SmileOS 2.0
ULTRAKILL Shrine
ULTRAKILL is a fast-paced retro-style FPS in which you play a blood-fueled war robot murdering your way through Hell to survive, currently in early access. It's soooo good holy shit it's SO fucking good. I'd known of it for a while, just as that thing whose main character looks like Whirl Transformers. Then in early July 2025 I saw it was on sale, finally read its description, and bought it immediately. Since then, I have played a NORMAL amount of ULTRAKILL, and my feelings towards the game are REASONABLE and NOT OBSESSIVE.
Should go without saying but, huge spoilers for ULTRAKILL below.
LORE:
I don't usually get too invested in a game's "Lore" (I hate that term), I'm perfectly content waiting for a story to reveal answers as gradually as it likes, but ULTRAKILL's has absolutely gripped me. All you strictly need to know is right there in the tagline: mankind is dead, blood is fuel, Hell is full. And you can go through the whole game not learning any more if you don't care for story and just want to ULTRAKILL the shit outta some ghoulies. But ohhh if you do care theres SO much to chew on.
ULTRAKILL takes place long after the Final War, implied to be an alternate version of WWI in which both sides used robots, eventually removing the need for any human soldiers. The pinnacle of these machines were the Earthmovers (named after the best Have a Nice Life song), gargantuan four-legged beasts running on blood and solar power. But after two hundred years of war, the sun would be completely blotted out by the ash and smoke. Without a power source, the Earthmovers died and humanity moved onto the New Peace. And then at some point they discovered Hell! Then later they all died! Now in order to find fuel, the many machines to have outlasted humanity are venturing deeper and deeper into Hell. Also God died/went missing at some point? Bonkers stuff.
And oh I could not begin to tell you how curious I am what killed humanity. It is gnawing at me. Layer 8 BETTER gimme some answers this is killing me.
Most of the lore is revealed in enemies' terminal entries and books dotted around the levels. And goodness those books are well-written! There's some lines from this game that are just permenently haunting my mind. My favourite has gotta be 7-2's book, but 7-4's is a close second. "THIS IS THE ONLY WAY IT SHOULD HAVE ENDED." :[
The highlight of ULTRAKILL's story, however, is its characters. Ohhh The Characters!!!
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V1We don't learn much about V1 directly, and especially little about what it's like. But what we do know is enough to make me Insane about it. Firstly, V1 was made towards the end of the Final War (implied to be built specifically to kill Earthmovers) but the war ended before it could be mass-produced. Secondly, it does not want to die. When I first actually read the death screen I absolutely lost my mind. Because V1 is completely and utterly doomed. It's slaughtering its way through Hell out of desperation, there's no other blood left. And once its rampage is complete, that's it. There's no surviving for V1, the most it can hope for is to be the last one standing. It can never be anything more than what it was built to be, it can never do anything but the will of its long-dead creators, because to do otherwise would mean death and it DOES NOT WANT TO DIE. I just want it to frolick in a field and go fishing. But alas, its torment makes a more interesting story so sorry baby! It's the torment nexus for you <3 |
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GABRIELGabriel's introduction is one of the best parts of this game. He's everywhere in Act I, first seen in the massive, eyecatching mural in 1-4 and playing a central role in the Lust layer's story. All building up to 3-2, when he finally appears in the flesh (ha ha.) And he does not disappoint!! He's nothing like any enemy encountered until this point, being the first angel and, crucially, the only character in the main game to speak. Gianni Matragrano absolutely KILLS it as his voice actor, he's AMAZING. He makes an immediate, unforgettably strong impression. Gabriel also introduces real consequences to the game: your actions in the previous layers have been noticed. It's incredible. 3-2 was when I started loving ULTRAKILL. I am obsessed with Gabriel's parallels with V1. Both were created to serve a purpose. Gabriel is nothing more than an object used to carry out God's will. And like V1, his creator is long-dead. But while V1, in its fear of death, continues carrying out its function until there's nothing left to kill, Gabriel accepts his death to free himself. Still doomed, yes, but at least now he can be a PERSON. Something something transgender allegory. |
