Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition is a title that escapes simple explanation.  Sure at its base, you can say that it is a first person brawler, with some shooting elements added into the mix, but that would not be doing it any justice.  It is visually striking and probably one of the oddest games you will ever find on Xbox Live Arcade.  However, this uniqueness is also its possible downfall, as players might shy away from the title because of these same reasons.

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition follows the story of Ghat, a simple man, who is on the run from his many brothers and sisters, all of which are out to kill him.  Ghat, took issue with Father-Mother, a bird-like creature that acted as his parent, and killed him.  His reasons for attacking Father-Mother are complex, and factor into the main climax of the story, so no spoilers here, but suffice to say, the rest of Father-Mother’s siblings are pissed and want to extract a pound of flesh from Ghat.  Diedra, a strange looking female with big horns coming out of her head, feels compelled to help Ghat escape his destruction, and assists him on his journey to find out the truth of where he has come from, and Father-Mother’s role in all of it.  Yes, it is strange, and I am only scratching the surface of what happens in the story, but that is part of what defines Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition – it’s strange and terrifying world along with its inhabitants.

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition plays as a first person brawler/fighter, with Ghat walking into an area and proceeding to pummel his enemies into the ground.  Your attacks are fierce and brutal, almost causing you to wince and the pain you have unleash upon an enemy.  You have some simple combat combos at your disposal, like a three strike jab, but to get the most out of the combat, you have to learn and master the advance combat techniques, like blocking and countering.  Problem is that a lot of these advanced techniques never feel solid on the controller, with the player never feeling like they are in complete control.  Some of this comes from learning the timing for enemies, but some of it is just wrapping you heads around the buttons to pull off the advanced techniques.

Unfortunately, the game is so combat focused, that it takes away from the strongest point of the game, and that is its bizarre world.  Trying to explain the world of Zenozoik is a tough task, as I have never experience anything like it in a game.  Every new area you walk into is a new feast for the eyes, with its sharp use of organic materials.  It is almost upsetting that you never really get a full chance to explore the levels at will, as the game is structured around coming into an area, fight some battles, and then move to the next area.  It is a world that begs to be explored to see all the little nuances and details that the creators have added to the game.  One can only hope that Zeno Clash comes back in a sequel that adds more exploration for the player.

Adding to the look of the world is some fine backing music that accompanies each level of Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition.  The entire soundtrack is filled with soft tones as you travel which transition quickly to hard fast beats when you enter combat.  Voice work on the other hand is hit and miss, with some characters sounding passionate, while others seem half asleep.  I am not sure, but it sounds like Diedra’s voice work was re-recorded, although I could be wrong.  It seems to have more emotion than in the PC version.  Most of the creatures have some good voice work as well.  Ghat is the lone standout, sounding rather slow and dull.  Sometimes, it fits the role he is playing, but at other times, it just sounds like someone that was completely uninterested in recording the voice work.

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition adds a new mode of play called Tower Challenge.  In tower challenge, you fight your way through a level of different characters, and once they are defeated, you move to the next level of the tower.  As with the single player, each level of a tower challenge is filled with multiple battles that will take some strategy to finish.    The battles are fast and a lot of fun, if you can find someone to play with on Xbox Live.  I don’t blame this on the developers, but more on the niche nature of the game.  The game does support local co-op play for these Tower Challeges, and I did have a lot of fun when I played on the same couch with my son. 

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition offers up a vividly imagined world for players to experience a lot of hard hitting content.  The combat is fast and fluid, and the multiplayer challenges add a lot of replay value to the title.  However, the lack of players on Xbox Live hurts this mode, leaving you with the hope that you have a friend or family member that is willing to play locally with you.  I hope that more people will give Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition a shot, even if only for trying the demo, as there is a lot to be had in the title.  Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition gets 4 out of 5 Aeropausonauts.
Check out Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition and other Xbox Live Arcade  reviews at Test Freaks.