Slave Zero

About

Slave Zero is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Accolade, Inc. and was released on October 23, 2014. It received positive reviews from players.

In Slave Zero, pilot a massive mechanical beast and tear through a futuristic metropolis, completing missions and battling enemy forces to overthrow an oppressive regime. Choose from a variety of weapons and upgrades to customize your slave and wreak havoc on your enemies. Fight through intense levels of fast-paced action, utilizing aerial and ground combat to defeat bosses and save the city.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

story17 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience with fast-paced action and enjoyable gameplay, reminiscent of classic 90s shooters.
Players appreciate the unique setting and the ability to control a giant mech, providing a sense of scale and fun in a destructible environment.
Despite its age, the game features a decent variety of weapons and memorable boss battles, making it a fun experience overall.

The Steam port is plagued with technical issues, including frequent crashes, bugs, and a lack of modern controller support, making it frustrating to play.
The game's graphics and mechanics feel outdated, with misaligned crosshairs and a lack of ammo leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The storyline is thin and lacks character development, which may disappoint players looking for a more engaging narrative.

story
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
7%
The story in the game is generally considered predictable and simplistic, serving primarily as a backdrop for the action rather than a compelling narrative. While it features a late 90s cyberpunk setting with a basic plot about a resistance fighting against an empire, many players feel it lacks depth and character development, making it less engaging. Overall, the game is more focused on fast-paced gameplay and action than on delivering a rich story experience.
- “The plot is wonderfully late 90s; you're a freedom fighter for the guardians, the last organization trying to overthrow the empire.”
- “The good: this has a surprising amount of plot for a game with like 11-12 stages, and very few cutscenes.”
- “The story is there, but Slave Zero is not a game that one plays for an amazing story.”
- “Unfortunately, since the plot never really makes you feel invested in the characters, this grand revelation felt very underwhelming and anticlimactic.”
- “The story is there purely for story's sake — it is the glue that ties all the missions together.”
gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
42%
10%
The gameplay of "Slave Zero" is characterized by fast-paced, arcade-style action that immerses players in a chaotic cyberpunk environment, featuring tight controls and intricate boss fights. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel and solid mechanics, others note issues such as bugs, glitches, and a lack of depth after the initial hours of play. Overall, the game offers enjoyable gameplay despite its age and some mechanical shortcomings.
- “I was unaware of Slave Zero’s existence until the announcement of Slave Zero X – a game that caught my attention with its PSX-styled graphics, and the gameplay reminded me of Devil May Cry. I can wholeheartedly say that I truly enjoyed this forgotten Y2K mecha gem!”
- “It is the fast-paced, action-packed gameplay, one-of-a-kind atmosphere, amazingly intricate boss fights, and great atmospheric music that makes the game what it is.”
- “But all that aside, the gameplay is really solid, the bosses are cool, and it's fun blowing stuff up in this cyberpunk city.”
- “However, the gameplay really is just average.”
- “I didn't understand half the dialogue because it was drowned out by the gameplay.”
- “Good game that aged really badly; also, this Steam version has video awfully broken using a 3D library wrapper called nglide, only for supporting bigger resolutions without proper aspect ratio gameplay.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
66%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, reflecting its 1999 release, yet they maintain a nostalgic charm with vibrant colors and a distinct '90s sci-fi aesthetic. While some players appreciate the retro visuals and the game's artistic style, others criticize the limited graphical options and glitches, making it challenging for modern audiences to fully enjoy. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, appealing primarily to those who value nostalgia over technical prowess.
- “I was unaware of Slave Zero’s existence until the announcement of Slave Zero X – a game that caught my attention with its PSX-styled graphics, and the gameplay reminded me of Devil May Cry. I grabbed that one as well as this upon learning it’s part of a franchise, and I can wholeheartedly say that I truly enjoyed this forgotten Y2K mecha gem!”
- “Sure, the graphics are very old, but the game is very colorful and full of pretty lights.”
- “Not to mention the gritty, '90s dystopian city aesthetics going on - I absolutely love it!”
- “The game's models and graphics are clearly outdated, which is something you should accept when going into a vintage game like this, but this also means slipping through gaps and falling into oblivion.”
- “While you have some graphics options, they don't work; you're stuck at one resolution which is low and 4:3 stretched, so that's a big nope from me.”
- “Good game that aged really badly; also, this Steam version has video awfully broken using a 3D library wrapper called nglide, only for supporting bigger resolutions without proper aspect ratio gameplay.”
