Slave Zero
- October 23, 2014
- Accolade, Inc.
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.
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience with fast-paced gameplay and a unique setting as a giant mech in a cyberpunk city.
- Despite its age, the graphics and audio are still enjoyable, and the weapon variety adds to the fun.
- The gameplay mechanics, such as picking up and throwing objects, provide a satisfying sense of scale and destruction.
- The Steam port is plagued with technical issues, including frequent crashes, misaligned crosshairs, and poor controller support.
- The game lacks modern quality-of-life features like auto-saving, leading to frustrating experiences when players have to restart levels.
- Many players find the ammo scarcity and difficulty spikes, especially during boss fights, to be frustrating and unbalanced.
- story35 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered weak and generic, often described as a basic plot revolving around world domination with little character development or emotional investment. While the setting and lore are intriguing, the narrative serves primarily as a framework for the gameplay, lacking depth and coherence, which detracts from the overall experience. Players noted that the fast-paced action overshadows the story, making it feel more like a series of missions than a cohesive narrative.
“The setting and story/lore are very interesting.”
“Slave Zero has fast-paced gameplay, an interesting story, and 50-foot tall death robots.”
“The storyline leaves a bit to be desired, but the environments give the game a nice cyberpunk feel to it, the characters are decent, the voice acting was well done, and the enemies tend to put up a bit of a fight.”
“The story is there purely for story's sake — it is the glue that ties all the missions together.”
“Unfortunately, since the plot never really makes you feel invested in the characters, this grand revelation felt very underwhelming and anticlimactic.”
“The storyline leaves a bit to be desired but the environments give the game a nice cyberpunk feel to it, the characters are decent, the voice acting was well done, and the enemies tend to put up a bit of a fight.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting a watered-down 90s sci-fi aesthetic that some players find nostalgic and enjoyable. While the visuals may not meet modern standards, they are deemed decent for their time, with some appreciating the gritty, dystopian cityscapes and textures. However, players note issues with graphical glitches and limited compatibility with current hardware, suggesting that the experience is best enjoyed with a sense of nostalgia rather than expecting cutting-edge visuals.
“Not to mention the gritty, '90s dystopian city aesthetics going on - I absolutely love it!”
“Great game, gameplay, and graphics for its time.”
“This game is very fun if you don't take it seriously; for its age, the graphics are not bad with good textures and well-hidden edges.”
“The developers' original intended aesthetic was watered down from a more explicit biomechanical theme, but now in 2024 a somewhat generic 90s sci-fi is in itself an aesthetic.”
“Graphics are pretty dated but, the gameplay is pretty solid.”
“Some of the graphics options are not compatible with current gen hardware but that is to be expected, they are red and cannot be selected in game.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by fast-paced, action-packed mechanics that provide a thrilling experience, reminiscent of classic arcade shooters. Players control a massive bio-mechanical character, engaging in explosive combat against various enemies in a cyberpunk setting, though some mechanics may feel outdated or underwhelming. Overall, while the game has its flaws, the core gameplay remains enjoyable and engaging, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is really solid, the bosses are cool as shit, and it's fun blowing stuff up in this cyberpunk city.”
“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.”
“Tight controls and exhaustive, yet refined shooting gameplay that will test your skills as a gamer.”
“I didn't understand half the dialogue because it was drowned out by the gameplay.”
“I think this mechanic doesn't play favorably for the game.”
“It has some mechanical issues; setting it right can be a pain, and the story is worth a worm's ass.”
- stability13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with numerous bugs and glitches reported, including issues with character movement, frame rate drops, and crashes. While some players managed to complete the game despite these problems, many found the experience frustrating and recommended using quick saves frequently. Compatibility with modern systems often requires additional software, and while it runs well on certain setups, the overall stability remains a significant concern.
“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.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its energetic techno and metal soundtracks that enhance the fast-paced gameplay and atmosphere. However, some players have criticized the sound mixing, which can make dialogue difficult to follow, and noted that certain versions of the game lack the full musical experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as catchy and enjoyable, its execution varies across platforms.
“I love the music, environment, and the level designs which are very simple but very fun.”
“This game is pure action from the soundtrack to the actual gameplay.”
“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.”
“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.”
“I'd give this game an 8/10 but the PC version is the best experience out of the two versions I own, the Dreamcast version cutting out most of the music and cutting down on texture quality.”
“The only bad thing is that I can only hear the sound of music and not the effect sound (SFX).”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique blend of influences, reminiscent of "Blade Runner" and "Hyperblade," creating an engaging and immersive experience. Players highlight the fast-paced action, intricate boss fights, and atmospheric music as key elements that enhance the overall vibe, while some also note a creepy undertone that adds to the game's depth.
“The atmosphere is amazing, with similarities and influences from Blade Runner, but it also reminds me of another game I used to play called Hyperblade.”
“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.”
“You may just enjoy the interesting mix of action, atmosphere, and fun that only a game from the late 90s can provide.”
“The game has a creepy atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
“The atmosphere is unsettling and adds to the overall tension of the game.”
“I found the atmosphere to be dark and oppressive, which detracted from my enjoyment.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
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.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game lacks intricate character development and meaningful interactions among characters, suggesting a superficial approach to storytelling.
“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.”