Katana ZERO

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 720 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 641 out of 720
  2. Mixed: 61 out of 720
  3. Negative: 18 out of 720

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  1. fivefeetunder
    Jan 30, 2020
    9
    What a game! Brings back memories of Hotline Miami but with very high level of polish
  2. felipguilera10
    Feb 16, 2020
    9
    Juego sencillamente BRUTAL. Juego muy corto (entre 6 y 8 horas de duración), pero increíblemente adictivo. Jugabilidad sencilla, pero con una buena dificultad, historia increíble que te marca desde el principio hasta el final, personajes increíblemente carismáticos. Sencillamente JUEGUENLO y disfruten de esta obra maestra. El único punto negativo es el final, que queda muy abierto.Juego sencillamente BRUTAL. Juego muy corto (entre 6 y 8 horas de duración), pero increíblemente adictivo. Jugabilidad sencilla, pero con una buena dificultad, historia increíble que te marca desde el principio hasta el final, personajes increíblemente carismáticos. Sencillamente JUEGUENLO y disfruten de esta obra maestra. El único punto negativo es el final, que queda muy abierto. Esperando con mucha impaciencia la segunda parte.… Expand
  3. TheAnxiousChubb
    Jul 3, 2020
    9
    great style,good story,very interesting gameplay mechanics the only con is that the movements felt sluggish and frustrating in some situations that requires quick reflex
  4. mani4c
    Jul 20, 2020
    9
    Лучшая в своем роде инди игр за последнее время, есть только один минус, игра довольно короткая
  5. NaweBoy
    Jun 8, 2020
    9
    Katana ZERO - это невероятно. Музыка, ураганный геймплей, красивая пиксельная графика. Но, почему я поставил этой игре 9/10: Она очень короткая. Её можно пройти за 4 часа или даже меньше. Хотелось бы больше. С нетерпением жду сиквелKatana ZERO - это невероятно. Музыка, ураганный геймплей, красивая пиксельная графика. Но, почему я поставил этой игре 9/10: Она очень короткая. Её можно пройти за 4 часа или даже меньше. Хотелось бы больше. С нетерпением жду сиквел
  6. AllanWake
    Jul 28, 2021
    9
    Excelente em todos os aspectos técnicos, gameplay muito divertida e bem variada com bastante rejogabilidade. A história é muito boa, porém confusa e acho que poderia ter algumas fases a mais, tirando isso é um excelente jogo que roda em qualquer máquina e com um preço muito acessível.
  7. gamingmachinery
    Jul 14, 2020
    9
    No review present. No review present. No review present. No review present.
  8. schatwal96
    Jan 25, 2021
    9
    This game is a masterclass in combat. Imagine Celeste, but the fluidity of its platforming with combat. everything is perfect in this game, except some small mechanics, and throwing AI. The soundtrack is practically flawless and is so fun to listen to. There isn't much enemy variety, but it's an indie game, and it doesn't affect the gameplay. A must-play for anyone wanting a hard, but fastThis game is a masterclass in combat. Imagine Celeste, but the fluidity of its platforming with combat. everything is perfect in this game, except some small mechanics, and throwing AI. The soundtrack is practically flawless and is so fun to listen to. There isn't much enemy variety, but it's an indie game, and it doesn't affect the gameplay. A must-play for anyone wanting a hard, but fast game, and perfect for people who like celeste, ghost runner, and souls likes.… Expand
  9. VadersFist
    Jul 25, 2020
    9
    Великолепный ураганный боевик, в котором нет ничего лишнего, а сама игра заканчивается до того, как успеет надоесть.

    Игра получилась хороша во всём. Здесь есть и интригующий сюжет (не уровня Оскара, но следить не скучно), и отточенная игровая механика, и отличный визуал, наполненный деталями. Обязательно сыграйте, вы должны увидеть сами пиксель-артовые анимации, поучаствовать в    Великолепный ураганный боевик, в котором нет ничего лишнего, а сама игра заканчивается до того, как успеет надоесть.

    Игра получилась хороша во всём. Здесь есть и интригующий сюжет (не уровня Оскара, но следить не скучно), и отточенная игровая механика, и отличный визуал, наполненный деталями.

    Обязательно сыграйте, вы должны увидеть сами пиксель-артовые анимации, поучаствовать в интересных диалогах и ощутить тактильное удовольствие от управление персонажем и его оружием.    … Expand
  10. Javierquintal
    Aug 1, 2020
    9
    El juego esta hermoso cuyo giro de tuerca no se veia venir pero a su vez no sale dw la nada, a pesar de ser muy corto es muy bueno y ademas entretenido, espero con todo mi ser la conclusion de este buen juego.
  11. ratoboi
    Oct 17, 2020
    9
    This game is art it tells a beautiful story. The soundtrack is so good comparable doom. The gameplay is really good. the only problem I have whit it is its difficulty it can be pretty annoying but that was for me. other than that amazing absolutely amazing. everything is amazing except difficulty.
  12. Rubbish
    Jun 26, 2021
    9
    Fast paced action with satisfying combat as well as fun dialoge and a unique and interesting story. Every time i thought the game play might be starting to get repititive they would introduce a new element or level type that kept it fun and challenging. Its not super long and/or big but the price is fair for the quality especially on sale.
    The music and art are also both fantastic.
  13. thedungeoner
    Jan 4, 2021
    9
    Katana zero is a fast-paced action game, and its gameplay is awesome. What you don't know is, Katana ZERO also has an awesome story, brilliant writing and fun scenes. This game is so fun, and it is definitely worth a try :)
  14. yxtsama
    Jan 19, 2022
    9
    The gameplay is really fun and cool looking, fast, and cool-looking. The story was also very good in my opinion.
    İt's not a long game but nothing you do feels unnecessary, it never gets boring.
    I recommend you to play it
  15. AliB2020
    Apr 30, 2021
    9
    Such a fantastic game which bounded with a fantastic story line. Nice game play and nice sound tracks. I really enjoyed it
  16. gab_izidio
    Feb 5, 2021
    9
    Katana ZERO - 9.4 / 10 - {highly recommend}
    The game is [Challenging, Unique, Engaging, Artistic]
    => Pros: + Fantastic story; + Combat dynamics and unique time; + Perfect soundtrack; + Very challenging; + Unique missions; + Very beautiful art; + Makes the player thirsty for continuation; + Keys / Easter eggs perfectly placed in the levels, which are great and encourage the    Katana ZERO - 9.4 / 10 - {highly recommend}
    The game is [Challenging, Unique, Engaging, Artistic]

