to eurotrash techno and everything in between. I can't remember the last time I played a game with such a varied offering of styles, and almost all of it is of commendable quality. And while it isn't exactly saying a whole lot, Killer 7 has the best soundtrack of 2005, easily. And I'm not just saying that because I only played like four new games last year.
Capcom and Grasshopper also did a great job with the voice acting. Every character has a voice that not only complements their look, but does so with some good, believable acting. Some people might have some issues with a few things, though. For example, in the Japanese version, a lot of "ghost" characters (that is, characters whom the Killer 7 had killed before and who continue to hang around as ghosts to offer advice) spoke in Engrish. In the American version, the voices have been garbled and warped, and now contain subtitles. I'm not sure what they were trying to do, but I would've liked to have been able to hear the original, and what I can only assume is hilarious, Engrish. The mixing is also a little off at times. There were instances where it was difficult to make out what someone was saying over the music or sound effects. It's not very common, though. Finally, if you're deaf, you won't be happy to hear (LOL!!!!!) that there are no subtitles for normal speech. That's what you get. Oh, and see if you can spot Cam Clarke and the voice actress from P.N. 03!
Finally, the sound effects are all well done. Enemies cackle when nearby, bullets whizz around, and everything else I always write in the sound effects paragraph for every other game I've reviewed. There isn't a whole lot to say other than Killer 7 sounds like you'd hope and expect it to sound.
Gameplay
And now we get to the fun part! A lot of people bitch and moan about Killer 7's gameplay. "Oh boo hoo I don't get freedom to move everywhere," they say. "Wah wah wah, the game is on rails oh what terrible gameplay." These people are morons.
Now, I'm not going to say that I wish every game took after Killer 7, or that it has amazing gameplay. What I will say, however, is that it's a breath of fresh air and a welcome change of pace from what I'm used to. For those who don't know, Killer 7 consists of two types of gameplay: third-person movement and first person shooting. The third person movement is what gets everyone's panties in a twist, mostly due to the fact that movement is on rails. Walking forward requires only pressing A. That's it. Hold down A and your character will run forward until they get to a fork in the path, at which point you just push left or right or whatever and continue down that path. How this can so horribly offend people, I don't know.
Frankly, I'm sick of games where you have to maneuver into every corner and wildly flail your control stick around to find a hidden bafmodad tucked behind a crate in a sewer. I sure do love getting to a point in a game where I have to backtrack because I missed an item! Worse yet is when I waste time impulsively checking and re-checking every nook and cranny because I know developers are assholes and like to hide things in the stupidest of places. Killer 7 frees me of this by choosing where I can and can't move, and prompting me when I come across an important item. Guaranteed never to miss anything and to see everything I'm supposed to see. While other people find the gameplay constricting, I find it relieving in the freedom it provides to focus on and enjoy what's important.
I mentioned first person shooting earlier. Despite the fact that it feels less like a first person shooter in the way you can spin around and fire away with ease and more like a shooting gallery in that you're stuck in one spot, I enjoyed blasting away at the armies of Heaven Smiles. The way enemies have a weak spot you can aim for, and how they scream and disappear when killed provides a very satisfying, visceral feeling. It's like Viewtiful Joe if Viewtiful Joe were a first person shooter.
There are also puzzles here and there, but they aren't very difficult. I recommend avoiding the Normal difficulty setting when beginning, because everything is just handed to you and there's no real sense of accomplishment.
Replay
Killer 7 takes about 15 hours to get through the first time. After beating either of the initial difficulty settings, a slightly different mode is unlocked with far more difficulty and an additional personality to play as. This mode can be gruelingly difficult, but if you beat it, you then unlock one more mode, which is actually only the first level populated by a ZANY new enemy.
Really, the replay in Killer 7 depends on how much you enjoyed and/or understood the story, and whether you liked the gameplay or not. Personally, I've beaten the game 3 times, and have even read a plot FAQ, and I STILL don't fully understand what was going on. Unfortunately, there isn't much beyond better understanding the plot and challenging yourself on the more difficult mode. I would've really liked a sound test or unlockable art, or anything along those lines. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.
It's true what they say: you either love or hate Killer 7. I guess I fall into the love category, though I'm not blind to its faults. Perhaps Killer 7 can best be summed up by saying that it's as good as a game can be without being truly great. By the way, don't let your kids play it unless you want them running around screaming "ALL WOMEN ARE THE SAME!" On second thought, go ahead and let them play it. Better they learn the truth sooner rather than later.
Final Score
89%
Alexander M. Massa, Staff Writer
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