Developer: Grasshopper Manufacturer Publisher: Capcom Released: July 7, 2005 Genre: Action-Adventure
Killer7 is a hard game to get a bead on. If you survey the internet you’ll see that it garnered mixed reactions. Once you’ve played it is easy to why; the game is just plain weird. To tell you the truth I’m not even sure if I genuinely like it or am just along for the crazy ride. What I can say is that Killer7 is unlike just about any other game you’ve played, from its narrative to its mechanics and is worth checking out purely because of how strange it is.
The Killer7 in the title refers to the game’s protagonists. The Smith syndicate is an elite group of assassins that perform various jobs for the US government. While they are a group each Smith is a manifestation of one man’s consciousness. The Killer7 are called in to deal with the Heaven’s Smile, a terrorist group that threatens to destroy the peace established after the abolishment of all nuclear weapons. That is as bare bones a summary I can give; the story takes many twists and turns. In my opinion it becomes too complex for its own good and does not explain many crucial points well but boy does it do it with style. That is the main reason most wills tick with the game.
Killer7 was the first of Grasshopper Manufacture’s games to release in the US and our introduction to Goichi Suda. This eclectic creator has built up a reputation for creating off the wall video games of which Killer7 qualifies. As more of his works have been released internationally it is interesting to look back and see how many of his influences have shown up here. Wrestling, anime, sentai and rock music are all used in various ways to tell the game’s twisting narrative. It is easy to accuse the game of focusing on its story and presentation more than its gameplay. And in my opinion that is mostly true. However while it doesn’t always work effectively the game is solid nonetheless and worth experiencing.
Most of the initial attention surrounding Killer7 came from its unique look. The game intentionally uses low polygon models for its characters and backgrounds for a stylized look. Those familiar with Activision’s Interstate ’76 will recognize the look. It isn’t as flat shaded as that however. Everything uses long patches of solid color and cel shading for a clean look. More importantly however it captures shadows and highlights incredibly well. Together with the ever shifting camera view it leads to many picturesque moments. The story is told through a mix of lengthy real time cutscenes and FMV. All this accompanied by an excellent soundtrack and top tier voice acting. While it may leave you scratching your head at points it is at least entertaining.
Each of the Smiths is playable and with the exception of Garcian and Harmon can switch at almost any time. Everyone possesses a unique ability such as Kevin’s invisibility or Con’s lockpicking and leaping prowess. The game does a decent job of providing clues through Iwazaru or Travis when a certain one is necessary through text and audio clues. Killing Heaven Smiles gives blood that is serves two purposes. Thin blood powers individual abilities while thick blood upgrades everyone’s stats in power, speed, critical hit, and wavering. Upgrading these unlocks further skills although they aren’t mandatory. Death is handled differently. Whenever a Smith dies Garcian becomes playable to recover their body. As long as he stays alive you’ll never receive a game over. This lowers the difficulty considerably even if it can be frustrating at times.
Gameplay is where it becomes tricky. Killer7 does not fall neatly into one particular genre. Mechanically it is closest to a rail shooter/adventure game but even that sells it short. You spend the majority of your time is navigating areas room by room while dealing with the Heaven Smile. The Heaven Smile are invisible at first but by switching to first person and scanning you’ll reveal their presence. From here you can target any of their body parts but specifically their ever changing weak point. A clean shot in their weak spot equals an instant kill and grants more blood. The game does an excellent job of introducing different varieties of Heaven Smile; there are close to 30 in total. Each has different behavior and need to be dealt with accordingly.
The most divisive aspect of Killer7 are its controls. You don’t have complete control; all movement is on a linear path. You hold down a button to run while another turns you around. At set junctions you can choose a direction to follow or object to explore. There are many puzzles to solve with ghostly NPCs offering hints provided you read between the lines. Even the map more or less spells it out. I can see how the streamlined mechanics can kill the sense of exploration and discovery for many. It can seem as though is trying to shuffle you to its next lavish cutscene at the expense of gameplay. That is entirely true but I feel there is just enough in between to make it worthwhile.
Killer7 has style to spare and revels in it. Many of its best moments require little input from the player. Later in the game are a series of duels between the Killer7 and the Handsome Men, sentai hero homages. The outcome of each match is pre-set but still fun to watch. Chapter 3 ends in an Old West style duel with Curtis Blackburn that is easy to screw up. While these moments are the most memorable the Heaven Smile still steals the show. The Heaven Smile are some of the creepiest enemies in gaming. Their signature laugh is always chilling as you frantically scan the environment to find them. Their scream as they suicide bomb you is terrifying as well. New enemies are introduced in every chapter, keeping the game fresh even if the constant combat can be tiring.
In Closing
I’ve played through Killer7 multiple times but still don’t know what to make of it. The story becomes convoluted toward the end but still remains intriguing. Its mechanics have been simplified yet are compelling. On paper it shouldn’t work and yet it does overall. Killer7 isn’t the first game I would recommend but is one that still needs to be experienced as there really isn’t anything else like it.
