10 CRIMINALLY Overlooked Recent Video Games

Thanks to Braid, Deathloop, and It Takes Two, the “rewind time” mechanic has gotten pretty tiresome. Luckily, Katana Zero handles this gimmick in a way which feels fresh and innovative.

Throughout this sidescrolling hack-and-slash, you play as an assassin who works for a mysterious psychiatrist. While you're slicing-and-dicing enemies, you can slow down time to dodge attacks or reverse the trajectory of projectiles.

Using a premonition technique, you can replay each room immediately after you die, allowing you to quickly memorise and adapt to the enemies' strategies. When you clear a room, you'll be allowed to see your killing spree with the mistakes and flaws cut out, making your work look flawless.

However, any game can have one good mechanic. What elevates Katana Zero is how the developers fine-tune every detail, whether it's the retro graphics, the VHS effects, or the nostalgic chip-tunes.

Rather than being pure-action from beginning to end, Katana Zero never lets you forget about the narrative. After each mission, you learn more about our protagonist's life, either through flashbacks, interactions with his neighbour, or discussions with his doctor. Because of the branched dialogue paths and alternate story scenarios, Katana Zero boasts a hefty amount of replayability.