Killer Is Dead wants to be a lot of things at once. It wants to be a hack-and-slash action game, a conspiracy thriller, a story about family betrayal, and a meditation on violence and corruption. It mostly succeeds at being entertaining, occasionally succeeds at being clever, and rarely succeeds at being coherent.
The game was released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in August 2013, developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Kadokawa Games in Japan, XSEED Games in North America, and Deep Silver in Europe. It follows Mondo Zappa, a contract executioner working for the Bryan Execution Firm, as he tracks down people corrupted by Dark Matter across a near-future Earth.
Trailer, via XSEEDgames.
Mondo Zappa and the Bryan Execution Firm
Mondo Zappa is the kind of protagonist Grasshopper Manufacture has spent years building: a man with a deadpan sense of humor, a taste for beautiful women, and a job that requires killing people for a living. He wields a katana and a cybernetic gun arm, and his boss is Bryan Roses, a cyborg founder who runs the firm with a cold efficiency. Vivienne Squall, Bryan’s second-in-command, oversees operations.
Mondo is assisted by Mika Takekawa, an air-headed young girl who lives with him. The game’s antagonist is David, who usurps control of the Moon and directs Dark Matter across the planet. Other key figures include Dolly the Dream Witch, who can enter people’s dreams and alter memories, and Moon River, the previous ruler of the Moon and a member of an ancient line that oversaw the Earth.
Many characters are tied to celestial bodies: Mondo represents the Earth, David symbolizes Mars, Mika the Sun, and Moon River the Moon.
Combat, Combinations, and Adrenaline Rush
The core of Killer Is Dead is its combat system. Players fight a variety of enemies using Mondo’s katana and his gun arm, which changes the camera angle to an over-the-shoulder perspective. The game relies on a combo meter: each hit starts a chain, and consecutive hits keep it growing. At the highest combo level, special attacks unlock, providing different upgrade materials.
Some enemies can only be finished with a cinematic final attack, triggered once Mondo absorbs enough blood from his foes by chaining combos. He can also block and dodge attacks, and dodging at the right moment triggers Adrenaline Rush, slowing enemies and allowing Mondo to land rapid strikes.
The gun arm transforms into three types:
- Bullet Shot, a rapid-fire weapon
- Freeze Shooter, which fires ice bullets to slow or stop enemies
- Charge Cannon, which deals higher damage when shots are charged up
Missions, Side Quests, and Scarlet Challenges
Killer Is Dead is divided into 12 story-driven missions, each selected from a world map. Some levels are short and linear, others require exploration and the activation of switches to progress. Between missions, the game cuts to animated sequences that advance the story.
There are also three mission types:
- Story-based missions that push the narrative forward
- Sub-missions set within the main levels, ranging from combat to retrieval tasks
- Scarlet missions, where the female support character Scarlet issues combat challenges
After completing each mission, players receive a rank and a score. Completing a main mission usually opens several side missions, giving the game a branching structure that rewards exploration.
Dark Matter, Malice, and the Moon
The game’s central threat is Dark Matter, a malign energy that stems from the dark side of the Moon. It negatively affects weak-willed humans, generating mindless monsters called Wires. The Bryan Execution Firm kills those infected with Dark Matter, but doing so inevitably overwhelms the chosen Executioner with the same corrupting force.
Mondo’s missions target people tainted by Malice, which causes them to become monsters and commit evil deeds. One of his earliest missions comes from Moon River herself, who asks him to kill David after David usurps her rule. Mondo fails to kill David, who cryptically tells him to grow stronger by absorbing the blood of those corrupted by Dark Matter.
Moon River waits until the contract can be completed, and Mondo lets her live with him until then.
Flashbacks, Dreams, and Betrayal
The plot is full of twists, though many of them feel more convoluted than compelling. Mondo is tormented in his dreams by Dolly, who shows him flashbacks of Moon River playing with him as a child, accompanied by a strange blue unicorn. In other visions, David attacks Mondo’s home, kills his mother, and cuts off Mondo’s arm before leaving him at the Bryan Execution Firm.
During one mission, Vivienne considers killing Mondo as the Dark Matter overtakes him. On another, Bryan is nearly killed by Mika, who is being influenced by Dolly. The final confrontation with Dolly reveals the truth: Mondo and David are brothers, and David was one of Bryan’s former Executioners before being tainted with Dark Matter.
Bryan groomed Mondo to take down David, while David planted Mika—the girl kidnapped by Tokio and rescued by David—as a spy to watch Mondo. The revelation is dramatic, but it feels less like a twist and more like a way to explain why everyone keeps talking in riddles.
The Good Stuff
The best parts of Killer Is Dead are its combat and its visual style. The cel-shaded art direction is sharp and distinctive, and the action is fast and satisfying when the combo chains are flowing. The game also knows how to stage its cinematic sequences with flair, even if the writing behind them is often opaque.
Mondo’s personality is a highlight. He speaks in a dry, businesslike tone that fits the absurdity of his situation, and his interactions with Bryan, Vivienne, and Mika carry a strange warmth despite the violence around them.
The Bad Stuff
The biggest problem is the story. The plot is dense with lore, conspiracy, and supernatural elements, but it never quite coheres into a clear narrative. Characters speak in circles, and the game’s attempts to tie everything together with celestial symbolism and ancient lines of rulers feel more like dressing than substance.
The pacing also suffers. Some missions drag, particularly the longer exploration-heavy levels that require switch activation, and the side missions can feel like filler rather than meaningful content. The difficulty curve is uneven, with some encounters feeling punishing for no clear reason.
Where It Stands
Killer Is Dead is a competent, occasionally brilliant action game marred by a story that refuses to be simple. Its combat is fun, its presentation is striking, and its characters are memorable. But the plot’s refusal to explain itself leaves the whole enterprise feeling hollow.
The game is best enjoyed as a technical showcase rather than a gripping tale. Fans of Grasshopper Manufacture’s work will find plenty to appreciate in its mechanical ambition, even if the thematic depth falls short.
Key Facts
– Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
– Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
– Publishers: Kadokawa Games (Japan), XSEED Games (North America), Deep Silver (Europe)
– Release: August 2013
– Genre: Hack and slash/Beat ’em up
– Modes: Single player
Verdict
Killer Is Dead is a mixed bag. Its combat is sharp, its visuals are striking, and its characters are engaging. But the story is a mess, and the game’s refusal to explain itself leaves the whole experience feeling unfinished. It’s a game worth playing for its highs, but not one that rewards patience beyond its technical merits.
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