Written by Again, I’ll open with my favorite and most damning line: I didn’t play the original Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. I probably played a demo for it a long time ago when it was being showcased as one of the first great titles to come out of Microsoft’s XNA program, but I lost track of it between then and the release of The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile. So, with that out of the way, onto my impressions.
The visual style of Dishwasher:VS should grab you instantly. Thick, bold lines combine with harsh, jagged strokes to really give the world a dirty, gritty personality. Character animations are smooth as all get out, and even when a lot of things are going on on screen, it’s very easy to follow the action. The slower, cut scene-ish sections of the demo were very trippy, bringing me back to moments like the Scarecrow’s levels in Arkham Asylum. I can’t really follow the story, but some of that might be because of missing out on the first game. Though, I’ve got to say, the steady escalation of events and the ultra violence reminds me of the old Newgrounds Madness flash videos I used to watch back in college.
Combat is satisfying and so, so visceral. Much like Castle Crashers, getting an enemy up into the air often spells their doom, as you combos are essentially limitless. Once you unlock the dodge/teleport ability that allows you to break apart and come back together just a few feet away in any direction via a quick tap on the right stick, you truly become a force to be reckoned with. Darting about the screen, dealing death at every turn is a great time. You should probably go check it out.