The addition of the mentioned speed run mode and higher difficulty setting was more than enough to give me a reason to play the game again, especially as I enjoyed my first play through. The addition of a speed run mode adds a level competitiveness to the game which I admire, as a leaderboard is included so you can see where you stack up against other players around the world. You also run into the harder enemies earlier on, which may be fun for to those looking for a challenge if the main story mode was too easy for them. Within this difficulty the density of enemies were increased from the very beginning as well as the speed at which they react to your movements. Once completing the main story, a speed run mode becomes available which gives you the opportunity to play on hard mode. Katana Zero is unique in that the dialogue is free flowing allowing you to make different responses which can slightly alter aspects of the story, and also allow you to complete a secret boss fight. The gameplay is fast paced and can definitely be challenging when multiple enemies are attacking you at once. The commands to complete each mechanic are also very straightforward, being allocated on separate buttons and also having fully customizable settings for both controller and Keyboard users. The game starts off quite easy with a progressing difficulty in the density of enemies and the way they are set up in each level, which is fun when trying to figure out the best approach to take. For example, a well-timed attack can deflect enemy bullets which can be more useful than running head first and dashing into an enemy. Knowing when to use each ability separates a good player from the bad. Within the game you rely on three main mechanics which is attacking, dashing, and throwing objects found within different parts of each level.

Getting into the gameplay, Katana Zero hits all of the criteria for being a fun platformer.

you are also given the option to disable blood spray and shaders. Within the graphics option, you are able to disable the different visual effects within the game such as the rewind effect for when you have to restart a level. The graphics resemble that of old fashioned 2D games but this is not a bad thing, as its not meant to be revolutionary in any way, and is not intended to be the selling point of this game. The game has a cyberpunk theme portraying a dystopian styled future, and the design of each level represents areas within the city where the game is taking place. Any more details on the storyline would essentially ruin the plot but as the title suggests, you spend most of your time using a Katana styled sword and slaying enemies through a plethora of different levels. Katana Zero is a 2D action platform game where you play as a Samurai named Zero.

Katana zero hard mode