I originally played this on the PS3 back when it came out, and had a digital copy I bought in a sale on the Xbox at some point over the years just sitting there unplayed. I always planned to return to the game, I had fond memories of it, and sat defending it on game forums because it was always more than the bad press it received for its dating mini game. Something that takes up maybe one percent of the overall playtime, and unless you want all of the very optional sub weapons can be ignored entirely. Was it even worth causing a fuss over, like any boobie-butt game that gets that kind of attention? Of course not, it's very silly and should be treated as throwaway fun.

I can't believe this game is ten years old, and we never even got a rerelease on Switch or anything. It's dripping with atmospheric style, and swings hard between menace and goofiness. It's got a real late 80's, early 90's anime vibe. Of the three main Grasshopper games that came out in this era, I'd argue this is the smoothest gameplay experience, Shadows and Lollipop are more narrative friendly, but there's a roughness to their systems and combat that Killer is Dead avoids. The game is constantly giving you level ups and flashy means to dispatch enemies in cool looking ways. It's not a deep combat system, and the slo-mo dodge counter is borderline broken in how powerful it is, but it always feels good.

I just miss these kinds of game. Occasionally we'll get a No More Heroes 3 or a Wanted Dead, but the vibes and tone of this are really unique. The story is as inconsequential as it is impenetrable, but the cutscenes always feel like they're on the right side of being odd, like someone thought a lot about them, but then decided to withhold most of the information.

I'd take ten of this over another AAAAAAA mega budget blockbuster, but I've had to come to terms with the fact that this kind of thing is just going to get fewer and farther between outside of the indie space. I think time has just been very kind to this game, and it feels like one of those gems people will rediscover with time.