In these predictable days - when few publishers are willing to take risks that may dent their profit margins - it's rare to find a game that offers a true alternative to the Identikit racers and substandard brawlers that clutter the shelves in HMV. But with Killer7, Capcom has created a unique, compelling adventure that's unlike anything else on the market, but an experience that's sure to alienate as many players as it charms.
Essentially a surreal shooting game, Killer7 casts players as Harman Smith, a wheelchair-bound assassin with a multiple-personality disorder who retreats inside his imagination to challenge a group of terrorists intent on world domination. Once inside Smith's dreams, players can swop freely between each of his seven personalities - a colourful gallery of rogues that includes a Mexican wrestler, suicidal murderer and blind hit man - using their unique powers and weapons to solve puzzles and slaughter enemies.
In terms of presentation and storytelling, Killer7 is flawless, the convoluted plot, superb voice acting and abstract visual style effortlessly drawing players into a weird-ass world that's more David Lynch than Doom 3.
But with confusing controls that can take hours to master - and obscure puzzles that often bring the action grinding to a standstill - Killer7 won't appeal to anyone looking for the easy thrills or visceral action of Halo 2.