I just finished Katana Zero and thought I'd give this game a shout out in case anyone is still skeptical or on the fence. Simply put, it's excellent. Controls are tight, levels are well designed, gameplay is surprisingly thoughtful (you can't just coast through the game mindlessly, you have to consider your options carefully to clear levels), AND it has an elaborate, intricate plot that just keeps getting weirder as you progress. Oh yeah, and a killer soundtrack to boot. Its only shortcoming is that it's bit short at roughly 6 hours to complete, but honestly, it's worth it, this is a good case of quality over quantity.
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See: https://katanaswords.net/reverse-blade-katana/