Kusan: City of Wolves

Ultimately, Kusan: City of Wolves takes a well-established concept and adds a very strong layer of identity on top of it. Fast and visceral gameplay is one of the title's highlights, alongside a sound design and aesthetic that impeccably accompany this journey of redemption. Despite occasional visual clutter amid the chaos, the game stands out as one of the most fun and memorable action experiences of the year.

Steeped in style, with excellent animations, Kusan is a stunning neon world with its own unique way of telling a gritty story through a graphic novel.

“If we're going to get compared to Hotline Miami, we might as well make it count" must have been the train of thought at CIRCLEfromDOT, and boy did they ever. Even if Kusan: City of Wolves doesn't necessarily break the mold in terms of gameplay originality, it absolutely scratches that itch that Dennaton Games has been causing for many years. The only aspect that doesn't really hit the adrenalin rush spot is the Korean hiphop soundtrack, even if it isn't a bad OST in general.

"When Hotline Miami meets John Wick." Few games live up to a developer's pitch this perfectly. If you're looking for an adrenaline rush, Kusan: City of Wolves delivers. It's brutally difficult, but once it gets its hooks into you, it's hard to put down.

The story stuck with me a lot. There’s a lot of gray area that starts to justify the group and their actions; well, the people we perceived to be trying to help start to show their true colors. The motivations and actions of each party start to come into question, and we see the turmoil of Jin as he understands the group's motives but turns away to protect what matters most to him. It’s hard. It’s a great story told in a unique graphic novel-esque format that still gave the intensity I was hoping for.

Kusan: City Of Wolves really takes no prisoners – you’re either the fastest or you’re dead. Though it gives you countless tries to get it right, some players may find the brutality of the one-hit-your-dead mechanic too intense to make much progress. Though it looks amazing, there are problems in Kusan that could be easily fixed, such as giving more time to explain new game mechanics and spending time making sure its narrative was accessible and easy to comprehend. Despite its shortcomings, for those who love a good-looking, brutal shooter and don’t really care much about following a narrative, you will enjoy Kusan: City of Wolves.