Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Killer 7 review on June 6, 2006
Timing really is everything, eh?
Please excuse my lack of updates recently. I just realized I haven't posted anything on G-Pinions since that Oblivion physics demo, and we all know how well that went over. I assume these next few months will not be the easiest time for me to update - I'm knee deep in my last semester of school and have a cross-country move planned for August - but I will definitely try to bring a little truth and honesty to the internet when I can. Someone has to inform people that Table Tennis is only getting notice now because no other games are out and Fake Uno is only cheaper than Real Uno because, well, you're paying for plastic in one version and 1s and 0s in the other. I'll take my portable plastic any day. You want the real truth though? Killer 7 is one of the most interesting games of this generation.
Notice how I carefully used the word "interesting" rather than something grander, like "Best." I finished the PS2 version of Killer 7 (also known as "Killer (Load Times) 7") about a month ago but I'm still not sure how I feel about the game. It's weird, you know? I haven't played a game with such restrictive gameplay since, um, whatever JRPG I played last (I think it was Magna Carta, but that doesn't matter: all JRPGs have restrictive gameplay). For those who don't know, you don't really have direct control over you character in Killer 7. You know those games where, if you hit left on the analog stick, you actually turn left? You won't find any of that fanciness in this game. Rather, you move with the X button. "But Tom," you may be asking "How can you turn with only one button as your control?" You obviously won't be able to do much turning. You hold down X to walk forward and then, if you come to a fork in the road, you select which direction to turn and continue to hold down X. I told you it was weird.
The lack of control is not the biggest problem for this game, though. It's weird, as we all know. It has a rather unique art style and a story that is not laid out for you in simple cardboard cutouts fashion. This is fine. I think Katamari proved that no one has a problem with a little weird in their gaming. But Killer 7, that one game this generation who has no peer, starts out with a level so confusing I bet most people slammed their controllers down in frustration. I know Nick has never played past this accursed first level. I know I had to use all my gaming might to pass it. But it was, ultimately, worth it.
It starts out with one of those poorly thought out prologue levels. You are thrust into the action and have no idea what to do. Your tips companion, Iwazaru, hangs from the ceiling to give you hints. Only the hints just make things more confusing. He talks about thick blood vs thin blood and the importance of both, changing characters to use their different abilities, shooting enemies in the yellow spots and Harmon. I stared with a dull glaze covering my eyes. To give you some perspective, I still don't know who Harmon is and I finished the game. It's called Killer 7 and yet he's, somehow, the 8th character. But that's not important to know now, and certainly wasn't necessary for me in the first level. I just wanted to shoot stuff! How do I do that?
It's simple really, You walk down a hall (this game is chuck full of those) and, if your ears spy an evil laugh, you stop in your tracks (let go of X!) and hold down the R1 button. This gives you a gun-cocked, first person perspective. Ah, I know all about this. Of course, I can't actually move in this position, but at least I have full control over my gun. After you ready your firearm, you have to hit L1 to actually see the enemy. I have no idea why this is necessary. Then you get to see how good of a marksman you are. You can just plug the Heaven Smile (what a cute name for a bad guy) with bullets. All their limbs fall off nicely upon interaction with a bullet. But that's not the way to fight. You won't get any thick blood if you do it that way. So aim for the yellow splotch. Sometimes you have to hit L1 a few times for it to show up and, if you're really lucky, it won't show up at all. But if you do hit the spot it's a one shot kill and your character will dish out the same one liner every time. It's always vulgar and, believe it or not, never repetitive. I have no idea how they accomplished that.
Oh, there's one more part to the gameplay - puzzles. In fact, I would say it's the main part of the game. The moving itself is obviously less than thrilling and most of the enemies are easy enough that you won't even think twice before you plug them full of 30 bullets. But the puzzles, those add some much needed meat. Some puzzle have you analyzing posters or children's drawings beforehand and then trying to recall what you saw later. Some have you listening to recordings and writing down pertinent data like Social Security number and high school football injuries and, again, using this information later. Others are nature based where you have to use one of your many element rings to cue some action. And then there are the ones that just require you to shoot a huge hole in the wall. Those are the easiest and most safisfying.
So that's all there is to the game. But somehow, it's still really fun. The characters, all 8 of them, are quite interesting. There's Kaede, the only women, who uses a sniper rifle and cuts her wrists to reveal hidden secrets. There's Con who's blind but incredibly fast. There's Mask de Smith who dresses like a Mexican wrestler and blows holes through walls and enemies. Kevin Smith is an albino, who, like all pigmently deficient folks, can turn invisible.
The thing is, aside from the penchant for killing, they all have their own personalities. It's actually rather interesting how they interact with themselves and enemies.
