A multi-layered assassin, an invisible threat, a laughing face, and an unconventional and philosophical story. ...... "killer7", one of the most monstrous Gamecube titles.

This is a project in which the author will introduce some of the games he has played and recommended in the past. In this memorable first installment, I will introduce " killer7," an action-adventure game originally released on Gamecube in 2005 (a PlayStation 2 version appeared later) and currently available on Steam. (The controls in the text are based on the Steam version.)

The Smith League, an assassination squad with eight personalities



The protagonist of this title is the "Smith League," an assassination squad with eight "multi-layered personalities. Under the leadership of Herman Smith, the "God Killer," a man called Garcian Smith leads a team of six personalities as the "killer7," killing any target the U.S. government asks them to kill.



The term "multiple personalities" is unique to this film. Unlike multiple personalities, in which multiple personalities exist within a single body, the multiple personalities change not only their personalities but also their appearance when they switch between them. The story is told by switching between seven personalities, with Garcian Smith at the top, Dan Smith, Kaede Smith, Kevin Smith, Coyote Smith, Con Smith, and Masked Smith.



The story is divided into missions. During a mission, each stage has a specific location where the player can move, and the player travels back and forth along a predetermined path, defeating various enemies and solving puzzles. The "Heaven Smile," which appears as an enemy, is a human-based bio-weapon that is invisible and self-destructs when it spots a human approaching.

Although annoying, Heaven Smile within a certain distance can be searched for and visualized by pressing the right mouse button. Whenever a Heaven Smile becomes visible, a yellow tumor-like object will appear, and attacking it will kill it with a single blow. There are two difficulty levels in the game: "Daring" and "Death Combat." In "Daring" mode, the game automatically focuses on the weak point of a nearby Heaven Smile when you press the right mouse button, which makes the game very easy to play.



Kung Lan, the man who is creating the Heaven Smile. While the two are enemies, they also have friendly conversations and play chess together.


Even if you miss, you can aim again by right-clicking, so if you alternate between left-clicking to shoot and right-clicking to aim automatically, you should have little trouble.

By attacking weak points, you can obtain "blood," which is indispensable for recovering yourself and strengthening your status, thus killing two birds with one stone. Each stage also has a puzzle to solve, but you won't get stuck because there are helpful characters who give you hints. Both combat and puzzle solving are designed to be easy to play. The style of the game is hardcore, but the game is very easy to play.


The eye in the upper left corner of the screen represents the strength gauge.


When the character you are controlling is defeated, his or her head is left at the scene, and your character is automatically changed to Garcian Smith. If the head is recovered, the subject can be revived. The game can be retried an infinite number of times, but one must be careful because if Garcian is killed, the game is over.



Unprecedented and original worldview



The essence of "killer7" lies in its story and worldview. Who is the multi-layered personality Herman Smith? What is the Smith Alliance? Why does Khun Lan create Heaven Smile and antagonize Herman? Many questions come to mind as one plays through this work.

Since I was exposed to the GameCube version of this work when I was in high school, I had no idea about the whole ...... story, although when I heard that it was recently available on Steam, I played it as soon as I heard about it. I have to think about it more than I used to because I have become an adult and my knowledge of the game has expanded. As might be expected, the story of this notoriously difficult work is a complete episode, as in an animated television series, or a series of short stories, as in a novel.


Herman Smith's faithful servant, Iwazaru. He gives players hints and tips on how to attack the game. He wears restraints and red tights, and is gagged. His sewn-up eyes are also painful, but they are often forgotten because of his shocking appearance.


The prologue, "The Angel," reveals the Smith Alliance led by Herman Smith and their opponents, Khun Lan and Heaven's Mile. The unique furigana, such as "kill," and the suggestive and figurative phrases are full of a sense of irony, and players think, "This is cool," or "This looks like some kind of epic battle.

However, in the following episode, "Falling Sun," there is a discussion about whether the United States should intercept the 200 ballistic missiles that were suddenly launched at Japan. Japan and the U.S. have a security treaty, but Japan, having achieved postwar reconstruction, is now too powerful to be a supporting nation, and the ruling United Nations Association, led by President Toru Fukushima, has taken a hard line against the United States. Will Japan abide by the treaty and protect Japan, or will it abandon Japan and eliminate the threat? As political games are being played behind the scenes, "killer7" assassinates President Toru Fukushima at the request of the U.S. government. ...... is all in the works.

In the second episode, "Cloud Man," Andrei Ulmeida, a man claiming to be an entrepreneur, provokes "killer7" to kill him. The light-hearted personality of Ulmeida and the enemies that appear along the way have many comedic elements, in contrast to the first episode. The third episode, "Encounter," focuses on Dan Smith, a member of the Smith Alliance, and shows his confrontation with his mentor, as well as harsh depictions of civilian massacres, child abductions, and organ trafficking.


Episode 2: "Cloud Man." This is my favorite chapter.


Although I have already mentioned some spoilers, I am not sure if they are really spoilers. There is some foreshadowing that is recovered, but most of the important elements in the story remain vague until the end. As in the case of "Angel," which introduces the story, "Falling Sun," which has a strong political element, "Cloud Man," which has a comedic touch, and "Encounter," which describes the relationship between master and apprentice and depicts brutality, the stories have established clear themes and have little direct connection to each other. Within the single work "killer7," each story overlaps like a multilayered personality. These are connected by worlds that are motifs of reality and the "Smith Alliance" of Herman and his friends. Players are exposed to these worlds, but must compensate for most of them with their own deductions and considerations. However, when you play the second round of the game knowing what happens later, there are more questions that come to the surface than there are solutions. Naturally, the questions are endless, and sometimes you find yourself taking three steps backward when you should have taken two steps forward. But that is the best part of this work. It will appeal to different tastes, but if you like it, you'll be hooked.



Looking back, 2019 brought us masterpieces such as "Death Stranding," which focused on the element of "movement," which in a game should be streamlined, and "SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE," which gave meaning to the "deadly game" that tends to be a post-planning game, where you have to take the initiative and attack. The game is a game of death, but it is also a game of death that is often played to death. Not only both works, but many other titles were derived from the larger genres of "open world" and "action. Even today, more than half a century after the birth of video games, if you trace back the origins of the software that is released, you will find that it can be traced to great originals such as "Tetris," "Super Mario Brothers," and "Donkey Kong. However, "killer7" does not have a major source. It exists as a dot in the history of video games. What can one compare this unparalleled work of authorship to?



Goichi Suda, who wrote, designed, and directed "killer7," says that only one-third of the script he prepared was used for this game. Often presented as a work with a cult following, it may be that this is just not the whole picture, and that the original "killer7" is a royalty. Mr. Suda also mentioned the development of a complete version of "killer7" that incorporates all the scripts. Since Capcom owns the rights to this work, it remains to be seen if this will happen, but as a gamer, I will wait patiently for it.


(As a gamer, I am eagerly awaiting the release of "killer7.)


Film information

Killer7

Genre: Action adventure with multiple personalities

Compatibility: Steam

Price: 2,525 yen (tax included)

Distribution date: Available now

Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture

(C) CAPCOM CO., LTD. 2005, 2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (C) GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC. 2005, 2018. Licensed to GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC. Licensed to and published by NIS America, Inc.

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