Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 41
  2. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. Zeno Clash demonstrates why often the most Bizarre projects can only be developed by independent companies. No “major” could ever do something like this, and that’s because we are talking about one of the most suggestive and atypical titles of recent times.
  2. 73
    You'll either love it or hate it. If you can let the bizarre world and characters entice you, you will get your money's worth. Its flawed gameplay will annoy most people though. If you're open-minded, you might appreciate this unique experience. Try out the demo and decide for yourself if you want to purchase this decently-priced game.
  3. It's more complicated than it needs to be with the lock-on function of fighting enemies. It is an adventure, it is a fighter, it's a FPS - it is the Shamwow!
  4. While I would have liked to see a bit more emphasis on the melee combat and less on shooting, I think you’ll still find that most battles give you a bit of a rush and are enjoyable to play, particularly the unique boss battles.
  5. Despite the initial weirdness and a few flaws, Zeno Clash is a unique take on first-person fighting that anyone with an open mind will likely enjoy.
  6. As I walk away from my review and Zeno Clash I’m left with the feeling that as an arcade game (albeit one with vastly superior graphics), something that you would chuck a few quarters at and play for a couple of hours and then not play again for several months, it would have been OK.
  7. It’s a pleasant romp through a funky world that might be a touch too exotic for narrow-minded audiences, but the gameplay is entirely accessible. For a fresh world to vent your frustrations and fulfill your violent fantasies in, Zeno Clash is the way to go.
  8. Zeno Clash is a marvel, channeling yesterday’s hardcore brawlers whilst maintaining modern sensibilities.
  9. Zeno Clash is not a perfect game, but it has got some qualities that will let you help to download that from Steam or Direct2Drive. It is essentially hybrid, between FPS and Beat'em up. The visual aspect is impressive and the story is well built. The system control is defective and the game is short, so we can't suggest you to buy it blind, but to try the demo and make your choice.
  10. Zeno Clash is a very strange game with a lot of atmosphere. It's hard to describe how the game presents itself; you'll have to see it to understand it. Because of its modest price tag, this is definitely worth checking out for everyone who appreciates an action packed and strange experience or someone who is looking for something original. It's only a shame it's such a short experience.
  11. Zeno Clash offers a really good combat system, good AI and a real innovative design. But instead of seeing more of the world, you're back in the arena after taking a few steps. The story raises more questions than it answers. In the end, it's just a few hours of mandatory boxing.
  12. Zeno Clash is surreal and relentlessly bizarre, but sheer weirdness takes this first-person brawler only so far.
  13. It's for people who are looking for a rudimentary exercise in radical thought and hobbled game design. If that's you, then you'll love Zeno Clash.
  14. Crazy-looking landscapes, unusual color combinations and grotesque characters fill the odd world of Zenozoic. All this stuff could have made for a cool screen saver. Unfortunately, they crammed it into an action title. The result is a short, sluggish, boring game which loves to show off its novelty instead of entertaining the player.
  15. A brilliant brawler buried in a mediocre shooter.
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 321 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 36 out of 321
  1. Dec 10, 2012
    10
    Awesome game, nice graphics, animation, combat and history. The only Flaw is that its too short, but hey, it was made by a small developer whoAwesome game, nice graphics, animation, combat and history. The only Flaw is that its too short, but hey, it was made by a small developer who just proved its potential and its already making Zeno Clash 2, that will have n open world and RPG elements. Its a great buy for its price!! Full Review »
  2. Jan 8, 2011
    4
    This game was so promising, but in the end it turned out to be a massive waste of potential. It feels like there's a much bigger game in this,This game was so promising, but in the end it turned out to be a massive waste of potential. It feels like there's a much bigger game in this, but for whatever reason the bulk of it was cut and never saw the light of day. The story makes no sense, and not because it's bizarre, but rather because it's missing large chunks. Like the ending. Instead, it's padded with what I assume was intended to be "weird" and "atmospheric" but just ends up being redundant and irrelevant.

    Other people praise it for its gameplay, which is just about mediocre, but a game with this much potential should not have been written so poorly and ineptly. The characters are flat, boring and uninspired. Every single line of dialogue that comes out of their mouths is exposition, every single action they take serves as a plot point. None of the named characters have any personality whatsoever. This doesn't make them weird. It makes them badly written.

    Visually, the game fails to deliver. There are several interesting set pieces, such as a beached whale and large walking things, but if you've seen a trailer, you've seen them all. Beyond that, it's essentially Heart of Darkness meets Another World. If you're looking for a "weird" setting and story, try either of those. Both are better written and more fun to play.

    The combat is clunky, stiff, limited and very, very repetitive to the point of boredom. If you've fought one large enemy, you've fought them all. If you've fought one humanoid enemy, you've fought them all. Even Father-Mother isn't all that distinct. Weapons are slow, cumbersome and largely useless anyway, making the achievement for not using any a no-brainer. It's an interesting idea, to be sure, but it's so cumbersome it just doesn't work. If you want a game that mixes weapons and and hand-to-hand combat, try Bungie's Oni. This is just slow.

    The only reason I don't give this title the lowest score I can is because I can appreciate the effort and I can appreciate the innovation. There really is a very good, very interesting game buried somewhere in Zeno Clash, but Zeno Clash itself ain't it. Contrary to people's opinions, I feel this would have been best served as a big-budget studio title, as they would have been able to spring for a decent writer, talented voice actors and actually a complete game that isn't padded to extremes and still far too short while missing any real depth.

    Zeno Clash should have been more than Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, and it just isn't.
    Full Review »
  3. kylebj
    May 5, 2009
    4
    WEIRD does not equal GOOD. You fight the controls in this game more than the characters. It's got a completely unnecessary lock-on WEIRD does not equal GOOD. You fight the controls in this game more than the characters. It's got a completely unnecessary lock-on function that will have you cursing in frustration when it won't allow you to move how you want. LONG parts of the game are boring and unchallenging (the river part, WTF?). It's also very repetitive--no real puzzles, just the same fighting scheme with more characters added to increase difficulty. The voice acting is also very bad, even by indie game standards. It does have some unique characters I won't forget soon. Full Review »