Clash: Artifacts of Chaos

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 491 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Clash: Artifacts of Chaos Game Cover
Clash: Artifacts of Chaos offers a beautiful new rendition of Zenozoik with suitable fisticuffs against whacky creatures, offset by awfully circuitous traversal and repetitive gameplay.
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"Clash: Artifacts of Chaos" is an action-adventure game set in the surreal and punk-influenced world of Zenozoik. As the master of martial arts Pseudo, protect the Boy and his mysterious powers from the Mistress of the Artifacts while exploring the land and battling opponents using fists and speed. Customize your combat style and learn various techniques to defeat formidable foes.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 491 reviews
story87 positive mentions
stability12 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and beautiful art style that immerses players in the bizarre world of Zenozoik.
  • Combat is satisfying and allows for a variety of fighting styles and special moves, making battles engaging and dynamic.
  • The story is heartfelt and well-told, with strong character development and emotional moments that resonate with players.
  • Navigation can be confusing due to a lack of clear direction and a detailed map, leading to frustration in exploration.
  • Some combat mechanics feel unresponsive or clunky, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • The game suffers from bugs and glitches that can interrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating moments.
  • story226 mentions

    The story of "Clash: Artifacts of Chaos" is generally well-received, praised for its heartfelt narrative and character dynamics, particularly the relationship between the protagonist, Pseudo, and his companion, "the boy." While some players appreciate the emotional depth and unique world-building, others feel the story lacks the complexity and detail found in previous entries of the Zeno Clash series, with certain plot elements left underexplored. Overall, the game combines engaging storytelling with striking visuals and a compelling soundtrack, making it a notable experience despite some narrative shortcomings.

    • “The story and characters make you want to keep playing to see what happens next.”
    • “What we end up with is a beautiful story set in a strange world, with greater emotional intensity, more compelling characterization, and all-round better presentation, without sacrificing any of that crucial Zeno Clash weirdness.”
    • “The story was beautifully told, it has good writing and good voice acting and I was engaged with the journey because I wanted to know where it ends, and I wasn't disappointed; the ending was emotional and beautiful!”
    • “While it's great to be back in Zenozoik, the lack of story is a bummer.”
    • “There is some story, but it's just not as well fleshed out as in ZC 1 & 2, with minimal cutscenes and few memorable characters.”
    • “The writing, disappointingly, doesn't really take the Zenozoik story in any new direction, but it is a much more eloquent treatment of the same themes, with tenuous connections to the other games.”
  • gameplay187 mentions

    The gameplay of "Clash: Artifacts of Chaos" is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of martial arts and souls-like mechanics that some players find enjoyable and challenging, while others criticize it for being clunky and repetitive. The game introduces unique elements such as a ritual mechanic and a corpse run system, but these can feel underdeveloped or frustrating at times. Overall, while the combat and exploration can be fun and rewarding, the execution of certain mechanics may not resonate with everyone, leading to a varied reception among players.

    • “Incredibly interesting settings, main combat gameplay is enjoyable, and a memorable journey.”
    • “The gameplay evolves the Zeno Clash format into a kind of open world brawler, with some neat new elements like campfire potion mixing, a pre-fight dice game that adds modifiers to each fight and a haunted nighttime alternate vision of the world.”
    • “The gameplay is solid and once combat 'clicks' for you, you'll find yourself a dazzling whirlwind of punches and dodges.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, this is where my biggest criticisms are.”
    • “The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some solid mechanics hidden under a fever dream of character and settings design.”
    • “It's ultimately not a very complex combat system, but the game thankfully ends right as the gameplay starts feeling repetitive, which showcases the developers' wise mindset.”
  • music135 mentions

    The music in "Clash: Artifacts of Chaos" has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the gaming experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as immersive, unique, and capable of evoking a range of emotions, from relaxation to excitement. Many consider it one of the best soundtracks in recent gaming history, drawing comparisons to iconic scores from other titles like "Nier."

    • “The music is subtle enough that it can relax the player, but also bounce to kick the player into ready mode.”
    • “The soundtrack is perfect for the primal/tribal aesthetics of the world.”
    • “The music is consistently mind-blowing.”
    • “Also some parts the music didn't quite match the action (or lack thereof), and it felt a bit like it was doing the heavy lifting.”
    • “The only redeeming factor is the music and art style (performance on mid-range PCs blows though).”
    • “I was reminded a lot of playing the older JRPGs with the sweeping orchestral world music.”
  • graphics123 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their unique and vibrant art style, which combines elements of surrealism and cross-hatching techniques, creating a visually striking experience that feels like a hand-drawn artwork. Players appreciate the imaginative character designs and detailed environments, which contribute to the game's bizarre yet captivating world. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay and storytelling with their originality and charm.

    • “The first thing you will notice when playing this game are the beautiful and unique visuals.”
    • “The art style is extremely striking, bizarre, and gorgeous all at the same time.”
    • “The visuals are simply outstanding, from character design to art direction, the game is simply beautiful to look at, filled with creatures so strange that you've never seen anything like it.”
    • “They are barely visible due to their size and all the colors the visuals offer.”
    • “The art style is fine but it is done zero favors by the cluttered, ugly environments that look like pieces of different game worlds patched together awkwardly.”
    • “The entire game is one big map you unlock, and you can have it seamless, but it's off by default, and has serious performance issues if you don't split it up into chunks that each need a loading screen, which is not an optimization issue we should be having in a game that has relatively low graphics.”
  • emotional30 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt narrative centered around the relationship between the main character, Pseudo, and his adopted companion, 'the boy.' Players appreciate the depth of character development, touching moments, and the effective blend of humor and emotional storytelling, all set against a unique and visually striking world. The game successfully evokes a range of feelings, from joy to heartbreak, making it a memorable experience that resonates with players.

