![]() ![]() By Bill Kiley and LudoWic, with additional music by Justin Stander, Tunç Çakır, and DJ Electrohead. The Katana ZERO original soundtrack is now available in a vibrant 2LP set, featuring translucent purple and pink neon burst vinyl and beautiful UV gloss coated gatefold packaging by Dave Zhang (godsavant). ![]() Katana Zero (Original Soundtrack) by Bill Kiley, LudoWic Katana ZERO (Original Soundtrack Remixes) by LudoWic, Bill Kiley Published by Devolver Digital, Katana ZERO is available for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, along with Windows and Mac through Steam. UV gloss coated gatefold packaging design for the item is by Dave Zhang. Music for the 2D action platformer by developer Askiisoft is by Bill Kiley and LudoWic, with additional music by Justin Stander, Tunç Çakır, and DJ Electrohead. Wic Recordings' digital soundtrack release is on Bandcamp and streaming on the Apple Music and Spotify platforms. That tipping point is what stops Katana Zero from reaching its full potential, but it doesn’t negate the pride that comes from a well-planned and perfectly executed sword-slashing rampage.Fangamer's Katana ZERO two-disc vinyl soundtrack is back in stock at the Tucson-based publisher. The assassination scenarios start blending together, and the cutscenes stop inspiring curiosity. But the longer you play, the more the effect diminishes. When Katana Zero is in top form, it is a satisfying and stylish action/puzzle hybrid that rewards your patience and persistence. The game also lays the foundations for big moments that never come, like a foreshadowed choice that feels completely meaningless, and an abrupt “to be continued” ending that left me with a sour impression as the credits rolled. The first couple hours had me thinking, “I can’t wait to see how all of these cool concepts come together.” Unfortunately, most of them just cryptically meander without reaching any crescendo. It has fascinating hooks involving a mysterious drug, your dumpy apartment complex, and your shady psychiatrist. The other main disappointment is the story. A motorcycle chase, a memory-based enemy gauntlet, and a handful of boss fights are attempts to vary the formula, but they fall flat just as often as they succeed. Enemy configurations get harder and the stages get more elaborate, but using the same strategies to progress gets old. That static moveset isn’t a problem by itself, but after exhausting its repertoire, Katana Zero struggles to present you with interesting ways to use your powers. Jumping around, slowing time, and deflecting bullets is fun, but your options never expand (apart from one exception that I won’t spoil). This randomness occasionally prevents you from mastering familiar sections quickly to get to the tricky bits, which feels like a pointless hurdle that only eats up time. For example, executing your plans depends on repetition and precision, but guards don’t always go back to the same default positions after a screen reset. The thrill of those moments propels you through the levels, but frustrating design can make it difficult to reach those peaks of joy. When you finally clear a tough screen, Katana Zero makes you feel like a genius assassination architect, overcoming harrowing odds and emerging as the lone survivor. Can you quickly roll past and slash him without alerting another guard? Or knock him into some lasers? Or lure him to a more vulnerable position? You die often as you find the answers to these questions, but respawning is rapid, so the deaths don’t feel punitive. Except now you’re facing an enemy with a shotgun, and you can’t deflect that blast with your sword. On your next attempt, you use your limited time-slowing power as you kick the door open, allowing you to slash the bullet and deflect it back at the guard. You open a door, but a guard immediately shoots you, so time rewinds and the screen resets. Making plans and refining them through trial and error is the most entertaining part of Katana Zero.
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