    => Pros:
    + Fantastic story;
    + Combat dynamics and unique time;
    + Perfect soundtrack;
    + Very challenging;
    + Unique missions;
    + Very beautiful art;
    + Makes the player thirsty for continuation;
    + Keys / Easter eggs perfectly placed in the levels, which are great and encourage the player to play more after the story ends;

    => Cons:
    - Dialogue is sometimes unnecessarily appealing;
    - Bosses could be more challenging;
    - Variety of base enemies is small;
    - The unique swords released at the end of the game end up being a little unusable, because you only release them at the end, so it doesn't make much difference because there is nothing else for you to do besides speed run;

    => VERDICT:
    The verdict is that, it's amazing how the developers managed to turn a 2D game into such a complex masterpiece like this. The story is so good that it instigates the player’s curiosity at all times, dialogues throughout history alter events, which gives more power to the person's choices. Framed art in speech bubbles, scenarios, and the dynamics of slowing down time, along with the gameplay that is so fluid, unique, and addictive, besides being able to be challenging in the right measure, at the same time that it’s captivating, turn this game into a masterpiece complete. The negative points are nothing compared to everything that this game is and has to offer, so don't think twice before you give that game a try, and feel the chaotic life of Katana ZERO in your skin.    … Expand
  17. CalvinSD
    May 10, 2021
    9
    This game works really well on the "feeling of playing it" : The music, the ambient, the characters, the lore. It is a very unique experience in my opinion, hardly lovers of cyberpunk dystopia would'nt like it.
    The gameplay, personally, I've adapted really well, for me the difficulty was just normal. Killing enemies is so enjoyable (and badass).
    The art... everything is so "alive", when    This game works really well on the "feeling of playing it" : The music, the ambient, the characters, the lore. It is a very unique experience in my opinion, hardly lovers of cyberpunk dystopia would'nt like it.
    The gameplay, personally, I've adapted really well, for me the difficulty was just normal. Killing enemies is so enjoyable (and badass).
    The art... everything is so "alive", when you see a frame of the game you would think: "Oh, a indie game, cool." But in-game, the animations are really impressive, exceeded my expectations.
    The only bad things is the short campaing, resulting in lightweight emotional scenes, and the "illusion" to choose paths that don't really changes the final of the game.    … Expand
  18. BellCn
    May 24, 2021
    9
    Uma gameplay frenetica e muito legal, onde voce encontra musicas que com certeza ira adicionar a sua playlist do spotify, nao apenas isso mas a arte por tras e uma das mais belas onde voce encontra complexidade nas coisas mais simples, assim como uma narrativa interessante onde voce nao se encontra no lado de um grande protagonista onde vai desvendar tudo e salvar a todos, mas sim de um exUma gameplay frenetica e muito legal, onde voce encontra musicas que com certeza ira adicionar a sua playlist do spotify, nao apenas isso mas a arte por tras e uma das mais belas onde voce encontra complexidade nas coisas mais simples, assim como uma narrativa interessante onde voce nao se encontra no lado de um grande protagonista onde vai desvendar tudo e salvar a todos, mas sim de um ex combatente que se sente uma falha, que procura auto aprovacao, e q por final quer um pouco de paz, sua ida aparenta ser de ir ate onde sua curiosidade mandar e entao poder finalmente descansar, com certeza melhor jogo de todos os jogados por mim… Expand
  19. ningenshot
    Jun 19, 2021
    9
    Neon-Synthwave-Samurai goes haywire cuz his psychiatrist wont give him drugs
  20. infinity_1996
    Oct 30, 2021
    9
    Non-linear story telling with lots of depth, coherent story writing and concept; beautiful art style but leaves a little punch to be desired
  21. ibanegas
    Mar 20, 2023
    9
    I have to text something without another option if I want to rate the game: short, but enjoyable. Enough? Haha.
  22. rif_lakar28
    Feb 6, 2022
    9
    The most interesting about this game is the game mechanic is the storyline for this game
  23. EzeCliment27
    May 17, 2022
    9
    Un pixel art genial, con diseño de niveles brutal y una accion non stop epiquisima.
    Historia: 9/10
    Jugabilidad: 10/10
    Musica: 10/10
  24. Salemidolwowore
    Aug 5, 2022
    9
    Gameplay is fun you can dodge and slowing the time but the Time slowing is bad in my opinion I like the fast paced because that I hate him and the story
    The Story Really Is Not Complete Because That I Can't See Anything About it Except The Ending It's Bad Not Good Ending For The Game And The Music Is Decent In Do Not Remember Any Ost Except Hit The Floor And Blue Room And The Art Style    Gameplay is fun you can dodge and slowing the time but the Time slowing is bad in my opinion I like the fast paced because that I hate him and the story
    The Story Really Is Not Complete Because That I Can't See Anything About it Except The Ending It's Bad Not Good Ending For The Game And The Music Is Decent In Do Not Remember Any Ost Except Hit The Floor And Blue Room And The Art Style It's Maybe The Best Pixel Art Style I Ever Seen It's Very Beautiful And The
    Katana Zero It's Very Good Game And I Wish The Sequel Or The DLC Right Now    … Expand
  25. BannerSiamang15
    Mar 10, 2022
    9
    I am top 100 sppedrunner in this game. I am amazing at game so listen to what I have to say. This game is good and music is good and story is good and grafix is good and gameplay is good and I am good.
  26. TekOyunculu
    Jun 22, 2022
    9
    I really didn't expect it at all but this game surprised me, it gave the best story-wise twist I've ever seen in a game, the last undertale from an indie production I experienced this in the last undertale really amazing game one of the best indie games I've played a game that every player should try

