Zeno Clash

 PC
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. AceGamez
    90
    Zeno Clash is a sterling example of how to make a game. Graphics, sound and gameplay merge perfectly to make this more of an experience than just a game.
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  2. HellBored
    89
    Zeno Clash is what a future cult favourite looks like. With a wickedly brutal melee engine, and some jaw-dropping visual design, this gorgeously demented indie brawler is short but sweet.
  3. FiringSquad
    89
    Zeno Clash is a welcome game from the veteran mod team of ACE. We honestly can’t wait to see what this team can accomplish in the future, especially with their focus on creativity in design and game play.
  5. Cheat Code Central
    88
    A combination of exciting, refreshing gameplay and the incredibly outlandish setting and characters really make Zeno Clash a standout game.
  6. GamerNode
    85
    A game with solid enough gameplay carried to a higher level by its aesthetic appeal and novel world design, this is a great game for people looking for true originality in gaming.
  7. Multiplayer.it
    85
    Zeno Clash is an atypical budget game, it's absolutely a good game with beautiful visuals and above all is very amusing to play. His close quarter combat system is so well devised that makes you scream I want more! after the game over screen.
  8. MEGamers
    85
    The game treads on unfamiliar territory yet is fun. ACE Team bring us some more exploration, maybe some puzzles and varied challenges with more achievements in the sequel. Check it out!
  9. IGN
    84
    Zeno Clash sticks with you long after you play it, and that's a compliment many games aspire to have associated with them.
  10. PC Gamer
    84
    A completely welcome contrast to anything you've ever played, supported by the most intense first-person fisticuffs we've seen in a game. [July 2009, p.78]
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  11. Computer Games Online RO
    81
    Overall, I smell Hexen, I’m sniffing Undying and there’s a distinctive scent of The Time Machine, with the one note that Zeno Clash is very, very far away from the potential it could reach.
  12. Eurogamer
    80
    A fantastically involving and solid fighting game, enhanced by being set in one of the most imaginative and beautiful universes in the medium.
  13. Giant Bomb
    80
    If you're a fan of first-person action and truly offbeat, unpredictable games, head to your nearest Steam client and check this one out. I'd love to see what ACE Team can do with a bigger budget next time around.
  14. Boomtown
    80
    Not since Escape from Butcher Bay have I see melee combat so superbly integrated into a first-person game, and so it's clear that ACE Team has put their heart and soul into bringing Zeno Clash to life.
    All this publication's reviews
  15. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    80
    And now for something completely different... Unique fiction is really distinctive unlike the rest of games production. If you want to try an original action game, Zeno Clash will be your favorite. [May 2009]
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  16. Eurogamer Spain
    80
    Zeno Clash is not very long, but it also ain't easy, which makes it perfect to unload some adrenaline without sacrificing a good plot.
  17. Total PC Gaming
    80
    A rare and gripping indy experience that pulls no punches.
  18. Play Magazine
    80
    The bizarre and unique world of Zenozoik separates Zeno Clash from so many other games that some minor faults still make it worth checking out. It doesn’t hurt that the mechanics of combat are excellent and stand out on their own.
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  19. Edge Magazine
    80
    This is melee done right, set in an astonishing world, brimming with imagination. [July 2009, p.101]
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  20. games(TM)
    80
    It might not be the longest or most polished game you'll ever play, but for half the cost of a regular PC release, you'll be treated to more charm, ingenuity and bravery than most full-price releases can muster. [July 2009, p.128]
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  21. Gameplayer Sweden
    80
    Zeno Clash is not just a fantastic beat 'em up from a first-person perspective, it also delivers one of the most unique and attractive worlds you'll ever experience. The great action, controls and graphical design makes up for the pretty standard story and voice acting. I mean, who doesn't love a hermaphroditic giant man-bird?
  22. GamingXP
    80
    Zeno Clash takes you to a totally different world. I promise you, you've never seen something like that before. Bizarre, unique, weird – but it makes a lot of fun.
  23. AtomicGamer
    79
    The game might not be worth the purchase for those that aren't terribly interested in first-person melee combat, but for anyone that's looking for that - or at the very least an imaginative, slightly crazy game world to beat people up in - then this is a fine choice to make.
  24. PC Games
    79
    Outstanding visual design, a unique fantasy setting and intense first person combat are reason enough to pick up this exceptional action game. I only wished there was some kind of exploration and puzzle elements to it. And if the short play time of about 5 hours turns you off, think of the fair price - it is a pretty good deal after all.
  25. PC Zone UK
    78
    Other than a rubbish level in which you twat statues on the head with a stick you won't find many more issues. [Aug 2009, p.70]
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  26. Impulsegamer
    75
    Simple at the beginning, and darn hair ripping harder near the end. But a odd breath of originality in a predictable land scape of first person games, well worth a go especially for the price of admission.
  27. PC Format
    75
    A bizarre, original and often compelling first-person action adventure - Zeno Clash is worth a crack. [July 2009, p.94]
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Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Best PC Game of 2009
32
#32 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
62
#62 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 321 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 201 out of 321
  2. Mixed: 84 out of 321
  3. Negative: 36 out of 321
  1. Nosleinad
    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. Fazan
    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 »
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