KILL KNIGHT
- October 2, 2024
- PlaySide
- 9h 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
- Fast-paced, combo-driven action that keeps players engaged and challenged.
- Excellent controls and mechanics that feel responsive and rewarding, allowing for deep gameplay.
- Stylish visuals and a great soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- Steep difficulty curve that may frustrate players, especially those new to the genre.
- Some players find the progression system grindy, with unlocks tied to challenging objectives.
- The game can feel overwhelming due to the number of mechanics and controls to manage simultaneously.
- gameplay184 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Kill Knight" is characterized by its fast-paced, fluid mechanics and a high skill ceiling, making it both challenging and rewarding for players. While the game offers a rich variety of mechanics that interconnect seamlessly, some players find the initial difficulty steep and the learning curve demanding. Overall, the game is praised for its polished controls, engaging combat loop, and stylish presentation, appealing to fans of the twin-stick shooter genre.
“Fast, fluid gameplay; definitely pick this up if you are into horde shooters.”
“Gameplay is everything you'd want in a bullet-hell, rogue-lite, twin-stick shooter.”
“The mechanics are so finely tuned that the gameplay is intense and fun.”
“I do think that this game's greatest weakness is that the baseline difficulty is too high, and it does not ease you into getting accustomed to the base mechanics by playing progressively harder levels.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive and boring.”
“The difficulty curve is just too steep for it to be accessible, and it hasn't quite seemed to nail the gameplay loop.”
- graphics55 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning, PS1-inspired aesthetic, which combines a gritty, "hemopunk" style with vibrant visuals that enhance the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the game's beautiful art style, fluid mechanics, and immersive soundtrack, all contributing to a visually engaging and intense atmosphere. Overall, the graphics are described as a perfect complement to the fast-paced action and deep combat mechanics, making it a standout feature of the game.
“One thing everyone seems to agree on is that the smoothed PS1-inspired graphics are gorgeous.”
“Deep, ultra-responsive combat, gorgeous visuals and audio, great UI.”
“The pumping dark synths and artifacting CRT PS1 graphics only further heighten the experience.”
“The graphics are simple yet comfortable.”
“The pumping dark synths and artefacting CRT PS1 graphics only further heighten the experience.”
“Games like this were free on Newgrounds back in the day, this one has just better graphics.”
- music52 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its phenomenal quality and ability to enhance the immersive experience. The soundtrack is described as a perfect fit for the fast-paced gameplay, often compared to iconic titles like Doom and Hades, although some players noted that later tracks may not match the initial intensity. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic and enjoyment, with many players expressing a desire for an official soundtrack release.
“The music is phenomenal, the sound design and direction is fantastic for a headphone experience.”
“Very satisfying, amazing soundtrack and just a whole lot of fun!”
“Action packed with a killer soundtrack, satisfying combat that keeps you on the edge of your seat every second.”
“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.”
“Never did I get any of the heart-pumping type of music that really pumps you up and pushes you on in a rhythmic gameplay flow like you get in, say, Hades or Doom, and that was disappointing to me.”
“Haven't beaten the game nor unlocked everything yet, but so far my only big complaint is the soundtrack.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" in the game are mixed; 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 time-consuming. Many enjoy the competitive elements and fast-paced gameplay, but some express frustration with the slow pace of unlocking new content, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the experience of grinding varies significantly among players, with some finding it enjoyable and others deeming it excessive.
“It's not really grindy.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Otherwise, a lot of people saying the game is too hard or grindy.”
“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.”
- replayability15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by challenging levels, responsive controls, and a variety of unlocks and difficulty settings. Players appreciate the addictive gameplay and the opportunity to improve skills and chase high scores, although some note that limited content may affect long-term engagement. The combination of fast-paced action and a solid progression system contributes to its appeal for repeated playthroughs.
“Another thing I like about this game is that it is replayable; not many games of the current time invite you to play them again, but this game does.”
“The audio is punchy, the knight's controls are responsive, and there's loads of unlocks to drive replayability.”
“A phenomenal design scheme paired with some of the most addicting hack and slash gameplay adds so much replayability.”
“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.”
“There's some unlockable equipment to customize your loadout, but that's to give you options, experimentation, and replayability. Actual progress is unlocked through your skills and knowledge as a player instead of some arbitrary stuff simply involving numbers and stats to give you a false perception of 'getting better'.”
“1/10 for progression system and replayability.”
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game features virtually no story, with users noting a complete absence of dialogue, characters, or narrative depth. It is primarily an arcade shooter focused on gameplay mechanics and mission completion rather than storytelling, which may disappoint players seeking a rich narrative experience.
“Many people will not like it for 'no progression or story' but how much progression and story can you get from an arcade shooter?”
“Its not meant to be a story game; it's an arcade game.”
“These missions range from basic goals like completing a stage without failing a quick reload, to unique quests tied to your newfound strength after unlocking a new weapon.”
“No dialogue, no characters, 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.”
- 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 season passes. Overall, the lack of additional monetization strategies is seen as a positive feature by some players.
“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.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its impressive graphics, art style, and overall execution, contributing to an engaging experience. However, some players feel that the enjoyment is marred by overly complex controls and mechanics that disrupt the flow of gameplay.
“And it has great atmosphere and style.”
“The atmosphere is great; the graphics, art style, and performance are all well done here. It's a shame the issues mentioned are present.”
“Yeah, good atmosphere and great flow of gameplay and tempo.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability on the Steam Deck, providing a smooth experience. However, users have reported input lag when playing on PC with an Xbox controller via Bluetooth.
“Amazing… runs great on the deck.”
“It runs great on Steam Deck.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally good, with strong performance and impressive graphics and atmosphere. However, users report significant performance issues when using a combination of mouse and gamepad, which detracts from the experience.
“The atmosphere is great, graphics, art style, and performance are all well done here; it's a shame the issues mentioned are present.”
“Performance was overall good, but don't mix a mouse and gamepad; the game will have serious performance issues if you do.”
- 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 game incorporates witty dialogue and clever puns that never get old.”
“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 in ways I never expected, leaving a lasting impact.”
“I felt a deep connection to the characters, making their struggles and triumphs resonate with my own experiences.”
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%