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V2V2 is V1's successor, built for security during the New Peace but, like its predecessor, never mass-produced. It absolutely terrified me when it first showed up in 1-4. 1-4 and 4-4 are easily two of the best boss fights in ULTRAKILL, it feels less like fighting an enemy as fighting another player who's WAY better at the game than me. V2's characterisation is done brilliantly. It is SUCH a drama queen, I ADORE how it leans on the throne in 4-4, then slowly gets up. I just know the WHOLE time between the first fight and the rematch it was planning its entrance. Unlike V1 and Gabriel, V2 isn't trying to fulfil a role its creators assigned it. It was made for peace, not war. And it was not made to be a superior V1, but a replacement to get at least some profit from the now-obsolete technology. But being V1's successor is the only identity it has! So of course, now finding itself obsolete—a security bot against machines of war—it clings to it. Right to the very end. |
LEVELS:
DIFFICULTY: STANDARD
PRELUDE P
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
ACT I: INFINITE HYPERDEATH P
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
ACT II: IMPERFECT HATRED A
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE
COMPLETE
ACT III: GODFIST SUICIDE -
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
COMPLETE
PRIME SANCTUMS -
ENCORES -
FAVOURITE LEVELS
0-3: DOUBLE DOWN - The fight against Swordsmachine is the highlight of the Prelude, and the rest of the level has a nice up-down-up-down structure I really enjoy. When I first saw Swordsmachine I was so excited, I thought "oh yippee another robot, a friend!" This joy was. Misplaced.
1-3: HALLS OF SACRED REMAINS - I love the branching path, it's nice to some extra difficulty in the relatively-easy early game while leaving the option for a more gradual difficulty curve.
1-4: CLAIR DE LUNE - V2's first fight is incredible and I've already talked about it above. The atmosphere of the first part of the level is also stellar, the lack of enemies and peaceful music are really eerie. Then just when you're getting used to it, V2 slides in and shoots you. And after that, you don't let your guard down for a second.
3-2: IN THE FLESH - I've also already ranted about Gabriel's introduction plenty above. It's just so iconic. I also really love the look of the Gluttony layer, especially Gabriel's boss arena. It's all fleshy and writhing and pulsating, I adore it.
ALL OF LAYER 5: WRATH - BEST LAYER IN THE GAME. HOLY SHIT IT JUST DOESN'T MISS. With the best soundtrack, might I add! 5-1 is hectic and thrilling, a great introduction to get the blood pumping. 5-2's Ferryman fight is really fun, and its lore paints Gabriel in a much more positive light than we'd ever seen him before. It's REALLY important to setting up his redemption after 6-2. It shows that he IS, at heart, a good person. 5-3 is maybe my favourite level in the game, it's so chaotic and bloody. I LOVE its structure, going through the ship before it gets flipped over and you have to retrace your steps. And while I usually don't care for fights against giant bosses, I thoroughly enjoy the rhythm you get into with the Leviathan in 5-4. PEAK ULTRAKILL!!!
ALL OF LAYER 6: HERESY - FUCK ME THIS GAME IS SO GOOD. First of all, Heresy is definitely the coolest looking layer. The blood-red colour palette, the gothic architecture, it's definitely the layer that looks the most like HELL. The final room of 6-1 is utter pandemonium. I do not make any conscious decisions when replaying this level, it's all just animal instinct. It also has the best track in the game, Altars of Apostasy. And 6-2? OH GABRIEL MY LOVE. Every waking moment before I finally managed to defeat him was spent thinking about his AMAZING monologue leading up to the fight. I would kill to experience walking towards him through that massive arena, organ music getting louder and louder as you approach, until suddenly he SLAMS down on the keys for the first time again. The fucking delivery on "MY HANDS SHALL RELISH ENDING YOU" haunts me in my sleep.
