KILL KNIGHT
- October 2, 2024
- PlaySide
- 10h median play time
KILL KNIGHT is an exciting bullet hell romp that challenges you to master its mechanics and descend through the circles of hell, prompting you with greater difficulties and higher scores to beat as you go.
"KILL KNIGHT is an action-packed game following a betrayed knight, known as 'KILL KNIGHT', who seeks to kill the Last Angel in the Abyss. Traverse through five eldritch layers, engaging in brutal combat, exploiting enemy weaknesses, and unlocking new equipment. The polished minimalist aesthetic, reminiscent of 90's arcade games, adds to the game's eerie atmosphere."
Reviews
- The game features a fast-paced and rewarding gameplay loop that keeps players engaged and encourages skill improvement.
- The variety of weapons and loadouts allows for customization and different playstyles, enhancing replayability.
- The art style, music, and overall aesthetic create an immersive and enjoyable atmosphere.
- The difficulty curve can be steep, making it challenging for new players to progress without significant practice.
- Some players find the controls and mechanics overwhelming due to the number of actions and resources to manage.
- Unlocking new equipment can feel grindy, as it often requires completing specific challenges or accumulating in-game currency.
- gameplay245 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Kill Knight" is characterized by its fast-paced, challenging mechanics that require skill and mastery, making it both rewarding and addictive. Players appreciate the depth and variety of combat options, including a mix of ranged and melee attacks, special abilities, and a unique reload system, all set against a stylish aesthetic and engaging soundtrack. While the steep learning curve and complexity of mechanics can be overwhelming at first, many find that the gameplay becomes fluid and satisfying as they progress, offering a compelling experience for fans of the twin-stick shooter genre.
“The gameplay loop is simple: pick your loadout consisting of a primary weapon, sword, heavy weapon, armor, and a trinket and then jump into the arena to try and see if you can survive the onslaught of both enemies and environmental hazards.”
“Everything about this game feels like it was made for me, the aesthetics, the fast-paced, brutal and addictive gameplay, and the banging soundtrack are all great.”
“The mechanics are so finely tuned that the gameplay is intense and fun.”
“My biggest gripe in my one run I did was that the visual style seems to be abandoned in the gameplay.”
“The difficulty curve is just too steep for it to be accessible, and it hasn't quite seemed to nail the gameplay loop.”
“There are a bunch of different gameplay mechanics going on, and that could be fine, but the controls in this are so clunky that it does not feel good to play.”
- graphics82 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and vibrant aesthetics that enhance the overall experience. While some players appreciate the visuals and find them engaging, others feel that the graphics could be improved, particularly in gameplay and menu design. Overall, the game's visuals are described as stylish and fitting, contributing positively to the fast-paced and challenging gameplay.
“Incredible visuals.”
“Love the eye-catching visuals and art style too.”
“Deep, ultra-responsive combat, gorgeous visuals and audio, great UI.”
“While I understand not adopting the visual style present in the cinematics for the gameplay, most likely to maximize visibility, it would've been nice to see the visual style that encapsulated me the moment I watched the opening cinematic be incorporated into the gameplay visuals in a more prominent way.”
“Graphics should be better (in-game and definitely in menus - the weapon or level icons are just garbage).”
“Game doesn't have customizable crosshair/cursor (color, glow, outline, contrast, etc.) which is a big deal since so many mobs make things hard to see, and the game graphics style only makes things worse.”
- music69 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and immersive quality, enhancing the fast-paced gameplay and overall atmosphere. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the intense action, with some describing it as phenomenal and reminiscent of iconic titles like Doom and Hades. However, a few critiques mention that while the initial tracks are strong, later levels may feature less impactful music, leaving some players wanting a more consistent intensity throughout.
“The music is phenomenal, the sound design and direction is fantastic for a headphone experience.”
“Everything from the mechanics, art, animations, and music all work in harmony to create an intense atmosphere that’s hard not to get pulled into.”
“Very satisfying, amazing soundtrack and just a whole lot of fun!”
“Haven't beaten the game nor unlocked everything yet, but so far my only big complaint is the soundtrack.”
“It's not bad by any means, but I feel like a game this saucy needs a soundtrack to match.”
“Also, the trailers make you think that the music is going to be sick to play to and really pump you up, but I got several layers in and it all felt relatively generic?”
- replayability24 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by customizable equipment, challenging levels, and various builds that encourage experimentation. Players enjoy the fast-paced gameplay and the pursuit of high scores, although some critiques mention limited content and weak stage design that could hinder long-term replay value. Despite these concerns, many find the game engaging enough to keep them coming back for more.
“Customizing your equipment and seeing what fits your playstyle and what you encounter in the level has been really fun and good for replayability.”
“An absolutely amazing arcade shooter with insane replayability!”
“With all of the different builds with equipment, there is a lot of replayability to be found.”
“It's really early to call, but it seems to be the real deal; now we'll just have to wait and see whether or not the honeymoon phase turns into something sustainably replayable.”
“Summary: good ideas, and a great example of game design where the content/depth is packed into the wrong things and taken away in the important things, and how that minimizes the replayability of the game.”
“Poor replay value: part of this is already covered due to the weak stage and enemy design.”