    graphic- :D gameplay-10/8 mechanical-10/9 story-10/9 scenario-10/9 characters-10/9    I really didn't expect it at all but this game surprised me, it gave the best story-wise twist I've ever seen in a game, the last undertale from an indie production I experienced this in the last undertale really amazing game one of the best indie games I've played a game that every player should try

    graphic- :D
    gameplay-10/8
    mechanical-10/9
    story-10/9
    scenario-10/9
    characters-10/9
    main character-10/10

    my score-100/92    … Expand
  27. 3ls0ul
    Mar 6, 2023
    9
    Este juego aún no lo eh jugado o completado, así que pondré una reseña y nota diferentes cuando lo haga.
  28. Linkdd2
    Nov 19, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. gráficos incríveis, Jogabilidade simples e complexa,e com uma historia tocante e emocionante, e a DLC parece estar INCRIVEL!!, Katana Zero é um daqueles jogos que te mostra que jogos 2D tbm podem ser INCRIVEIS e divertido, com uma dificuldade balanceada e em certo momentos desafiadora, e consegue contar a historia do protagonista de um jeito magnifico, e que faz o jogador tem um vinculo com o personagem rapidamente, que nem a criança, quando a gente conhece ela, a gente já considera ela meio chatinha, mas ao longo da historia, o jogo faz com que a gente AME aquele personagem, e eu espero ANSIOSAMENTE pela continuação do jogo.

