Video Game Vintage Title: Killer Is Dead

Killer Is Dead

Killer Is Dead is a 2013 action video game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and published by Kadokawa Games in Japan, Xseed Games in North America and Deep Silver in Europe.

Killer Is Dead Plot

Killer Is Dead takes place in the near future, including such technology as lunar tourism and cybernetic enhancements. The main character is an executioner named Mondo Zappa (voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu in the Japanese version and Patrick Seitz in the Western version) who receives jobs from the Bryan Execution Firm. This firm, run by a cyborg named Bryan Roses, tasks Mondo with killing dangerous criminals and assassins from around the world. Mondo wields a sword with his right hand but his cybernetic left arm can be converted into many different weapons, including guns, drills, and other objects. Although Mondo travels the world as part of the game, Suda calls it a "personal story" of "a man who doesn't show himself much in the public world but still worms his way into society and mercilessly eliminates the evil dispersed in it". "Love and execution" and "how far can you protect someone" are also central themes of the story.

Reception
The game received positive reception in Japan with a score of 35 out of 40 from Famitsu, where it gained the Platinum award based on the scores of 9/9/9/8 from the four reviewers.

Western reviewers were more critical of the game. It has a Metacritic score of 64 for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. On GameRankings, it has a score of 60.07% for the PlayStation 3 and 59.29% for the Xbox 360 version. Mark Walton of GameSpot criticized a confusing story, unrefined combat and screen tearing issues while praising the striking visuals. Electronic Gaming Monthly's Ray Carsillo also took notice of the story, saying that it is Suda 51's "most ridiculous, nonsensical plot yet".