Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition

Posted: 05/06/10

Zeno Clash casts you as the role of Ghat, a blank slate straight out of Mad Max, and slayer of Father-Mother, a strange, tall creature that's both patriarch and matriarch of a large family. Now they want vengeance. Playable flashbacks flesh out the events leading up to the murder, while Ghat's ongoing exile into the savage lands makes up the tail end of this first-person puncher.

Combat is the mantra, which comes in the form of punches. Strong attacks are mapped to the right shoulder button. Holding down wind-ups the attack and releasing delivers a fierce uppercut that feels harsh and impactful. Conversely, throwing three consecutive jabs by holding down the left shoulder is off-putting; you'd expect to time your blows in a more metered, less automatic, manner. When fists fail, a good spear or hammer could offer some extra oomph and variety, as do the occasional fishy firearms. Offering the most visual and damaging rewards, the advanced combat moves, involving blocks, dodges, and counters, take a while to master. The world's topography and ecology constantly engage you, and though you'll fight in small stages, only a few areas feel like barebones arenas.

The majority of the game is spent kicking the demented inhabitants of the forest and belting down your bloodthirsty brothers, with a few other diversions popping up now and again. Hunting makes for an enjoyable minigame, but some forays into shooting overstay their welcome. Even some of the most startling scenarios lose their impact when they resurface. Single-player is about five hours long, so it's a shame it double dips.

After the campaign, there are arenas to tackle, solo or with a friend on the couch or online, and a new mode called zeno rush. It's a time trail mode that rewards you for striking enemies with a hammer by rolling back the clock a few seconds. Zeno Clash gives off an aura of being bigger than it actually is, and its less-refined spots really stick out. Constantly bizarre, if you can overlook its blemishes, you'll find an experience like nothing else out there.

Reviewed on Microsoft Xbox 360.


Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition

Release Date:
Shooter, First-Person

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