    • “This, paired with a beautiful story about family and society, makes for a heart-wrenching narrative that rivals some of my favorite stories.”
    • “The story was beautifully told, with good writing and voice acting. I was engaged with the journey because I wanted to know where it would end, and I wasn't disappointed; the ending was emotional and beautiful!”
    • “Seriously though, this is a really well-told story, with gameplay and narrative perfectly fusing to tell the player a truly emotional story about two souls linked by fate.”
  • character development29 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its unique and bizarre character designs, which are both visually striking and integral to the game's absurdist world. Players appreciate the strong art direction and voice acting that enhance the storytelling, while the interactions between characters add depth to the narrative. Overall, the combination of imaginative character design and engaging combat mechanics contributes to a memorable gaming experience.

    • “The plot is a well-executed lone wolf and cub style tale that just happens to be awash in Ace Team's incredibly strong art direction and character design.”
    • “The visuals are fantastic; every character design is interesting and unique, and even the most bizarre can still move and fight.”
    • “The character design is as fascinating as it is fun to look at.”
    • “The character design seems to have shifted a bit compared to the other games, less interesting and more bizarre freaks.”
    • “To say that the character design is ugly is an understatement, because they are ugly as hell, which made it gain my respect as they value artistic integrity over anything.”
    • “The weird character design may take some getting used to, but it is an integral part of the world of Zenozoic, and after a while I wouldn't want it any other way.”
  • optimization16 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and great fluidity in gameplay, others highlight significant issues when the open world setting is not enabled, leading to loading screens and performance drops. Despite the game's relatively low graphics requirements, players on mid-range PCs have experienced subpar performance, suggesting that optimization could be improved.

    • “Very well optimized.”
    • “Performance was consistently great, no stutter or frame dips.”
    • “Great optimization, fluid (one on one) combat, detected my PS5 controller off the bat.”
    • “The only con I can mention is that the performance could be better.”
    • “The entire game is one big map you unlock, and you can have it seamless, but it's off by default, and has serious performance issues if you don't split it up into chunks that each need a loading screen, which is not an optimization issue we should be having in a game that has relatively low graphics.”
    • “The only redeeming factor is the music and art style; performance on mid-range PCs is poor.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, including AI issues and animation problems, though most agree these are not game-breaking. While some players experienced significant frustrations with the game's checkpoint system and occasional permanent traps, others noted that the game runs smoothly overall, with only minor stutters and glitches that do not hinder gameplay. Overall, while stability issues exist, they are often overshadowed by the game's enjoyable aspects.

    • “The game runs great, with an option to stream an open world with no loading zones or switch to zone loading for HDD.”
    • “It's not buggy or anything like that; it just isn't as smooth and seamless as the premier offerings of the genre. However, it honestly gets the job done and never hinders the art design with janky animations.”
    • “Some unlucky players have run into bugs, including AI glitches and animations that push you where you shouldn't go.”
    • “I really didn't want to leave a negative review, but this game is insanely buggy.”
    • “However, it's pretty buggy and the nonsensical checkpoint system makes the bugs even worse.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by quirky interactions, amusing character dialogues, and slapstick elements, such as friendly fire among enemies and absurd scenarios like summoning bees after winning a dice game. While some jokes, like the bird blood character, may become repetitive, the overall comedic tone is enhanced by clever writing and imaginative world-building, making for a lighthearted experience. However, the contemporary English dialogue sometimes detracts from the immersion, sounding more like voice actors than in-character banter.

    • “Enemies can hit each other in this game, which adds a new layer to the group fights that always made me laugh.”
    • “In a way, he didn't disappoint - the dialogue is far better, ideas are expressed beautifully, and often very funny.”
    • “A great story set in a ridiculously imaginative world full of secrets to find and hilariously ugly faces to bash in?”
    • “Walking into a fight, challenging someone to a dice game, winning, and then making them deal with a random swarm of bees is never not funny.”
    • “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to enjoy the comedic moments.”
    • “I expected more clever jokes, but most of the humor is just juvenile and predictable.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players find the exploration and collection aspects tedious and unnecessarily lengthy, others appreciate the satisfaction that comes with understanding the game mechanics over time. Fast travel is frequently suggested as a quality of life improvement to reduce tedium, but many enjoy the large group and boss fights, which add excitement despite some repetitive elements. Overall, the grinding experience varies significantly depending on individual player preferences and play styles.

    • “One is unnecessarily long and grindy, offers no fun, has a world too big and too empty, bad artistic direction, blend story etc. and on the other hand you have this game.”
    • “Fast travel would be a great quality of life change and would make the game a hell of a lot less tedious.”
    • “Only issues that I had with the game were exploration could be a bit tedious at times as well as a few bugs here and there.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it engaging due to its fascinating story and visual style, others feel it lacks depth. Upcoming features like New Game Plus and self-imposed challenges may enhance replay value, but overall, it may not be a strong point for everyone.

    • “Fascinating story with an interesting visual style and good replayability.”
    • “Replayability might not be this game's strong suit for some, but with potential new game plus on the horizon and the option for self-imposed challenges, you can squeeze more juice out of it than a lemon at a juice bar.”
    • “Not much replayability though.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is highlighted by the presence of ads that enhance exploration, though there is criticism directed at Nacon for insufficient marketing efforts, especially given the significance of the game's release as the first in the Zenozoik series in a decade.

  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is noted for its unique and captivating qualities, which many players find appealing. However, some reviews highlight that this atmosphere is undermined by issues such as repetitive gameplay and technical flaws, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “They have a way of creating a unique, weird atmosphere that I love.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

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Play time

12hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
12-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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