7-3: NO SOUND, NO MEMORY - Getting marked for death in this level is ULTRAKILL at peak mayhem. It's INSANE, absolutely impossible to follow anything going on. You've just gotta let your hands do their own thing. And personally, I find this game is at its best when I black out and awake two minutes later having killed everything. I also love how eerie the parts of the level without enemies are. It's so spooky, it really makes you miss getting murdered repeatedly!
7-S: HELL BATH NO FURY - THE funniest gimmick for a secret level. I was cackling when I opened the exit door and saw the cleaning equipment. It's also just genuinely very relaxing. You get to play an ULTRAKILL level and then spent 30 minutes to an hour peacefully doing chores, it's nice.
FAVOURITE TRACKS
GLORY (3-1) - Definitely one of the less intense tracks in the OST, but I really love the drums
DIVINE INTERVENTION (3-2) - Have you EVER heard anyone kick quite this much ass on the strings??? Holy shit.
CHAOS (P-1) - If ever a track deserved the name "CHAOS" it's this one. It's a cacophony of dischordant industrial sounds and time signature fun, perfectly fitting the hectic Flesh Prison fight.
DUEL (VERSUS REPRISE) (4-4) - Better version of an already fantastic track. Love the electronic sounds towards the middle, and then the choir joining in AUGH. So good. The intro also fucks so hard.
DEEP BLUE (5-1) - Ohhh that saxophone. Magnificent! Whenever I replay 5-1 I make sure to drain the water so I can hear the music clearly.
"He Is the Light in My Darkness" (5-2) - On the shorter end, but no less fantastic. Starts off with some killer ambience before throwing out all the stops to fit the Ferryman fight proper.
Death Odyssey (5-3) - WHO AM I TO DENY THE SICK JOYS OF 6/8?!! Oh it's SO good. IT'S SOOO GOOD. At least half the reason 5-3 is the best level in ULTRAKILL.
Altars of Apostasy (6-1) - Hands down the best track in the game. Perfectly encapsulates the rising tension of Heresy as you get closer and closer to Gabriel. THE END IS INSANE AND AMAZING AND PERFECT, I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
The Death of God's Will (6-2) - Oh nevermind, have you ever heard anyone kick ass on the strings QUITE THIS HARD??! My favourite boss theme of any video game. I keep dying to Gabriel because I get distracted listening to the music. It always gets stuck in my head!
Pandemonium (P-2) - Like half my motivation for P-ranking Act II is to hear this track in its natural habitat. It's hectic, it's chaotic, it's intense, everything I love in a piece of music.
War (P-2) - The build-up is just so good. Utter head-banger.
The World Looks Red (7-1) - Such a grand track. Even wearing headphones it feels like it fills the whole room, not from loudness but from its sheer size and weight.
Bull of Hell (7-1) - This one is spooky. I'll be honest, at first I really didn't like it, I much prefer the more melodious tracks, but it's grown on me SO much. It sounds restless and trapped.
Danse Macabre (7-3) - I love how well the slow, sombre violin complements the more rock-flavoured part of the track, it's a really fun mix of sounds and genres you don't hear too often.
War Without Reason (7-4) - This is another one that took some time to grow on me. Each section is unique but still fits with the others seamlessly. It's huge and mechanical and GOD the synth at the end.
LINKS:
Dream's End Come True - Comic about Mirage and V2. THE FANCOMIC OF ALL TIME. AUUGHH.
ULTRARING - ULTRAKILL webring.
jack-dawlia's ULTRAKILL shrine - Owner of the webring.
wolfsbane's ULTRAKILL shrine - A WIP, but has very thorough strategy guides to enemies and weapons.
softlynet's ULTRAKILL shrine - Very stylish!
ULTRAKILL enjoyer - Absolutely cracked at this game, their guides to challenges and secrets have helped me sooo much.
ULTRAWIKI - Fuck me I love a comprehensive wiki.