    Parabéns aos envolvidos nessa MARAVILHA de jogo    … Expand
  29. parallelnest
    Dec 10, 2022
    9
    this is a great game with a good story, fun game play and great pixel art and animation.
  30. farrrullll
    Jan 27, 2023
    9
    Katana Zero Katana Zero Katana Zero Katana Zero Katana Zero Katana Zero
  31. Laranja3321
    Apr 2, 2023
    9
    Jogo excelente com gráficos lindos e uma ótima direção de arte, pra mim o seu maior triunfo e conseguir passar uma historia envolvente e profunda em tão poucas horas de jogo. A gameplay de ação e planejamento é muito divertida e tudo fica melhor ainda com a trilha sonora do jogo que é simplesmente uma das minhas preferidas com destaque para a da boss fight final (Full Confession) que é umaJogo excelente com gráficos lindos e uma ótima direção de arte, pra mim o seu maior triunfo e conseguir passar uma historia envolvente e profunda em tão poucas horas de jogo. A gameplay de ação e planejamento é muito divertida e tudo fica melhor ainda com a trilha sonora do jogo que é simplesmente uma das minhas preferidas com destaque para a da boss fight final (Full Confession) que é uma obra de arte.… Expand
  32. juniorsrs
    Apr 13, 2023
    9
    literally cool:the game, what the actual **** the pixel art is amazing and you can see the hard work put in there, soundtrack is awesome and the narrative is crazy asf, a must play indie.
  33. ask_a_hat
    Apr 28, 2023
    9
    Excellent game with excellent soundtracks. You can not stop playing it after you started the game.
  34. SadyhD
    Jun 6, 2019
    8
    Стиль , атмосфера , неплохой сюжет и крутая музыка , что ещё нужно для хорошей игры ?
  35. aditya1101
    Jul 16, 2020
    8
    really interesting game, super stylized art and well written dialogue/story. The plot is pretty crazy and i'm still not sure what happened but i was hooked throughout. The gameplay loop was tight and super rewarding, and it required a combination of strategy, planning, and reflexes. Honestly, my biggest complaint is that i think both the story and the level design could have been extendedreally interesting game, super stylized art and well written dialogue/story. The plot is pretty crazy and i'm still not sure what happened but i was hooked throughout. The gameplay loop was tight and super rewarding, and it required a combination of strategy, planning, and reflexes. Honestly, my biggest complaint is that i think both the story and the level design could have been extended further. The game definitely could have been a couple hours longer without getting boring.… Expand
  36. DJKrimson
    Nov 9, 2020
    8
    Probably impossible for anyone to dislike this game. It has amazing music, cool artstyle, fun combat and very good storytelling. Unfortunate that it's so short.
  37. Onioncreature
    Dec 11, 2020
    8
    I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing through Katana Zero. The art and music are top notch, and the gameplay flow is unique and generally quite fun. The narrative didn't end up connecting with me all that much, but I did enjoy seeing various the twists and turns; though the cliffhanger ending was somewhat frustrating. I think the difficulty level fluctuates a bit too much, and a few ofI thoroughly enjoyed my time playing through Katana Zero. The art and music are top notch, and the gameplay flow is unique and generally quite fun. The narrative didn't end up connecting with me all that much, but I did enjoy seeing various the twists and turns; though the cliffhanger ending was somewhat frustrating. I think the difficulty level fluctuates a bit too much, and a few of the mechanics seem a bit under baked, but all in all it's still a pretty great game.… Expand
  38. KeRmOdLeZ
    Jun 30, 2021
    8
    Oyun gerçekten güzel ama sorunları var. En büyük sorun ise bu oyunu oynarken sağlıklı bir gözün bile zarar görmesi, bu da oyunu tek oturuşta veya uzun seanslarda oynamayı zorlaştırıyor. Diğer bir eksi ise kontroller oyunda çok fazla tuş atamanız gerekiyor normalde bu oyuna zenginlik katıyor ama Katana ZERO gibi reflekslerin önemli olduğu oyunlarda yanlış tuşa basıp ölmek gibi olaylarOyun gerçekten güzel ama sorunları var. En büyük sorun ise bu oyunu oynarken sağlıklı bir gözün bile zarar görmesi, bu da oyunu tek oturuşta veya uzun seanslarda oynamayı zorlaştırıyor. Diğer bir eksi ise kontroller oyunda çok fazla tuş atamanız gerekiyor normalde bu oyuna zenginlik katıyor ama Katana ZERO gibi reflekslerin önemli olduğu oyunlarda yanlış tuşa basıp ölmek gibi olaylar oluyor özellikle klavyelerde. Ama olumlu yönleri de var, her şeyden önce hikaye güzel, çok güzel değil ama güzel bir hikayesi var. Ayrıca grafikler diğer piksel grafik oyunlarından daha iyi görünüyor. Son olarak az önce şikayet ettiğim çok fazla tuş bağlama sorunu can sıkıcı ama doğru yaparsanız oyun daha akıcı hale geliyor...… Expand
  39. Renaigse
    Feb 6, 2020
    8
    Отличная музыка,сеттинг,сюжет,персонажи, стиль. Единственно очень короткая, ну и незаконченная как будто бы, чувствуется недосказанность.
  40. Relkad
    Mar 21, 2021
    8
    Good. But short. But still good.
    Usually, in games like these, you can't find an original storyline. And when they give that to you,katana zero is what you get.
  41. RadiationGamer
    Jan 30, 2022
    8
    I almost never really felt bored while playing this game. The game is successful in terms of fluency, but the story seemed a bit stale to me for some reason. But while you play the game, you adopt the story and spend a good 4-5 hours with the game's beautiful gameplay mechanics. If you ask me, the best part of this game is that the game does not bore you even for a minute and you play theI almost never really felt bored while playing this game. The game is successful in terms of fluency, but the story seemed a bit stale to me for some reason. But while you play the game, you adopt the story and spend a good 4-5 hours with the game's beautiful gameplay mechanics. If you ask me, the best part of this game is that the game does not bore you even for a minute and you play the game to the fullest. This is the highest rating I can give this game.… Expand
  42. kezzyhko
    Aug 2, 2020
    8
    ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍
  43. Otakuch
    Aug 13, 2020
    8
    It gave me really good experience, but it felt uncompleted yet. Someone told me that dlc will be out. so we have to wait :D
  44. 3301
    Aug 19, 2020
    8
    Just feels so good to play, everything is top.
    8/10 just a bit short, waiting for the dlc.
  45. ErayTellezi
    Nov 29, 2020
    8
    Katana Zero oynadığım en keyifli bağımsız oyunlardan oldu. Hız ön planda. Herkese tek atıp, tek yiyorsun. Ölünce bölümü tekrar tekrar hızlı hızlı oynuyorsun. Aksiyonu basit. Zorluğu dengeli. Zamanı yavaşlatma yeteneği, oyuna stratejik derinlik katmış. Hikaye sunumu başarılı ancak hikayesi biraz yarım kalmış. Oyundan diyalog seçimi beklemiyordum, bu açıdan sürpriz oldu. KarakterimizinKatana Zero oynadığım en keyifli bağımsız oyunlardan oldu. Hız ön planda. Herkese tek atıp, tek yiyorsun. Ölünce bölümü tekrar tekrar hızlı hızlı oynuyorsun. Aksiyonu basit. Zorluğu dengeli. Zamanı yavaşlatma yeteneği, oyuna stratejik derinlik katmış. Hikaye sunumu başarılı ancak hikayesi biraz yarım kalmış. Oyundan diyalog seçimi beklemiyordum, bu açıdan sürpriz oldu. Karakterimizin psikolojik sorunları nedeniyle gördüğü rüyalar, küçük kız ve psikiyatrist ile olan muhabbetler oyunu ilginç ve boş aksiyondan uzak kılıyor. Tekno müzikleri oyunun aksiyonuna uygun. Oynanış süresi yaklaşık 5 saat.… Expand
  46. NOMBRE
    Sep 25, 2020
    8
    Un juego de acción y pura adrenalina. Un gran juego aunque bastante corto te durara unas 7 horas de juego más o menos, aun así es muy disfrutable.
  47. prakx9
    Nov 26, 2020
    8
    Juego muy entretenido, bastante rejugable y un apartado gráfico bonito .Quizás se le echaría en falta más cosas que variaran el gameplay.
  48. eraybeycik
    Dec 2, 2020
    8
    Bir başka harika bağımsız oyunlardan birisidir Katana Zero. Harika işte :))
  49. n64fog
    Feb 8, 2021
    8
    Satisfying Gameplay. Excellent Soundtrack. Vibrant Pixel Graphics. Engaging plot. My first playthrough took a little over seven hours, which seems like the right amount of game for the price. The arcade-style combat feels fluid, brutal and challenging. Dialogue is intelligent and humorously written and the player is presented with a decent range of responses to choose from. My onlySatisfying Gameplay. Excellent Soundtrack. Vibrant Pixel Graphics. Engaging plot. My first playthrough took a little over seven hours, which seems like the right amount of game for the price. The arcade-style combat feels fluid, brutal and challenging. Dialogue is intelligent and humorously written and the player is presented with a decent range of responses to choose from. My only criticism is that I would have liked to see some options for player character customisation, e.g. choice of gender, hair colour, robe colour, etc. All in all, Katana ZERO is a work of art and a very enjoyable game. I'm looking forward to playing again soon.… Expand
  50. neckezz
    Aug 16, 2021
    8
    Beautiful pixel art, good modern music, simple but yet fun and challenging levels with a good story. The only problem is that this game is too short, so if I were you, I will wait for an update of the story or wait for the sale.
  51. IgorSneg
    Feb 2, 2021
    8
    Max Payne meets common platformer. Gameplay is wonderful. But too much chatting and story isn't too great if you ask me. Interactivity in dialogues is good but in such games I prefer swords and bullets, not words.
  52. yertre
    Feb 15, 2021
    8
    Katana Zero's core gameplay loop is great, the soundtrack is incredible, and the story is at the very least interesting enough to carry the rest of the game. I just wish there were more of it.

