The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai

"Blood, Guitars, and Decapitations, Oh My!"

The sidescrolling beat-'em-up genre is something of its own - move from point 'A' to point 'B' and kill as many fools as you possible can who just so happen to get in your way. It is beyond simple, but it is that simplicity that makes it so fun and approachable. Now, when I downloaded a game wherein you play a dishwasher, I got it simply on the notion that it was going to be stupid, and I had to play it. Several hours, I found that I stumbled upon a wonderful gem created by one man alone; a game that fit into my collection well enough to be called my favorite game from the Live Arcade.

The Dishwasher awakes to find that his heart has been removed - he can barely remember where he is or why he is exactly missing a vital organ, but doesn't really care, as the Cyborgs who control his world are out to kill him. What peruses is a story of understanding, redemption, but mostly bloodshed - it doesn't really matter why the Dishwasher is doing this, so long as it's as bloody and gruesome as possible.

I was surprised to find the story, for how brief and insensible it starts out to be, actually fairly captivating. Cutscenes are displayed across the screen as comic strips and help to explain some of the oddity. While most of it tells of a backstory, there are a few moments that hold a surprising amount of power behind them (or at least create some badass fights). While the tale of the Dishwasher isn't going to win any awards soon, it's well thought out enough to be reason enough for playing through the game.

Behind the comic strips lies the art style of Dishwasher, which can readily be described as "rough". Not only rough in that it keeps a gritty aesthetic, but also rough for some of the enemies, who look poorly drawn and are not animated particularly well (in stark comparison to the lovingly crafted Dishwasher). The backgrounds also, while gaining more variety as the game progresses and has some nice detail, consists of very dark and dull colors, making it somewhat monotonous until the later stages, which develop only a different monotony. While certainly not the most beautiful game, the overall theme and feel of Dishwasher, mostly its beyond brutal combat, is to be respected.

The music of Dishwasher follows in suit with the visuals - save for a few key tracks, it keeps up only in continuing the theme and feeling of the stages, but the tracks themselves are in no way interesting. Sound effects are nicely done, however, and the minimal voice acting of the Dishwasher himself keeps him appearing as a complete homicidal maniac... the crackle of revving the chainsaw is gold in and of itself.

Ultimately, it is not for the visuals that one plays Dishwasher, but for the combat... oh, the glorious, glorious combat.

Beat-'em-ups are known for being violent (hence the titular essence of the genre), but Dishwasher takes it to a whole new level by making every encounter a brutal fight to the death. Attacks spray blood across the ground, kicks and slashes send foes flying across the screen, all setting up an enemy for their complete death.

Perhaps the most entertaining element of combat lies in the good olde fatalities, so enabled by weakening enemies down to just a sliver of health. With a press of a button, the Dishwasher can give out a clean kill (which admittedly includes copious amounts of blood), or an amazing brutal death, such as by taking a soldier's grenades, sticking them in his eyes, and blowing his skull off, or taking an assassin's own weapon and impaling him upon it. Giving out the correct death gives the Dishwasher health and more money, so there's an incentive to watching for the correct move, rather than button mashing for that oh so amazing brutal kill...

The Dishwasher starts his venture with just a pair of meat cleavers, which, while still utilized well, are soon replaced with a further arsenal, including scythes, an Uzi and shotgun combo, and chainsaw, but the very interesting weapon of the Shift Blade. Instead of performing a normal roll with other weapons, the Shift Blade lets you warp across the screen. While not much, it's an interesting idea that lets you mix up combat quite a bit, and is used for other exploration around levels.

Speaking of levels, the various stages the compose the games two major modes - Story, the main narrative and gameplay mode, and Arcade, a series of rooms wherein you kill foes to try and reach the highest score - are very well done. Story stages are surprisingly expansive and oftentimes feature multiple routes and minor puzzle solving elements (granted, the same puzzle three times, but still). Thankfully, the stages are also varied just enough so that, while being somewhat repetitive, never remain the constantly same pallet and background.

In exploring, the player comes across multiple items - some rooms contain timed challenges that reward you with Psycho Picks, upgrade items used for your weapons. Upgrading weapons allows for different combos with each tool, allowing you to specialize in certain weapons to greater tear apart your foes. Otherwise, you'll also find Dish Magic, three spells that expand your destructive prowess by giving you an extra utility to deal damage or get you out of a pinch. Still yet, you'll find two items that allow for on-the-stop story co-op, which is a blast to play with a friend (if only because the second player looks cooler and has infinite lives).

An odd addition which borders on the gimmicky is the inclusion of two guitar games - one being a guitar mini-game, and the other being an additional co-op mode, both of which can (the latter, must be) controlled with a Guitar Hero/Rockband guitar peripheral. It's kind of a weird little add on that seems rather pointless to some, but all it is is entertaining, if not difficult.

Difficultly is perhaps Dishwasher's most notable feature - even on the easiest difficultly, it's really easy to find yourself dying... a lot. Dishwasher is not, as even claimed by is creator, a button masher, and playing it as such will result in your death around the Normal difficultly. This is a lovely change of pace - it can be enjoyed fairly well as just button mashing, but its true form is as a specific, strategic fighting game. The difficulty is also a nice kick in the fork of the pants to the easy fare found on the Live Arcade and games in general these days - while off-putting to some, others will revel in the game's harsh tendency to say "Screw you, Steve!" and kick you into a pit of endless continue screens.

What Dishwasher is, more than anything else, is just fun. It may not be the most polished game, or the easiest, or the best looking, but it certainly is just entertaining to anyone with a soft spot for hardcore violence. When played with a friend, it's fantastically entertaining, even when you're constantly dying, and it still remains wholly awesome when played alone.

Ultimately, I like The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai - it's different from anything I've really ever played before, and I can respect both that and its creation by a singular member. If you're looking for a violent game on the cheap that can easily be enjoyed alone or with friends (as its sheer spectacle and executions can cause quite a few gasps of "Oh my God!"), look no further than Dishwasher, but be prepared to get good at it, or die trying.

Also, is the Chef not the single greatest sidekick... ever?

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/01/09

Game Release: The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai (US, 04/01/09)