Killer7 [GC]

How can one game blend so many unique mechanics with so many oft-used cliches? That's just one of many unexplainable paradoxes that make up Killer 7 -- a game so surreal, so inexplicable that it will strike everyone who plays it in a totally different way. Some will bow down to its art style and dark tones, while others will simply scratch their heads and pass it off as some whacked-out developer's acid trip.

The first thing that jumps out at you about Killer 7 is its graphics. You've all seen the screenshots, so you know how stylized and comic book-esque the game's visuals are. In practice, though, they aren't quite as impressive. While Killer 7 definitely has a look of its own, concessions like flat backgrounds and empty rooms have been made. What you're left with is something that looks unlike anything you've ever played before, but all looks the same over time.

The oddities don't end with the graphics -- not by a long shot. Killer 7 has a slew of playable characters that supposedly reside in the body of one elderly assassin who may or may not be out of his gourd. The story is standard hired-gunman fare on the surface, but couldn't be weirder when you dig a little deeper. You thought Haley Joel Osment seeing dead people in The Sixth Sense is odd? Harman Smith talks to, battles, and becomes dead people.

Instead of actively controlling where the Smith clan moves, you're put on invisible rails. You hold a button to trudge forward; at junctions, you choose which hallway to take or room to enter. It's highly unconventional, but works better than it sounds. At the very least, it's preferred over the choppy controls of older Resident Evil games. You also never have to worry about the camera becoming a nuisance. Still, it gives you a disjointed feeling from what's going on.

The combat is a lot like Resident Evil 4 or Metal Gear Solid. You enter a first-person targeting mode, where you can then take your shots. The enemies themselves are close to zombies in that they just kind of roam around. In a twist, they start invisible, and you only hear their maniacal laughter. This is a cue to scan the area to detect any baddies that might be stalking you. Enemies have weak spots that lead to instant kills, and each kill rewards you with blood -- which is used to both heal you and purchase level-up "serums."

Killer 7's controls aren't a problem, but that's mostly due to the fact that they're so simplistic. Unless you're spitting lead, you're essentially a spectator. However, there is an issue with the configuration, as Capcom forgot to save user preferences. If you're in the majority of gamers who likes inverted up/down looking for targeting (which can only be toggled at the Options menu off the title screen), you'll have to adjust this literally every time you start up the game. That's quite an oversight.

Each character uses a different gun (sniper, grenade launcher, dual auto pistols) and many have unique offensive power-ups. You can switch between them at just about any time, and each holds a definite advantage depending on the situation. If one dies, the character Garcian can retrieve their body and resurrect them. Kind of strange, when you remember that they're all supposed to be personalities of one person.

Killer 7 also tosses a liberal amount of puzzles at you, which often rely on the characters' non-combat specialties: Coyote picks locks, Mask destroys cracked walls, and Kaede can bleed at will. Elemental rings also come into play. For the most part, the puzzles are overly obvious. If you're struggling to figure one out, the game gives you plenty of hints to lead you to the solution -- actually, too many hints.

There are times when playing Killer 7 that you begin to question whether you're having fun. It's a spectacle to be sure, but when you're backtracking through several rooms, fighting endless monsters, it may dawn on you that, beneath the surface, the game has a boring side. Thankfully, those thoughts are quickly replaced with ones like, "What the heck was that?" or "Dang, that's some weird stuff!"

You'll either love or hate Killer 7, and no psychic will be able to discern which reaction you'll have. If its creepiness, truckload of style, and inventive concepts sound appealing, then by all means give it a shot. On the other hand, if you think the repetitive shooting, ho-hum puzzles, and inability to actively control your characters' movements will flip your smile upside down, then it might be best to avoid this in favor of another play through Resident Evil 4 or God of War. Tastes as exotic as this can't be as cut-and-dry as "good" or "bad."