The main reason you'll want to play Killer 7, though, is for the story. It's really weird. There are many different levels to it also, so you can have fun no matter your sway. There is a political story, which is the main arc your characters follow. All the world has been rid of weapons but there are some terrorists about. It's actually quite cool where this thread ends up. There's a spiritual level, which is the most confusing. I'm pretty sure that Harmon is either supposed to be God or the Devil. He can't be both, can he? And there are some other levels as well that I can't really remember. It has been a month since I played the game.
So who should play this? Anyone who wants something different. You know how people are talking up Gears of War as the Next Big Thing? If you look at it and see just another shooter, Killer 7 may be for you. It's definitely a love it or hate it ride through Capcom's dirty thoughts, but anyone who has interest in gaming apart from GTA and Madden should definitely try it. If that didn't sell you, it is one of the most vile games around. Vi - el. Let's just say it deserves its M rating. If it had sold more than 10 copies you can be sure Jack and Hillary would have called for a worldwide ban. Heck, Jack was already angry after Matt Cassamassina said it involved sex acts. Just think if the nightly news showed the things hidden within that are even worse than sex (if you can believe such a thing).
And if you don't have a PS2 there is a Gamecube version as well. I hear it's even better since you don't have to watch the load screen forever. Now no one has an excuse to play those "normal" games. Boring!
Please excuse my lack of updates recently. I just realized I haven't posted anything on G-Pinions since that Oblivion physics demo, and we all know how well that went over. I assume these next few months will not be the easiest time for me to update - I'm knee deep in my last semester of school and have a cross-country move planned for August - but I will definitely try to bring a little truth and honesty to the internet when I can. Someone has to inform people that Table Tennis is only getting notice now because no other games are out and Fake Uno is only cheaper than Real Uno because, well, you're paying for plastic in one version and 1s and 0s in the other. I'll take my portable plastic any day. You want the real truth though? Killer 7 is one of the most interesting games of this generation.
Notice how I carefully used the word "interesting" rather than something grander, like "Best." I finished the PS2 version of Killer 7 (also known as "Killer (Load Times) 7") about a month ago but I'm still not sure how I feel about the game. It's weird, you know? I haven't played a game with such restrictive gameplay since, um, whatever JRPG I played last (I think it was Magna Carta, but that doesn't matter: all JRPGs have restrictive gameplay). For those who don't know, you don't really have direct control over you character in Killer 7. You know those games where, if you hit left on the analog stick, you actually turn left? You won't find any of that fanciness in this game. Rather, you move with the X button. "But Tom," you may be asking "How can you turn with only one button as your control?" You obviously won't be able to do much turning. You hold down X to walk forward and then, if you come to a fork in the road, you select which direction to turn and continue to hold down X. I told you it was weird.
The lack of control is not the biggest problem for this game, though. It's weird, as we all know. It has a rather unique art style and a story that is not laid out for you in simple cardboard cutouts fashion. This is fine. I think Katamari proved that no one has a problem with a little weird in their gaming. But Killer 7, that one game this generation who has no peer, starts out with a level so confusing I bet most people slammed their controllers down in frustration. I know Nick has never played past this accursed first level. I know I had to use all my gaming might to pass it. But it was, ultimately, worth it.
It starts out with one of those poorly thought out prologue levels. You are thrust into the action and have no idea what to do. Your tips companion, Iwazaru, hangs from the ceiling to give you hints. Only the hints just make things more confusing. He talks about thick blood vs thin blood and the importance of both, changing characters to use their different abilities, shooting enemies in the yellow spots and Harmon. I stared with a dull glaze covering my eyes. To give you some perspective, I still don't know who Harmon is and I finished the game. It's called Killer 7 and yet he's, somehow, the 8th character. But that's not important to know now, and certainly wasn't necessary for me in the first level. I just wanted to shoot stuff! How do I do that?
It's simple really, You walk down a hall (this game is chuck full of those) and, if your ears spy an evil laugh, you stop in your tracks (let go of X!) and hold down the R1 button. This gives you a gun-cocked, first person perspective. Ah, I know all about this. Of course, I can't actually move in this position, but at least I have full control over my gun. After you ready your firearm, you have to hit L1 to actually see the enemy. I have no idea why this is necessary. Then you get to see how good of a marksman you are. You can just plug the Heaven Smile (what a cute name for a bad guy) with bullets. All their limbs fall off nicely upon interaction with a bullet. But that's not the way to fight. You won't get any thick blood if you do it that way. So aim for the yellow splotch. Sometimes you have to hit L1 a few times for it to show up and, if you're really lucky, it won't show up at all. But if you do hit the spot it's a one shot kill and your character will dish out the same one liner every time. It's always vulgar and, believe it or not, never repetitive. I have no idea how they accomplished that.
