Let It Die Fourth Developer Diary, Character Details
The Eccentric Friends and Deadly Foes of Let It Die on PS4
As we approach the inevitable catastrophe known only as the “Earth Rage,” it’s time we formally meet some of the deadly denizens who will inhabit our post-civilization world and assist (or murder) you on your way up the Tower of Barbs.
The world of Let It Die is home to quite a colorful cast of characters. Seemingly ripped from the pages of a gritty pulp comic, yet infused with a kitschy “pop” aesthetic, these characters manage to be eccentric, eclectic, and sometimes even helpful!
Uncle Death (voiced by Jukka Hilden) is the first major character you will encounter on your adventure. This arcade-dwelling, skateboarding-slash-golf enthusiast literally brings you into the world as he introduces you to his favorite game ever. Luckily, he also sticks around to act as your personal guide and cheerleader. Providing a helpful reference book, some basic tips, and color commentary on your most brutal kills, Uncle Death is never too far from the action.
He’s blunt, but also quick to compliment those who earn it. As a personal quirk, he insists on calling you “senpai” (a Japanese term of respect typically reserved for upperclassmen or those with more seniority) despite being about a thousand years your elder. Don’t let his appearance fool you, this reaper is anything but grim. At times, he can be downright wacky, but he does seem to enjoy this violent chaos a little too much…
Kiwako Seto (Daveigh Chase) is the newest recruit at the most successful (presumably only) post-apocalyptic insurance company in town, Direct Hell. Despite the death and destruction around her, Kiwako is quite skilled at her job and manages to maintain composure despite her surroundings. She does tend to get a bit too excited upon witnessing what she considers to be a “GRUESOMAZING” death, but she never lets that stop her from politely offering her company’s standard insurance policy. You know, the one that brings you back from the dead. It’s the best seller, naturally.
When she’s not busy working, Kiwako enjoys riding around on her signature scooter, the Yotsuyama Sick TNG, and posting new (likely gruesome) photos to her Pinstagram account, @kiwa.v_v.kiwa.
The Tower of Barbs can be a pretty messy place, especially with all the death and destruction players leave behind in their wake. Luckily, The Jackals are there to clean it up and look classy doing it. Former criminals and former champions of a top secret martial arts championship, they were hand-picked by the mysterious Yotsuyama Group.
As part of their “cleaning” duties, they are required to collect dead fighters. Highly-leveled fighters command a pretty hefty price, so their corpses (and remaining equipment) could be quite the desirable commodity for would-be scavengers. The Jackals are armed with equipment far superior to just about anything a player might come across in the tower, so interrupt their work at your own peril!
Jackal X (Verne Troyer) is a former gangster and violent brute. Short tempered and possessing the skill to back it up, his beam saber will make quick work of those foolish enough to bother him. Jackal Y (Mark Rolston) is a former hitman and all around “cool guy.” He favors the more elegant beam gun when it’s time to dispatch his foes. Jackal Z (Traci Lords) is the only female in the group, and her past is shrouded in mystery. Though, perhaps her biggest mystery is how she obtained such an insane level of skill with her complicated-yet-deadly beam yo-yo!
And with that, we have finally met a few of the charming characters players will encounter in Let It Die. This colorful cast is brought to life with Grasshopper’s signature style and even more incredible voice acting talent such as Steve Blum, Matt Mercer, Patrick Seitz, Fred Tatasciore, Laraine Newman, Billy Dee Williams, and Mark Hamill.
Let It Die will be free-to-play and is coming soon exclusively to PS4. We hope you’ll stay tuned for more news and info about the latest installment of chaos brought to you by Grasshopper Manufacture and GungHo Online Entertainment.
Antonio Cara - Customer Operations Manager, GungHo Online Entertainment America
Let It Die is a hyper-violent hack-and-slash action experience with roguelike elements. Fight your way to the top in this free-to-play collaborative creation brought to you by Grasshopper Manufcature and GungHo Online Entertainment America.
Kill or Be Killed
Fight your way to the top in this chaotic and pulp survival action taking free-to-play to a whole new level. Begin your journey in your underwear and survive by any means necessary while taking advice from Uncle Death, a skateboarding reaper. Pry weapons and armor from the cold dead grasp of your fallen foes or craft even better gear. Eat mushrooms, frogs, and other odd creatures to keep your strength up or activate special abilities. Strategize when it’s best to fight or sneak away to fight another day. You may lose your belongings upon death, but death doesn’t always have to be the end...
Welcome to the Tower of Barbs
In the year 2026 AD, a large tectonic disturbance caused mass destruction around the world.
In the midst of the destruction, South Western Tokyo split off into the ocean where the seismic activity caused a large spire to rise out of the ocean piercing the island creating a tower-like structure deemed holy by some.
