Killer7

There’s something not quite right about Killer7. Perhaps it’s the reaping of blood from enemies and giving it to the doctor who lives in the TV; or maybe it’s the save-game maid who enjoys shagging wheelchair-bound old men. Come to think of it, there are a lot of things that are not quite right about Killer7, but somehow it works – and it works well.
 
Anime weirdness is riddled throughout the game like parasitic worms playing twister in your small intestines. You play Harman Smith, a 65-year old crippled assassin who can mysteriously shapeshift into one of seven personalities. Your enemy: an invisible cult of extremists known as Heaven Smiles who’d like to greet you suicide bomber-style.
 
Each of the Killer7 team has a unique ability from performing wrestling moves, to slashing wrists in order to break down barriers using a fountain of blood. Though you’ll no doubt find a favourite among the seven, you’ll need to use each member’s abilities in order to progress through the game.
 
The game is played from a third-person, survival horror-style perspective. However, when you hear the evil laugh of your invisible enemy, you’ll need to switch to first-person mode where you can use your special see-the-bad- guy ability and more importantly, your gun. Thankfully the Smiles can’t shoot back, because you can’t dodge.
 
Movement in the game is restricted to running in a straight line but the camera movement around your character makes the game feel more like an interactive Anime movie, distracting you from the limitation.
 
The only real flaw in this artistic control system is that although you move in a straight line, enemies can come at you in all directions and turning around in first-person mode isn’t exactly quick.
 
While this general ‘run-forward, shoot-things, run-forward’ formula is used throughout the game, surprisingly it doesn’t get old. There are always enough little puzzles or twists in the plot that make you want to push on that little bit further.
 
The puzzles are quite typical of Capcom survival horror games and fans will find some comfort in the familiarity. One of the benefits of the game being so linear is that you never miss anything critical to your progression. Even if you get stuck on a crucial puzzle, you have the option to buy help. The emphasis is unraveling the story rather than retracing your steps.

Killer7 is gaming’s answer to Pulp Fiction. The game is filled with ‘WTF?’ moments but at the same time the oddity is compelling and you’ll want to find out what happens next. If you’re looking for a twist on survival horror, or just after a good blood-spilling, Anime-inspired weirdnessfest, Killer7 is sure to satisfy.