    Most of all, I wish there was more gameplay. The one shot kills are incredibly satisfying, and I wish there were more levels to use them in. Many of the bosses are also too easy and get over too    Katana Zero's core gameplay loop is great, the soundtrack is incredible, and the story is at the very least interesting enough to carry the rest of the game. I just wish there were more of it.

    Most of all, I wish there was more gameplay. The one shot kills are incredibly satisfying, and I wish there were more levels to use them in. Many of the bosses are also too easy and get over too fast. In fact, some bosses have final phases that don't even trigger sometimes because you've dealt too much damage.

    I'm not kidding when I say that I would have given Katana Zero a 10 if it was pure gameplay. As it is, it's still a pretty good game though. If you want a game with a satisfying core gameplay loop and a killer soundtrack, play Katana Zero. I can't say you'll like the rest of the game, though.    … Expand
  53. Umur
    Sep 10, 2022
    8
    Best indie game i have ever played. At first you are like what is going on here but then the story unfolds itself and that what makes this game special.
  54. Aiatin
    Jun 7, 2021
    8
    Katana Zero is what you get when you take Viewtiful Joe and swap out the super hero cinema for post-war intrigue and VHS tapes. Our protagonist is a swordsman with recurring nightmares under the care of a psychologist who's getting him high every day and sending him off to erase targeted individuals only to come home to a flat so filthy that the pizza boxes on the floor wish they couldKatana Zero is what you get when you take Viewtiful Joe and swap out the super hero cinema for post-war intrigue and VHS tapes. Our protagonist is a swordsman with recurring nightmares under the care of a psychologist who's getting him high every day and sending him off to erase targeted individuals only to come home to a flat so filthy that the pizza boxes on the floor wish they could move out. He sets off to complete missions using the power of a bullet-deflecting sword, his everything-dodging tumble, and his expert skill at beaning baddies with bottles to clear everyone between himself and the target without taking a hit himself. This is because any hit fails the attempt: the VHS tape rewinds for a do-over. In this way, game-play is regarded as "planning" till it "should work," and once done right, the successful try is what goes to the tape shelf. Again reminiscent of Viewtiful Joe, but without the clapboards and with dodging being part of the inputs rather than a slow-motion reflex.

    That's really where Katana Zero shines. Your slow-motion button doesn't feel like a required mechanic. It helps a lot, but if you learn the cues and timing you don't need slow motion to pop an enemy by batting back his bullet. It’s much more a tool that you are free to use or not as you see fit, unlike Viewtiful Joe where often it, and its complement Mach Speed, were required to advance. The freedom to figure out how you want to clear a stage and budget your slow in crowded rooms is so strong that in one stage where a new skill is introduced I spent too long not noticing that it was hinted at by a return of the tutorial icons because I was too interested in finding a way to overcome the challenge using sword, tumble, and slow.

    The game's length feels right at a dozen chapters. Variety in stage content is a bit low, however, since what's changing between most chapters is just graphics. Stage environments aren't very diverse so story development is the only strong sense of progression other than the difficulty curve. Many of the stage layouts are rooms in two or three rows with occasional stairs or a drop floor between them. There are occasional action stages that play like 8-bit classics which provide breaks from the steady escalation of the main game-play style, but they're so distinct that they don't feel like they're part of your skill progression. Replay value is sufficient here, with the first run being a learning experience, the second being a comparison of how much more adept you've become, and if you're interested in mastering your moves, there's a speed-run mode as a reward for first completion. However, I don't feel particularly compelled to play through it a third time in the near future. Instead, I'm looking forward to a sequel.

    The background music in stages does a great job of feeling present without becoming distracting. It's easy to be paying full attention to the game and lose track of the music, much better than for the music to become a distraction. This is a strong contrast to the cut-scenes where the music has a much stronger role to play since the player's not thinking about deflecting bullets and tumbling through trouble. There, the music carries the scenes with pieces adept at setting the right mood for the player to approach pending dialog branch choices.

