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An interesting 1st person ‘beat’em up’ that takes place in a one of a kind caveman dystopia.

Zeno clash is most definitely a very unique visual experience offering a 1st person melee combat system in a surreal caveman-esque dystopia. It’s very hard to describe exactly what you will see in the game since everything is so bizarre, but in a good way.The setting itself is very surreal with animals that seem to come straight out of someone’s Spore Cast. The colours are vibrant and everything feels like a Saturday morning cartoon on crack. At times, the setting does feel so bizarre that it takes you out of the experience just to analyze exactly what you’re seeing but those moments are few and far between.

Each area of Zeno Clash is divided into ‘fights.’ Where they are preceded by a versus screen showing you and your opponents. More often than not, it will be you versus three enemies that are just as visually unique as the surroundings. The only people to look like humans are you and your partner who is usually not around when a fight breaks out. Putting its unique visuals aside, Zeno Clash is a very by the book 1st person ’shooter’. The combat of Zeno Clash is mainly through hand to hand combat, where your moves are decided by which direction you’re pushing and which mouse button you used much like a boxer maneuvers his body to shift his weight properly to throw certain punches.

On the defensive side, you can block, evade or, if timed correctly with your opponents strike, a parry that allows for a devastating counterattack. The combat is no more complicated than that but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t very satisfying. Every strike feels like you’re hitting with all of your force and there is a very visceral feeling to it. This fits well with the b.c. time period. Even though it is very satisfying, there isn’t much to sink your teeth into once you get a hang of the basic movements. This may come to a disappointment to those who enjoy having a complete list of combos and moves at their disposal. This can be frustrating at times since the fights are you versus many, you may feel that you are being overwhelmed, especially in the later levels. You may end up resorting to cheap tactics simply to get past certain areas of the game.

Another unique aspect of Zeno Clash is that there is very little gunplay this 1st person action game. The guns are used more as a way of weakening your opponents or as a finisher rather than the main method of winning. More often than not, one strong strike from your opponent will knock the gun from your hand and you’ll be back to fisticuffs. Since the combat itself is very bare-bones, some will feel that it is much too repetitive for its own good. At about the halfway mark of the game, the combat attempts to vary itself by offering up new enemies and settings. Though, this may not be seen by those who already get bored by the combat before this point.

Zeno Clash is definitely unique experience and can offer a rewarding experience to those who can muscle their way through the receptiveness but it’s definitely not for everyone.

Rating: B

-Ricardo R.

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