PLATFORM: PC, PS4/5, SWITCH, XBOX ONE/SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
A prequel to 1999’s Slave Zero (PC / Dreamcast), Slave Zero X combines elements of early Devil May Cry and the classic side-scroller Strider to make a 2.5D brawler that’s heavy on action and, with its relatively short runtime of around 3-4 hours, light on fluff. Set in the futuristic Megacity S-19, where a maniacal ruler, Sovereign Khan, plans to use an army of sentient machines as tools of war, you’ll step into the shoes of a vengeful warrior named Shou who intends to use Khan’s own weapons against him…
Each of the game’s levels has a unique look that harks back to the era of the original, with sharp and nicely detailed 3D backgrounds wrapping around corners to follow Shou’s movements as the screen fills with pixilated 2D enemies that explode into satisfying arcade-like showers of blood when defeated. The combo-based brawling works equally well whether you want to mash buttons and hope for the best or take the time to master the more intricate nuances of Shou’s abilities. These unfortunately aren’t explained too well, with nothing more than an onslaught of difficult-to-remember text boxes appearing at the start of the game to run down the basic controls to set you up for the adventure ahead. It can take a fair bit of practise and trial and error to get the hang of things, but everything works excellently when it all finally clicks.
Being a throwback to a simpler time, SZX is quite a straightforward game. Away from the almost non-stop fighting, Shou will acquire a few health boosts as the game progresses, but a few additional upgrades or abilities to work towards might have helped to give the gameplay a bit more depth, as well as some much-needed assistance with some of the trickier sections of the game itself. Beyond the main game there’s the “Bloody Palace” – a procedurally-generated challenge tower, along with an online leaderboard – to extend the game’s longevity. It might be lacking certain ubiquitous features of similar modern titles, but it’s still great fun for those with a fondness for 90s-style beat ’em ups!