    Graphic quality is consistent and attractive, and true to some of the limited palette techniques that get the most out of few colors, like dithering similar colors for simple shading gradients. Most of the environments read naturally, and the few times when it's resorting to nonsense industrial aesthetic, even though it doesn't look like anything it doesn't look bad. A nice touch was an accurate recreation of an on-screen display font for the pause and options menus that looks genuine to anyone who had a VCR of that era.

    Difficulty isn't very high to get through the story, especially since by design you keep trying till you get it right with no concern for lives or game-over mechanics. Once you get a handle of what works and what doesn't, it's all execution practice and maybe some luck in trying things till something works. There isn't much randomness to worry about, but enemy shotgun blasts appear to have randomized scatter patterns so there's a little bit of variation if you intend to get fancy around the buckshot.

    Katana Zero lets you enjoy the experience of experimenting with it, finding not only the way through each stage, but the way that also best fits your style. Everything that happens makes sense once you get a little experience with the various enemy types, and there's a strong sense of accomplishment in clearing parts of stages without slow motion but also no sense of it being a crutch to use it in places where you haven't developed the ability to see the future, yet. It's the best parts of Viewtiful Joe with more story, fewer gimmicks, and plenty of action-puzzle fun in right-sized doses. "Yes, that should work."    … Expand
  55. ErdemMT5
    Aug 23, 2021
    8
    +Creative storytelling,
    +Interesting lore about kinda time slower drugs and mutant warriors created by government.
    +Simple 2d fast paced combats with some innovations like time loop.
    +Not too long game time,
    I'm finished the game at once, that was a pretty good experience :)
  56. tsunemoriakane
    Oct 30, 2021
    8
    güzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağıgüzel oyun bayağı
  57. Karlsefniy
    Jul 23, 2022
    8
    Storytelling, gameplay, pixel art and music is incredible. I would give this a higher score if it had a proper ending.
  58. JoeyPL5
    Nov 16, 2021
    8
    The game's art and sound direction are wonderful. The gameplay is really interesting, however, I was found myself frustrated the majority of the playthrough and was relieved by the quick ending. Probably just wasn't for me.
  59. AkiraChisaka
    May 19, 2022
    8
    The game is a pretty fun game. I would say the best part of the game is the story.

    However, the ending was a bit too open ended for my liking. I prefer ending where more is explained and less things are left vague.

    All in all a pretty good game.
  60. WeenerEater
    May 26, 2022
    8
    Enthralling gameplay, a unique method of storytelling, and player choice in the campaign make Katana Zero a very special title in Devolver's catalog. Unfortunately, the ending comes way too fast and isn't really satisfying. I also wish your choices could lead to different outcomes, but there's really only one path. (Unless you count THAT boss).
  61. Loganscuba
    Jul 30, 2022
    8
    Decent soundtrack
    visceral violence
    makes you feel bad-ass

    Meh story, had some potential, some cool ideas that could have been expanded upon. Why isn't there a sequel?
    New game plus options are pretty lame.
  62. arllda
    Feb 4, 2023
    8
    its story reminds me of samurai jack very nice difficult but fun game bla bla bla
  63. Uygurlu
    Jul 22, 2023
    8
    I'd like to start with the game's (in my opinion) most prominent feature: the story. Katana Zero has the most impressive story I've seen in a game recently. Even in your short playing time of 4-4.5 hours, the game makes you adopt its characters and make you feel happy, sad, hate and fear for them. At the same time, since we determine all the dialogues of our main character Zero, we createI'd like to start with the game's (in my opinion) most prominent feature: the story. Katana Zero has the most impressive story I've seen in a game recently. Even in your short playing time of 4-4.5 hours, the game makes you adopt its characters and make you feel happy, sad, hate and fear for them. At the same time, since we determine all the dialogues of our main character Zero, we create his character completely by ourselves. If you want, you can create an aggressive character who interrupts others before they finish speaking, or you can turn him into a good-natured and kind person. Or, as I did, I created a character who was bored with life and snapped at people at first, but when a little girl whose name I didn't even know joined the game, both me and my character changed. Of course, this diversity makes it extremely easy to put yourself in the character's shoes. On the other hand, the story presentation is very high quality and the side characters are above average. The only bad or missing part of the story for me is that it ends the game without giving the player some answers. Normally I like this storytelling as long as it's in moderation, but in Katana Zero, almost no questions are answered at the end of the game and new questions are added. This makes the ending less impressive for me.

    Let's talk about the gameplay. In terms of gameplay, Katana Zero is quite similar to Hotline Miami. Katana Zero has a structure that asks you to die multiple times in each episode, learn the episodes completely with a single life, develop special tactics for each episode and play accordingly. The level designs are really impressive and the level variety is very high. There are really 10s of different chapter types. But besides that, the number of chapters that repeat each other in terms of basic logic, if not completely, is quite high. This is one of the cons of the game for me. Although the number of boss fights is quite low, the ones that are there are quite high quality. At the same time, some bosses can really annoy you with their difficulty. This makes the player feel a sense of accomplishment very well.

    Finally, soundtracks of Katana Zero can be both moving and exhilarating at the same time and to summarize them in one word: Perfect.

