Zeno Clash 2

Loved the first one. I'm not much into FPS games, especially "brawlers" as they make me sick. But I forced myself to play through Zeno Clash. I'll have to have another go when I wrap up tomb raider and then play the second! Thanks for the heads up that it's out!
 
I want this game to sell well for the developer. The first game, and this sequel from everything I've read/seen, are extremely unique experiences. I like when chances are taken and a dev seems to care. I read they introduced an fov option a few days after release due to the amount of feedback...hard to imagine many AAA studios moving that fast or even bothering to listen. The story, world, characters, design, first person brawler, etc definitely set it apart.
 
Co-op is a bit wonky feeling but this is pretty fun so far.

I like how my partner can just come sprinting in and elbow drop some guy in the back of the head while I scrap with him. It's like the epitome of fighting dirty. Also nobody seems to give much of a fuck that I literally KO'd every person I've seen so far -- I think that guy talking about our primitive nature might honestly have a bit of a point.
 
I also enjoyed the first one. Their first patch came out 1 day after release, and they said they're not going to stop supporting this game so I'm sure more patches/content is on the way.

Here is a post by one of the devs about the critic/site reviews:
Originally posted by Carlos Bordeu:
"Which is pretty unfortunate because those who don't try it out themselves will just listen to the reviews and will discard it, and that means we'll be hit on our sales.

We're not another zombie shooter. We sort of need more open mindedness when approaching this title, and obviously reviews are a way of suggesting a game to the uninformed crowds.

It saddens me to see that reviewers focused strongly on the game's flaws (which exist - I'll be the first to accept this isn't a perfect game) and gave almost no real credit to the things we did to innovate. Obviously in a game with such an atypical design your bound to have some unorthodox implementations because for starters - you're not doing the 100th version of the same thing again. I also feel few compared the game against other titles of the same price range. It felt like we were being held to the same standards than something like Bioshock Infinite, and just because our game is also a first person action adventure. But it is an indie game... and one that is extraordinarily ambitious - we're just 15 people who made a game that is of the scale of some AAA titles.

-Need to deal with highly flashy technical graphics, high resolution textures and models - Check (not even considering art here)
-Need to have a large world full of interesting new locations - Check
-Need to have a good story - Check
-Need to have good AI - Check
-Need to have great combat design and implementation - Check
-Need to have hundreds (maybe thousands) of animations, ranging from mocap to painfully hand made - Check
-Need of having a casting of dozens of voice talents to perform for your multiple characters emotionaly or convincingly - Check
-Need of having to create maybe as much as 100 cinematics to convey the story - Check
-Need of composing and recording dozens of unique themes to support the game - Check
-Need to create over 100 character/creature models fully rigged and textured with high quality art - Check (In terms of character variety we DESTROY almost any single AAA game - and there are 2 character modelers in the studio).

Etc...etc... I can go on with more... Most small developers will not even have to deal with half of those requirements. Damn... I'd say that even some AAA games don't have to deal with as many requirements. Most of them have little to no story, and it doesn't even matter.

There aren't a great amount of independent developers willing to work on the first person genre. MUCH LESS willing to make a single player game with a complex world and story. (Even the developers of Hawken when asked why they didn't do a single player game, responded that it was impossible for a small team). There must be a handful of us willing to try breaking conventions and to do things that are truly different and break norms. It would sadden me if indie devs were marginalized to having to make just pixelated platformers and side-scrollers.

We improved everything the fans asked for with ZC1. I'm happy to see we delivered something that was greatly received by almost all of you. Hopefully you guys will be able to spread out the word and give us the "press" that we needed from the press.

Ok... it's late and I've already ranted far enough..."
 
Last edited:
Hm.... I might expect too much from this game. Since Atlus is one of my favorite company.

Too bad. This game is not as good as the first one

My honest review here ( no spoiler)

zeno clash 2 game review


It's not a fact though , just my opinion. Some of you may like it.
 
I disagree with some of the points you made in your review.

Yes, you can punch most enemies to finish the game (it's a first person brawler after all), but did you know you can link multiple enemies with the Golem's glove, and then shoot, melee them, or hit one of them with the chain and they all take damage? I think it's the best gadget in the game. The combat system is not limited at all, especially in co-op, which I don't think you mentioned in your review. One person can grab an enemy while the other hits him, for example. Or you can blow both of them up with a skull bomb hehe. Or...you can link 3 enemies together and beat up just 1. Also, it takes a long time to master the six hit combo, but it's very fun to use.

I agree that the story is a little difficult to understand (or impossible if you didn't play the first game), but if you do the side quest where you enter a tomb after collecting all the cubes, a lot becomes clearer. I understand that most people won't bother going out of their way to do this though. I also agree that the visuals are very impressive, and the game has a lot of memorable characters.

This game is very unique, and the developers will continue to support it with free DLC. A challenge mode similar to the first game's has already been confirmed, but with co-op support.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top