Every visionary is entitled to a screw-up or two. For Pixar, it's the Cars series. For J.K. Rowling, it is the notoriously awful epilogue to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And for Goichi Suda (Suda51), it's Killer is Dead. This third person action game might appear at a glance to bring the kinetic insanity of Suda's Wii-exclusive No More Heroes series to a more modern platform, and while some of it has made the transition relatively intact, it comes with a cost. Killer is Dead is always nonsensical, sometimes offensive, and rarely much fun to play.

Graphically, Killer is Dead oozes style. The high contrast pseudo cel-shaded comic book aesthetic works really well in tandem with the game's well-established film noir theme. Mondo is a creepy-looking dude: picture Kevin from Sin City, but with red eyes and a cybernetic arm. His actions don't do much to shake the creep factor, but that's a story best saved for later. The action itself is flashy and brutal, taking cues from No More Heroes and Shadows of the Damned, even if the combat itself isn't nearly as much fun as it is in those games. I suppose much of the imagery is meant to straddle the line between titillation and severe discomfort; between the busty nurse riding around on a giant flying syringe and a mid-game boss fight featuring a man clothed in nothing but what appears to be a few pieces of crime scene tape, I felt the urge to shower every time I played the game.

Killer is Dead continues the Grasshopper Manufacture tradition of having great music; there's a nice contrast between the casual, foot-tapping jazz and the insanity that so often occupies the screen as you play. Voice work is less praiseworthy, if only because the script is so completely inane. I can't imagine anyone anywhere finding the character of Mika charming. Her excessively childlike antics wear thin within the minute she first appears in the game; it's so bad that no amount of tragic backstory makes her any easier to sympathize with.

Killer is Dead's narrative runs on two gears: utter nonsense and lurid trash. From my roughly eight-hour playthrough, here's what I was able to take from the story: you are Mondo Zappa, an assassin working for the Bryan Execution Firm. I won't explain any more than that, because I can't. Reality must have a restraining order against Mr. Suda. While his particular brand of eccentricity is tolerable and even enjoyable in most of his other games, it is laid on thick to the point of opacity in Killer is Dead. If this is culture shock I'm experiencing, it's having the same effect on me as the sprinklers had on the monster at the end of Alien 3 (hint: it exploded). I dare you to crack this game's story. Actually, don't even bother, because it's a fool's errand.

So Killer is Dead is a narrative and thematic train wreck. But how does it play? It's okay. No more, and no less. It's a third-person character action game along the same lines of Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden. As Mondo, you progress through a series of linear but vaguely open missions as you make your way to each assassination target. Evil is frequently afoot, though, and twisted monsters known as Wires are constantly spoiling for a fight. So action alternates between simply finding new ways to progress and hacking Wires to pieces. It's serviceable, but poorly-paced and selectively functional. And that's not enough to elevate a game like this above the others.

Killer is Dead isn't difficult. There isn't really anything to figure out. The level design won't lead you astray, and the enemies generally don't put up too much of a fight. Even if you do get lazy and end up caught off guard, it doesn't matter. You can purchase Mika Tickets, which allow you to revive on the spot after dealing with a silly minigame that involves Mika pounding on Mondo's chest.

Once you complete the game, there's no real reason to return to it; a second go will not yield any "eureka!" moments with regards to the story, the challenge levels never really get off the ground due to the ho-hum gameplay, and leaderboards are just kind of thrown in for good measure.

As far as the actual gameplay goes, Killer is Dead is an unrefined blend of swordplay and gunplay. Most of it can be blown through by simply mashing on a button and evading when enemies begin to telegraph their own attacks. However, if you're feeling lucky, you can opt to try out Mondo's defensive abilities. A perfectly-timed defensive posture will execute a Just Guard, which knocks enemies back and leaves them vulnerable. Some enemies take to the air and cannot be reached by Gekkou (Mondo's trusty katana), so these must be taken out with Musselback (Mondo's cybernetic gun-arm). Shooting is almost entirely unsatisfying in Killer is Dead, though headshots are reminiscent of those in Shadows of the Damned.

As you fight, you earn a few things. Firstly, the blood spilled by your enemies is absorbed into Mondo. This blood powers Musselback and gives Mondo enhanced fighting capabilities. Currency can be earned and spent on upgrades and special moves. It's all so standard that you'll probably stick to mashing out the most basic combos instead of exploring the arsenal.

I've avoided explaining this for the entire review, but at this point, everyone has talked about it at some point. Of course, I refer to the Gigolo Missions. If you want to earn a few upgrades for Musselback, you'll have to participate in one of the most thoroughly repulsive mini-games in recent memory. First, you buy some presents. Then, you sit down with a woman. You build your Guts meter by literally staring at their breasts, legs, etc. Once your Guts meter fills up completely, you can present the meat puppet with a present, which in turn literally buys their love. You know, like in real life! Look, I'm not gay and I'm not a prude; I adore the female form as much as the next guy. I've played all of Suda's games since Killer7, and at this point I'm convinced this is just him deliberately screwing with the gaming community, where the hint of any sexism, real or perceived, is met with shrieks and pitchforks. If it is, I just wish he could have done it in a way that wasn't boring.

Killer is Dead is worth a look for Suda fans and nobody else. Gamers looking for a mature, coherent action experience should seek out the absolute antithesis of it. It isn't a bad game in and of itself, but it's not good. If you want to experience Grasshopper Manufacture's special brand of insanity, there are better alternatives.