    Pros
    -Excellent story and presentation
    -Adopting characters
    -Level design
    -Section diversity
    -Fast and enjoyable gameplay
    -Challenging and high quality bosses, each designed differently
    -Perfect soundtracks

    Cons
    -The story leaves many questions unanswered
    -Some sections in a repetitive style
    -Few bosses

    I would recommend everyone to play this truly impressive game.    … Expand
  64. Joellemm
    Oct 21, 2020
    7
    Great soundtrack. Fast, fun gameplay. Solid enough narrative for such a short game. I liked the writing (I actually laughed out loud at one point). I especially liked how it played with the idea of skipping dialogue, turning the act itself into a form of gameplay. Sadly, the stealth seemed unnecessary. Biggest problem i would say however, is that the game doesn't effectively differentiateGreat soundtrack. Fast, fun gameplay. Solid enough narrative for such a short game. I liked the writing (I actually laughed out loud at one point). I especially liked how it played with the idea of skipping dialogue, turning the act itself into a form of gameplay. Sadly, the stealth seemed unnecessary. Biggest problem i would say however, is that the game doesn't effectively differentiate itself from previous indie titles. It sort of lumped various bits from similar titles together.

    Familiar and easy to engage with, but not especially memorable.    … Expand
  65. Garybaldo
    Dec 25, 2020
    7
    Despite its short lenght, Katana: ZERO shows a major degree of polishing and some very smooth gameplay, definitely expecting a follow-up because this has some major potential.
  66. RazorSamurai
    Jul 31, 2019
    7
    музыка заебись, боевка как будто хм но с виду сбоку, сюжет неплохой но и не сказал бы что отличный но впринципе хороший да и кстати схожесть большая с хотлайн маями в плане сюжета те же ветераны те же заказы а потом маски которые несут абстрактную хуйню

    просто нужно было добавить чуть больше записок чтоли или штучек которых можно было потыкать или какой нибудь бонус секрета пазл как в    музыка заебись, боевка как будто хм но с виду сбоку, сюжет неплохой но и не сказал бы что отличный но впринципе хороший да и кстати схожесть большая с хотлайн маями в плане сюжета те же ветераны те же заказы а потом маски которые несут абстрактную хуйню

    просто нужно было добавить чуть больше записок чтоли или штучек которых можно было потыкать или какой нибудь бонус секрета пазл как в хм где ты собирал их, но в плане боевки она как прям хм два тип сложно но если придрочится можно получать удовольствие даже получая пизды одновременно
    7/10 не знаю почему метакритик считает семерку желтым цветом но игра хороша лучше среднего    … Expand
  67. philzlz
    May 5, 2019
    7
    A beautiful pixel graphic game that ends just when it gets interesting, combined with a nice electronic soundtrack. Score would be higher with more levels since the gameplay loop is satisfying.
  68. Keskin
    Jul 19, 2020
    7
    it is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is goodit is good
  69. Babutto
    Jan 11, 2020
    7
    Pros.:
    - Interesting story concept and distortions.
    - Pixel art, music, world.

