Katana Zero
Katana Zero is determined to justify its vanity. Its fluid pixel art and neon noir aesthetic achieve an expensive ambience atypical of 2D action games. Its signature mechanic, an exciting spin on time manipulation, is available in both its action and its narrative and forges a powerful sense of identity. Every time Katana Zero opens its mouth—when someone literally speaks or when it tries to weave...[Read More]
God’s Trigger
In God’s Trigger, an angel and a demon team up for a revolt against a 70’s action cinema interpretation of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. This premise grants an allowance of certain indulgences. Logic isn’t under consideration, plot progression won’t necessarily square with character motivation, and violence, while profuse, will only go as far as its budget can take i...[Read More]
Dangerous Driving
There is a primal thrill in racing to overtake another vehicle. The neural electricity is amplified when you also smash into the side of the opposing vehicle. It reaches a climax when that vehicle careens into a wall and explodes into a million pieces. From 2001 to 2009, Criterion’s Burnout series made its name by complimenting fast cars with ridiculous crashing, creating a feature out of sp...[Read More]
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
FromSoftware’s distinctive approach to modern action games reached a cultural apex with Dark Souls. A pair of sequels and Bloodborne offered improvements, but neither blazed the same trails nor reached the level cultural cachet attained by FromSoftware’s second Souls title. “It’s like Dark Souls but” and “The Dark Souls of” are reference points for the mag...[Read More]