Rumor has it that a sacred treasure awaits at the top of the Tower of Barbs for those that survive the climb. Many dangers and mysteries remain hidden from the eyes of mankind and await those courageous enough to dare approach the tower.
Features
• Hack and Slash with Roguelike-Elements – Survival is the name of the game within the brutal Tower of Barbs. Strengthen your Fighters and master their weapon wielding skills by hacking and slashing your way through the tenacious enemies and other players that stand in your way. Beware though, when killed in battle, your Fighter will lose everything you’ve accumulated since last visiting your base. Although, some may argue that dying is more of a choice than a lifestyle.
• Loot and Craft – Pick up and equip a variety of weapons and armor from the corpses of your enemies to make their strength yours. Craft your own equipment to gain the upper hand in battle! With a wide variety of equipment combinations, get creative in how you teach others what fear really looks like!
• Eat to Survive – Eat various mushrooms, frogs, and other creatures to stave off death. Creatures replenish HP while mushrooms may provide temporary stat boosts or other interesting effects! However, not all things should be eaten, so be on alert what you put in your mouth.
• Life After Death – Fighters that die will be reanimated in other player’s games equipped with the same armor and weapons they were wielding at the moment of their untimely death. However, other player’s reanimated Fighters will not go down easily without a fight. Defeat other player’s Fighters to obtain some of their gear and other valuable resources!
Just because it’s the end of the world doesn’t mean we can’t still have some good-old-fashioned PVP fun! The post-apocalyptic setting for Let It Die provides the perfect backdrop for competition and glory!
Haters
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the Tower of Barbs and had a good chance to die a few dozen times, you may start to notice the world around you changing just a little. And in a very literal way, you may become your own worst enemy!
Haterfication occurs on death and it’s the process by which a player’s death data becomes an incredibly deadly AI opponent. These “Haters” can be seen roaming the world with noticeable gamer tags. This should act as both a warning sign to avoid a deadly encounter as well as a beacon of hope for exclusive, useful loot! If you can defeat a Hater, the process can be rewarding indeed. Haters generated by other players can provide exclusive items; whereas, defeating your own Hater allows you to return it to your storage freezer as a usable Fighter character.
Haters provide an exciting challenge and helpful opportunity for resources, but they are just one element of the unique, asynchronous multiplayer experience waiting for players in Let It Die.
Player-versus-Player and Team Battles
After progressing through the first few floors of the Tower of Barbs, players gain access to the insanely creepy robotic NPC, Tetsuo. This clunky, shuffling monstrosity offers players the chance to sign up for a team and start raiding enemy Waiting Rooms. During a raid, you can steal enemy resources (Kill Coins and SPLithium) and accrue points for your team by defeating enemy Fighters.
There’s also a chance that a Fighter you’ve defeated will be knocked unconscious, allowing you to pick them up and drag them back to your base. While captured, enemy Fighters will remain trapped in your bathroom and generate a set amount of SPLithium over time. They also become inaccessible to their original user until they pay a set fee or rescue them during a revenge raid. As you and other members of your team continue to raid Waiting Rooms (individually) and defeat other teams’ Fighters, your team rank will increase. Go for glory and help your team reach the top of the leaderboards while simultaneously boosting your personal ranking within the team.
So how do you defend your own base? First off, make sure your Fighters are the best! You’ve got your own personal meat locker meant for storing Fighter bodies. Be sure to buy powerful ones when they become available and go on a few Tower runs to beef them up. Earn some EXP, gather up resources, and head back to your base. When enemies come to attack your Waiting Room, they’ll have to deal with the Fighters you’ve set in place to defend your goods.
It’s important to build up multiple Fighters so you can go on your own adventures while leaving your home base well protected. Just as you’re able to snag your opponent’s resources, they can do the same to you. Upgrading your Buffalo Bank (Kill Coin storage) and SPLithium Tank will not only allow you to accumulate more resources, it will also increase their HP to allow them to survive longer during raids.
Expeditions
Finally, if you are starving for resources and reputation, you can send Fighters you have in storage out on Expeditions. When you do so, they show up in another player’s world as a Hunter. Like Haters, they are quite tricky to defeat. The primary difference is that they will wander your opponent’s world for a set amount of time gathering up all kinds of useful goodies. If they can kill your opponent’s Fighter, they will also collect SPLithium. This roaming period lasts until their timer runs out or the enemy player can defeat the Hunter. There’s no punishment for having your Hunter defeated early, so feel free to send them out as often as you like. Just keep in mind, if they are out hunting, they aren’t protecting your base.
And with that, you’re ready to start your quest toward infamy. Will you be the one to guide your team to the top of the charts? Climb the Tower of Barbs, build your army, and test your mettle.
This is how we Let It Die!
Antonio Cara - Customer Operations Manager, GungHo Online Entertainment America