    Cons.:
    - Gameplay. Miami Hotline was better there.
    - PC gameplay is a nightmare.
  70. mrgentlmenpack
    Apr 25, 2019
    7
    Ненужный стел экшен, вспоминаем мудрость-Дрю Цинь Зай. Немного управлении и возможности не доработанные. Очень необычный сюжет, интриги, интересные гемплей, но интерес быстро падает, возможности приедаются и уже даже враги становится однообразными, прохождение макс на 3-4 чс., под конец будет чувства не завершённости. Но для начало игры нормально.Ненужный стел экшен, вспоминаем мудрость-Дрю Цинь Зай. Немного управлении и возможности не доработанные. Очень необычный сюжет, интриги, интересные гемплей, но интерес быстро падает, возможности приедаются и уже даже враги становится однообразными, прохождение макс на 3-4 чс., под конец будет чувства не завершённости. Но для начало игры нормально.
  71. vlady_lives
    Mar 30, 2022
    7
    A very decent little game. Fluid and fast, not to mention fun, gameplay with an interesting enough story and pretty fascinating premise. However, it is a bit too short, with it taking me 4 hours to fully complete it. I would say that it could benefit from a wider variety of enemies, or a wider variety of mechanics, and it does get a bit repetitive, but nonetheless it was an enjoyableA very decent little game. Fluid and fast, not to mention fun, gameplay with an interesting enough story and pretty fascinating premise. However, it is a bit too short, with it taking me 4 hours to fully complete it. I would say that it could benefit from a wider variety of enemies, or a wider variety of mechanics, and it does get a bit repetitive, but nonetheless it was an enjoyable experience, though I do not see myself ever replaying this game. However, I must say, the art is absolutely gorgeous and the music design is fantastic.… Expand
  72. Rarted
    Jan 6, 2021
    7
    The game is pretty good, although it's unfinished. I think it makes a really interesting connection between story and gameplay. I think I would scale the rating up to an 8 when the game is finished, because right now we now almost nothing about the real plot.
  73. Karmazyn83
    May 1, 2019
    6
    This needs to be a 6 from me. The game is fun and looks cute but lack of 21:9 support is disappointing, average pixel graphics and good sound design cant really push it higher than this. On a PC game looks average. Game would be ideal for VITA, Switch, or any other portable console you can think off but on a PC art, characters are just too stretched, pixels are far too big and fineThis needs to be a 6 from me. The game is fun and looks cute but lack of 21:9 support is disappointing, average pixel graphics and good sound design cant really push it higher than this. On a PC game looks average. Game would be ideal for VITA, Switch, or any other portable console you can think off but on a PC art, characters are just too stretched, pixels are far too big and fine balance between retro look married with new technologies was not achieved here. It just did not work for me. Gameplay is challenging and ok but it is difficult to play this over other, better indie titles. Yeah, get it but dont expect a masterpiece all indie loving reviewers paint it to be. Ok for a price, not brilliant.… Expand
  74. michaelb1928
    Apr 26, 2019
    6
    Thought the game waas fine, loved the storytelling aspect and would have liked to see it through to the ed but it got too difficult for me, im not really a fan of these types of games so dont take my word for it tho
  75. Theskiper
    Jul 31, 2019
    6
    Одна из самых переоцененных игр 2019 года,геймплей скучнее некуда,настолько все клишированно,а эти 2д графики режут глаза,но история и сюжет действительно интересует,это игра только для любителя,кому-то зайдет,а кому-то нетОдна из самых переоцененных игр 2019 года,геймплей скучнее некуда,настолько все клишированно,а эти 2д графики режут глаза,но история и сюжет действительно интересует,это игра только для любителя,кому-то зайдет,а кому-то нет
  76. Piruz
    Mar 30, 2022
    6
    Not bad 1 time old school kinda beat'em up. I strongly believe that we should rate this game by it's own standard of "small games". If you have like poor game exp and hate everything repetitive, think before playing it. The biggest con - lack of variety in ways of beating levels and rooms
  77. DoDoBlon
    Sep 27, 2021
    5
    After getting all achievements I've noticed sooo many gameplay flows (especially after speedrun on gold medals). I noticed some of the flows during main story but they were so much pain in the ass in the speedrun mode.
    (For example some of them: there is cooldown between hits so you can't deflect multiple bullets if they are close to one another so the strategy is to roll behind the backs    After getting all achievements I've noticed sooo many gameplay flows (especially after speedrun on gold medals). I noticed some of the flows during main story but they were so much pain in the ass in the speedrun mode.
    (For example some of them: there is cooldown between hits so you can't deflect multiple bullets if they are close to one another so the strategy is to roll behind the backs and only than slash; then, bad gameplay design of enemies. Enemies in the games should expose combat system but here almost every enemy 'locks-up' some abilities of yours. So for example with him you can't do that with them you can't do some other stuff and so on (especially enemies on hard mode); And the last major one. There is roll in the game for dodging but should be dash. Because if you jump you can't roll so it means you can't dodge so you just die (and most of the times these 'jumps' after sword's hits so you turn up in mid-air (I know I can push down button but it takes some time anyway))).
    Also dialogues are not so good written (developers have no experience in that so it's understandable).
    Game has no ending just to be continued.
    Music would be ok if hotline miami wasn't release almost 9 years ago where every track is 10 times better.
    Had so many expectations. But after completing the game I was disappointed. And after biting all achievements I hate the game.
    For people liking challenge my piece of advice is to play Furi. One of the best combat systems in the history. Had soo much fun getting platinum trophy on ps4.    … Expand
  78. Ghostee
    Nov 14, 2020
    5
    An ok art-style and fine controls, but oh my lord is the difficulty spike the worst thing ever. By the third stage it is so hard to even open doors because woopsie woo you have summoned 19 people all with impossible to dodge attacks, you can try to block it but that is not happening. With a sentries, katana wielders, heavies and gun wielders. It is so hard to move. Also the katana swingAn ok art-style and fine controls, but oh my lord is the difficulty spike the worst thing ever. By the third stage it is so hard to even open doors because woopsie woo you have summoned 19 people all with impossible to dodge attacks, you can try to block it but that is not happening. With a sentries, katana wielders, heavies and gun wielders. It is so hard to move. Also the katana swing animation is so long when you are trying to block a bullet rain of stuff. The game also gets really repetitive and is annoying at most times with mechanics flying out of the depths of hell whenever you breathe. I really want to like this game but I just cant. There are WAYY too many problems, it outmatches the goods, like the graphics and feel.

    Graphics- 9
    Controls- 5
    Responsiveness- 7
    Gameplay- 2
    Difficulty (1=Easy, 10=Impossible)- 9    … Expand
  79. bokarsh-z
    Jan 9, 2023
    5
    =======
    only worth 5 dollar or watch it utube.
    =======
    - 2.30 - 3 hour long.
    -disappointment ending (open ending), bad controls, rebitive gameplay.
    -good challenge bosses and interesting story hope make movie for this game.
    -buy hot Miami 2 full price instead.
  80. Zer0TheHer0
    Apr 21, 2019
    4
    some good ideas and a pretty cool pixel graphic style are ruined by the bad controls. you fight more with the controls than with the enemies. the way your character has to act is convoluted and often makes you die just because you made a move you didn't intend to do. as a result, it's very unpleasant to play.
  81. vova22379
    Jul 18, 2022
    4
    Graphics 5/10
    Story 3/10
    Gameplay 4/10
    Soundtrack 3/10

    3.75
  82. IrradiatedNun
    Jun 29, 2019
    1
    It has all the flaws of indie gaming recently. It thinks it's saying "something important" but has nothing to say. Not to mention the gameplay is a derivative of a derivative. Another game that seems crowdsourced to make a good little indie game. Just trite.
  83. poxuyyyy
    Sep 24, 2021
    1
    Непонятная хуйня с кончеными таймингами + я разъебал пробел
  84. baguette_breton
    Oct 1, 2022
    0
    très bon mais une durée de vie (si on enleve le speedrun) un peu trop courte, je recomande
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Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best PC Game of 2019
26
#26 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
28
#28 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. GameCritics
    Jun 21, 2019
    85
    Katana ZERO is relatively short action experience, but the fast, brutal, and provocative play left me wanting more — and that’s about the highest praise I can give it.
    Read full review
  2. 4P.de
    May 13, 2019
    83
    Intense and challenging arcade-action embedded in a great story.
    Read full review
  3. GameGrin
    May 13, 2019
    85
    Weighing in at over five hours, it’s not the longest game you’ll ever play, but it’s wide open for replayability, and the story is great.
    Read full review
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