music
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its energetic and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some players find the soundtrack catchy and reminiscent of classic titles like Unreal Tournament, others note issues with sound mixing and the memorability of certain tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, making the game enjoyable despite its technical flaws.
- “It’s worth it for the soundtrack alone!”
- “Biomechs blasting each other through a neon drenched city to an ass kicking amazing soundtrack.”
- “The sound design is great, especially the music.”
- “It can be a good time, but the story is barely present, the sound mixing is awful making it very difficult to follow the villain's dialogue, and the soundtrack straddles the line between catchy and nails on a chalkboard.”
- “Some dialogue gets cut off a bit too early, the music is pretty unmemorable save one or two tracks, and one of the guided missile weapons does not actually track due to resolution problems, but it can still be fired in a straight path like the others.”
- “The only really good thing is that it has an 'extras' directory with the music in FLAC and MP3, also some design drawings.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The game's stability is notably poor, with numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes reported by players, particularly in specific missions. While some users found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, many recommended frequent saving and manual troubleshooting to mitigate frustrations. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," requiring additional software to run properly on modern systems, yet still manages to deliver nostalgic fun for some players.
- “Runs great on Windows 10; the only problem I had was that alt-tabbing won't reopen the game.”
- “The game still runs great on my three-year-old Windows 7 hardware.”
- “The game is also a bit of a buggy mess and requires dgvoodoo or nglide to work on modern systems, and that's not going to fix everything.”
- “It's very fun to play; however, it's really buggy, and the glitches often make the levels frustrating to complete or even unplayable.”
- “Some of the glitches I've seen so far: Slave Zero randomly glitches through walls, falling through the map, suddenly reverting from 3rd person to 1st person without changing settings, getting stuck when trying to get through doors, getting stuck on buildings (especially at the 'defend the base' level), cross-hair aim is pretty broken, lagging and glitching when jumping in water (especially running-water in the sewers), suddenly teleporting around when jumping, and getting stuck on a black screen when exiting the game, thus forcing you to restart your computer.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a nostalgic blend of old-school gameplay, fast-paced action, and an engaging soundtrack, creating a unique experience reminiscent of late 90s titles. Players appreciate the intricate boss fights and the fun derived from overcoming technical issues, while some highlight a creepy undertone that adds to the overall ambiance.
- “I really loved playing it due to the atmosphere of simple old-school gameplay, amazing soundtrack, and trying to overcome all the bugs, glitches, and crashes - it was fun.”
- “It is the fast-paced, action-packed gameplay, one-of-a-kind atmosphere, amazingly intricate boss fights, and great atmospheric music that makes the game what it is.”
- “Regardless of the way you get the game, you may just like the interesting mix of action, atmosphere, and fun that only a game from the late 90's can provide.”
- “The game has a creepy atmosphere.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Character development in the game is minimal, with reviewers noting a lack of intricate storytelling or character interactions. While the overall design and gameplay mechanics are praised, the depth of character growth is not a focal point.
- “The movement feels so good, the combat is basic but still fun, the overall world and character design is cool as hell, the soundtrack is great for this sort of thing, and the controls are simple enough that I picked up on them intuitively.”
- “Don't expect any intricate character development, or any sort of interaction among the characters whatsoever.”
- “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
- “There is little to no backstory provided for the characters, making it hard to connect with them.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a nostalgic emotional connection to the game, recalling childhood memories of being an Eva pilot, particularly influenced by elements like elevators and destructible cities that evoke a sense of adventure and excitement.
- “The way the story unfolds truly tugs at your heartstrings, making you feel deeply connected to the characters.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the emotional depth of the narrative; it left a lasting impact on me.”
- “The game's ability to evoke such strong feelings is remarkable; I found myself reflecting on my own experiences.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for lacking replay value, with users noting that the multiplayer feature is ineffective, further diminishing the incentive to revisit the game.
- “There is no replay value; the multiplayer doesn't work.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect is characterized as linear and basic, yet it provides a decent variety of environments, enhanced by detailed advertisements and flashy commercials throughout the city.