- grinding18 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the replayability and skill-based progression that minimizes tedious grinding, others find the process of unlocking equipment and completing challenges to be overly grindy and sometimes boring. Many enjoy the fast-paced action and engaging mechanics, but some feel that the resource management and certain challenges detract from the overall experience, making it feel repetitive. Overall, the game offers a balance of fun and grind, appealing to those who enjoy competition and improvement.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I've beaten the game, and am now in the process of grinding out the final trophies, which seem to be sadistic in nature.”
“Takes too long to unlock anything; very grindy, kind of boring. Not much to the game—load into death pit, pew pew—which I thought might be fun, but it gets very old very fast, especially when you aren't unlocking anything new even after a successful mission.”
“There just wasn't much design thought put into these kinds of details, and the resource management aspect became the central focus, which, in all honesty, gets tedious and makes you feel like you're doing so many unnecessary actions that don't really add depth to the game.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely absent, with many players noting that it lacks a rich narrative and offers minimal progression beyond basic mission objectives. While some missions are described as fair and engaging, the overall experience is more focused on arcade-style gameplay rather than storytelling, leading to a perception of grindiness and boredom for those seeking a deeper narrative.
“Story 10/10”
“Many people will not like it for 'no progression or story' but how much progression and story can you get from an arcade shooter?”
“Equipped with nothing but a basic loadout at the beginning, the main form of progression comes from completing missions to earn more gear.”
“☐ no story”
“In the little time I played, there was no story as well.”
“It's not meant to be a story game; it's an arcade game.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, immersive quality, enhanced by impressive graphics, art design, and music that work together to create an intense experience. However, some players feel that technical issues, such as glitches and overly complex mechanics, detract from the overall atmosphere and gameplay flow. Despite these drawbacks, the general consensus highlights a strong atmospheric presence that captivates players.
“It's dark and atmospheric, and it drives the pace in a natural feel.”
“I love the designs of the demons and the characters, as well as the atmosphere and the music.”
“Everything from the mechanics, art, animations, and music all work in harmony to create an intense atmosphere that’s hard not to get pulled into.”
“- horrible glitch effect that only hinders play rather than creating atmosphere as claimed by the developers.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate its straightforward functionality and smooth performance on devices like the Steam Deck, others report significant issues such as high GPU usage leading to input lag and performance problems when using a mouse and gamepad simultaneously. Despite strong graphics and art style, the lack of features like NVIDIA Reflex and inconsistent performance on certain setups detracts from the experience.
“Moreover, it stands out for being straightforward and free of performance issues, with a strong focus on functionality and clarity.”
“This is further enhanced by its excellent performance on devices like the Steam Deck, where I've spent most of my playtime enjoying a smooth and highly optimized experience.”
“Graphics and optimization are very good.”
“I would recommend doing them on the lower difficulties because adding another layer to the brain stack can lead to worse performance (at least in my case).”
“The only problem I have is that the game is not optimized well at all. It lacks NVIDIA Reflex, and GPU usage is at 99% at all times, which causes a massive increase in input lag. This is very important for a game that is this demanding for responsiveness and requires 100% focus, or you die in 2 seconds.”
- stability5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's stability is generally positive, particularly on the Steam Deck, where it runs smoothly without issues. However, some users have experienced significant bugs, such as getting stuck on loading screens and needing to restart their computers, as well as input lag when using an Xbox controller on PC.
“Runs great on Steam Deck.”
“Amazing… runs great on the deck.”
“It runs great on Steam Deck but when I play on my PC with an Xbox controller over Bluetooth, there is input lag.”
“The game was buggy, often getting stuck on the loading screen, forcing me to restart my computer multiple times.”
“I encountered frequent crashes that made it nearly impossible to enjoy the game.”
“The stability issues are frustrating; I lost progress due to unexpected shutdowns.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users expressing concerns that it feels like a cash grab, while others appreciate the absence of microtransactions and a season pass, indicating a more player-friendly approach.
“No microtransactions.”
“I hope this gets fixed, but this reeks of a cash grab.”
“I realize when games are cash grabs and soulless products.”
“There are no microtransactions or a season pass.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently described as funny, indicating that players find it entertaining and enjoyable.
“The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious and keeps me laughing throughout!”
“I love how the witty dialogue and clever puns add so much charm to the gameplay.”
“The comedic timing of the characters is spot on, making every interaction a joy to experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report experiencing deep emotional engagement with the game, with some even shedding tears due to its impactful storytelling and immersive focus.
“I literally shed a tear because I was laser-focused.”
“The story moved me deeply and made me reflect on my own life.”
“I felt a profound connection to the characters, which made their struggles hit home.”
Critic Reviews
Kill Knight Review – Deliciously devilish
KILL KNIGHT is a devilishly impressive isometric shooter. There’s a pure glee generated by the title’s fast and ferocious combat working in perfect harmony with its hellish visuals and sound design. What may at first seem like an overly complicated system of mechanics quickly falls neatly into place and it becomes apparent just how superbly everything is designed to be cohesive and put the power into the player’s hands. A deeper notion of progression could have helped the game to avoid that feeling of repetition so commonly associated with high score-based arcade games, but it’s a minor critique in what is ultimately a skillfully crafted experience. Just one that may not be for the faint of heart.
85%KILL KNIGHT Review — Terrorizing Hell
KILL KNIGHT is an exciting bullet hell romp that challenges you to master its mechanics and descend through the circles of hell, prompting you with greater difficulties and higher scores to beat as you go.
100%Rip, Tear, Rinse, and Repeat
80%