Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition Review (XBLA)

From indie developer ACE Team comes the first person brawler, Zeno Clash. This Ultimate Edition for Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360 is published by Atlus.

As Ghat, you have killed your Father-Mother and are run out of the city with your companion Deadra by your brothers and sisters. The game unfolds both as you escape your siblings, the Corwids of the Free and a mercenary hunter, and during the events that lead up to death of Father-Mother. This split narrative is compelling, and definitely kept my interest. Players should expect to be confused for some time, but the story has a satisfying conclusion.

Zeno Clash's world, Zenozoik, feels fully realized, and much larger than the game conveys, as if Zeno Clash is but one story in this universe. It's refreshing that the game does not talk down to the player and treats the player as an intelligent person.

For the most part, Zeno Clash plays like a first person brawler with some first person shooting elements as well, and occasionally shakes things up throughout its roughly four hour story mode. The fighting mechanics take some getting used to, but their simplicity is accessible for newcomers and as the game opens up, the mechanics show some interesting depth.

This game is a wonderfully unique experience. It's well designed, and the creative world is unlike any other. The Ultimate Edition includes a few different challenge modes, including co-op, where players can test their combat skills. Zeno Clash is also available on PC, including Steam, and comes highly recommended.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• zeno
• clash
• ultimate
• edition
• ace
• team
• atlus
• xbox
• 360
• live
• arcade
• xbla
• steam
• pc
• version
• review
• game
• play
• gameplay
• video
• footage

[Chipsturs]

Hey craig thanks for the insight, you've certainly opened my eyes up to this game. at first i thought what the hell is this but then as your video went on it looks kinda of cool and something different to try, i quite like the up close and personal fighting.

[tvandlust]

@Chipsturs We have a demo here in the US on the Xbox 360, might be worth seeing if you have one as well!

[AndrewXAnarchy]

What's a father-mother?

[tvandlust]

@AndrewXAnarchy To answer your question without giving too much away, the game never explicitly says. It would seem that it is a creature that is both female and male, and a parent to the children of Ghat's tribe.

[aaronthesplazer]

wow that game looks bad and seems like it plays bad too FAIL game

[tvandlust]

@aaronthesplazer Play more Free Realms then. :P

[muchohumpty]

1200 MSP for this? I think I'll pass. Too steep of a price when theres xbox orginals like Splinter Cell, Halo, GTA etc that are also 1200 msp.

If they were smarth they wouldve made the price point 800 MSPs

[RodGamer35]

@Saltydko yeah it kinda is a little gross :/

[VargasXX78]

game play reminds me of Condemned 2 on the PS3, but with a fantasy flair

Great Review!!!

[Xpert74]

Wow, this game looks insane. I'm not a big fan of first person, but this game seems pretty cool, and unique.

[CroatianRetroGamer]

Game looks interesting and graphic is really good.

[BillyBobMcFee]

@tvandlust LOL!