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As of my freshman year, I will be posting content centered around a certain topic. You can expect my blog posts to feature well-written sentences.
Katana Zero is an 2d side-sidescrolling hack-n-slash platformer video game. It is about a post-war samurai who is hired by an organization to hunt down major criminals in return for a time-stopping drug which the main character is addicted to. The game is available on all consoles and is short enough to complete in one sitting, although DLC is planned for release sometime this year.
The plot is intricate to say the least. Without spoiling the game, the nameless protagonist is forced to slay enemies in return for a drug that was created during the war that led to the destruction and desolation of the city. Without the time-stopping drug, the main character suffers from mental breakdowns and addictive impulses which cause him to hallucinate Throughout the game, the main character becomes more and more addicted to the point where he will act out irrationally and jeopardize the mission should the player choose an option that directly conflicts with his orders. He deals with new characters that both idolize and despise him for his past actions in the war, taking a toll on his mental health. The soundtrack is reminiscent of the neo-punk setting in that it uses many futuristic-sounding instruments such as synths to create electronic dance music and dubstep tracks. The songs vary from level to level, and there is even a level set in a dance club where the music is credited to the DJ of the club on the official soundtrack. The gameplay is typical of action-platformers such as Ninja Gaiden and another indie game known as Neon Abyss with the exception of a sword being the main form of combat instead of guns. Other weapons include grenades and fire cocktails, though they are collectibles in each level and are not integral to the main character's kit. As I mentioned before, the player can make choices that affect the progression of the story. As a result, it is possible to reach an alternate ending by ignoring all of the orders given to you and skipping over the dialogue between you and the psychiatrist. The only demerit the game has is that it ends in a most unsatisfying way. The ending is abrupt and leaves many questions unanswered, especially right after the most climactic part of the story. The credits roll and the player obtains a new sword that they can use should he want to replay a previous level. Another mode is unlocked, though it increases the difficulty greatly. Sure, it leaves room for speculation, but it does not excuse the sudden ending that leaves the player with a sour taste in their mouth. The fact that DLC has not been officially revealed yet does not help either. Despite the sudden ending leaving the player wanting more, Katana Zero is a great game with a plot worth investing in, crisp, clean visuals and excellent sountrack, and fun, intuitive gameplay. Score: 4/5 Recap:
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Brady Bryan
This is a question as old as time. What makes any form of media a 10/10? What must be considered in order to score a video game, movie, book, song, performance, or any other form of art. Should we score them relative to other similar works, or should we evaluate the work purely based on how well it was executed. Everyone seems to have their own way of grading a certain work, making objectivity even harder to abide by. Everyone has their own unique way of analyzing content due to several factors; the most common ones being media that they have familiarized themselves with as they grow up as well as their age. Each form of media has their own content-defining traits that set them apart from other forms of media. For example, video games are known for their interactivity whereas movies are known as the type of content that is purely visual and is readily available to a wide audience at one time. Games are typically remembered for their soundtrack, gameplay, characters, visuals, and plot. While most other forms of media contain these to an extent, games hold a certain weight to them due to the direct interactivity upon which the player forms a connection to the game. If the player does not feel any sort of connection to the game, let along a personal connection, they will regard the game as lackluster or unappealing. Unbalanced gameplay mechanics, poor visuals, a generic soundtrack, and uninteresting plot make for a 0/10 video game or a similar score. This is the universal truth for games that display a lack of care for execution, and this gets even more convoluted when factoring what is expected from various genres. JRPGs are notorious for having a generic plot and linear gameplay, but featuring some of the most well-renowned video game soundtracks ever. Fighting games are especially taboo as the plot is extremely lackluster and the soundtrack merely serves as background music. Gameplay leans towards heavy use of "hidden mechanics" which are unexplained feats unintentionally created by the developers. In taboo cases such as these, reviewers will either compare one game of a certain genre to another game of the same genre, or use their bias to evaluate it. Scoring and evaluating any form of media objectively is a difficult task, and at the end of the day, what matters most is your opinion. Recap:
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AuthorBrady Bryan is quite familiar with blogs since he had to frequently post on his blog in 6th grade. Although its been a long time since then, he still knows what a proper blog should look like. Archives
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