Oh, there's one more part to the gameplay - puzzles. In fact, I would say it's the main part of the game. The moving itself is obviously less than thrilling and most of the enemies are easy enough that you won't even think twice before you plug them full of 30 bullets. But the puzzles, those add some much needed meat. Some puzzle have you analyzing posters or children's drawings beforehand and then trying to recall what you saw later. Some have you listening to recordings and writing down pertinent data like Social Security number and high school football injuries and, again, using this information later. Others are nature based where you have to use one of your many element rings to cue some action. And then there are the ones that just require you to shoot a huge hole in the wall. Those are the easiest and most safisfying.
So that's all there is to the game. But somehow, it's still really fun. The characters, all 8 of them, are quite interesting. There's Kaede, the only women, who uses a sniper rifle and cuts her wrists to reveal hidden secrets. There's Con who's blind but incredibly fast. There's Mask de Smith who dresses like a Mexican wrestler and blows holes through walls and enemies. Kevin Smith is an albino, who, like all pigmently deficient folks, can turn invisible.
The thing is, aside from the penchant for killing, they all have their own personalities. It's actually rather interesting how they interact with themselves and enemies.
The main reason you'll want to play Killer 7, though, is for the story. It's really weird. There are many different levels to it also, so you can have fun no matter your sway. There is a political story, which is the main arc your characters follow. All the world has been rid of weapons but there are some terrorists about. It's actually quite cool where this thread ends up. There's a spiritual level, which is the most confusing. I'm pretty sure that Harmon is either supposed to be God or the Devil. He can't be both, can he? And there are some other levels as well that I can't really remember. It has been a month since I played the game.
So who should play this? Anyone who wants something different. You know how people are talking up Gears of War as the Next Big Thing? If you look at it and see just another shooter, Killer 7 may be for you. It's definitely a love it or hate it ride through Capcom's dirty thoughts, but anyone who has interest in gaming apart from GTA and Madden should definitely try it. If that didn't sell you, it is one of the most vile games around. Vi - el. Let's just say it deserves its M rating. If it had sold more than 10 copies you can be sure Jack and Hillary would have called for a worldwide ban. Heck, Jack was already angry after Matt Cassamassina said it involved sex acts. Just think if the nightly news showed the things hidden within that are even worse than sex (if you can believe such a thing).
And if you don't have a PS2 there is a Gamecube version as well. I hear it's even better since you don't have to watch the load screen forever. Now no one has an excuse to play those "normal" games. Boring!
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Stepping back
I'm quite the casual gamer these days. Since we returned from E3, I literally haven't touched anything besides Table Tennis (see previous post), Uno (see next paragraph), Metroid Prime Pinball (excellent) and Lost in Blue (very cool, could use some hand-holding). Partially because I moved and only recently regained access to my full array, but mostly because I was a bit burnt out on games in general and wasn't ready to invest myself mentally in any new narrative experiences quite yet.
Actually, let me take a second to recognize how good Uno actually is. Yes, it's a silly little card game, but when you have a room full of buddies to play with it's really enjoyable and relaxing. The interface, controls and music are all done quite well, which doesn't sound like a tall task in such a simple game, but it comes together really nicely. Sure, real Uno is fun too, but this costs less, is infinitely more convenient, and I can play with my buddy in Japan. I also played some TT with Gabe from PA, who quite enjoyed the story of how Tom unwittingly asked his co-writer (the writer, NOT the illustrator) to draw him a Raptor Rex. Which I should probably post a picture of at some point.
It's probably a blessing in disguise, but this summer really is a dead one. July has Chromehounds, LoTR:BfME and Prey, but I'm not exactly shitting myself over those (though I'll probably buy them all), and June is just plain boring. As opposed to September, the fifth day of which could well be my favorite day in game release history with Loco Roco and Okami blessing our soil AT THE SAME TIME. So yeah, I have some time to kill. Tom seems to be content with Jade Empire filling his game holes, but I should probably start up MGS: Subsistence before I drift too far away from the whole damned pastime.
Actually, let me take a second to recognize how good Uno actually is. Yes, it's a silly little card game, but when you have a room full of buddies to play with it's really enjoyable and relaxing. The interface, controls and music are all done quite well, which doesn't sound like a tall task in such a simple game, but it comes together really nicely. Sure, real Uno is fun too, but this costs less, is infinitely more convenient, and I can play with my buddy in Japan. I also played some TT with Gabe from PA, who quite enjoyed the story of how Tom unwittingly asked his co-writer (the writer, NOT the illustrator) to draw him a Raptor Rex. Which I should probably post a picture of at some point.
It's probably a blessing in disguise, but this summer really is a dead one. July has Chromehounds, LoTR:BfME and Prey, but I'm not exactly shitting myself over those (though I'll probably buy them all), and June is just plain boring. As opposed to September, the fifth day of which could well be my favorite day in game release history with Loco Roco and Okami blessing our soil AT THE SAME TIME. So yeah, I have some time to kill. Tom seems to be content with Jade Empire filling his game holes, but I should probably start up MGS: Subsistence before I drift too far away from the whole damned pastime.
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