Slave Zero X

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 252 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Slave Zero X Game Cover
Slave Zero X is a fantastic game with fast paced action and combat combined with great gameplay rhythm.
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In the prequel to Slave Zero, Slave Zero X lets you control Shou, a Guardian swordsman who merges with a Slave Unit Prototype to become a powerful biomecha. Wield killer combos, stylish swordplay, and explosive ordnance to take down an army of living machines and stop them from being used as weapons of war. Platforming, air juggling, and wall-jumping add to the fast-paced action.

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

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 252 reviews
gameplay33 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a unique biopunk aesthetic that captivates players.
  • The combat system is deep and rewarding, allowing for complex combos and satisfying gameplay.
  • The story and character development are engaging, with well-written dialogue and voice acting.
  • The game suffers from frustrating difficulty spikes, particularly in later levels where enemy spam can lead to unfair situations.
  • There is a lack of clear tutorials and move lists, making it difficult for players to fully understand the combat mechanics.
  • Technical issues, such as bugs and performance problems, detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay137 mentions

    The gameplay of "Slave Zero X" is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of beat 'em up and fighting game mechanics that can be both rewarding and frustrating. While the combat system offers depth with complex combos and mechanics like parries and bursts, many players find the execution and enemy design lacking, leading to repetitive and sometimes tedious gameplay. Overall, the game is visually stunning and has a solid foundation, but it suffers from poor tutorials and balancing issues that can detract from the experience.

    • “On the surface, it's a 2.5D beat 'em up that mixes in some fighting game mechanics from games like Street Fighter and Tekken.”
    • “The gameplay is a lot of fun and the story is overall fantastic.”
    • “Beat 'em ups with fighting game mechanics have been done before, but Slave Zero X really makes a beautiful and functional marriage out of the two genres that doesn't compromise one for the other, and asks a lot of attention and experimentation of the player to boot.”
    • “The gameplay of Slave Zero X is very poorly designed.”
    • “In the end, Slave Zero X is a game that has some of the best art, character design, beautiful voice acting, and world-building I have seen in a game, but it's all brought down due to boring gameplay and horrible enemy design.”
    • “This game does a terrible job at explaining its mechanics, the platforming sucks, and stunlocking is almost impossible to get out of.”
  • graphics66 mentions

    The graphics of "Slave Zero" are widely praised for their unique and striking art style, effectively capturing a niche "bio-punk" aesthetic that combines beautifully rendered 3D backgrounds with 2D sprite work. While many players appreciate the stunning visuals and atmospheric design, some have reported technical issues, such as crashes and graphical glitches, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's presentation, including its art and sound, is considered a standout feature, making it a visually memorable title despite its gameplay flaws.

    • “Slave Zero nails it with its killer art style, smooth hack 'n' slash action, and an insane soundtrack that amps up the whole experience.”
    • “The fantastic visual aesthetic is combined with flawless sound work and high-quality voice acting to create a near-perfect presentation.”
    • “The graphics are wild, like a beautiful dream, with colors so bright, they make your eyes gleam.”
    • “5-5 crashes right as the level loads for me, making it unable to be finished, and, under certain circumstances, the game will fail to display the graphics properly, also making it near unplayable.”
    • “The graphical issues seem to be affecting a few more players than just me, based on the bug reports in the Steam discussions section.”
    • “Paired with the visual problems above, the lack of strong sounds and flashing visuals to indicate danger can lead to unexpected hits, making gameplay frustrating.”
  • story66 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging themes, character development, and emotional depth, particularly in the context of a biopunk dystopian setting. While some players found the narrative straightforward or even lacking in interest, others appreciated the stylish presentation, voice acting, and the way the story intertwines with gameplay. Overall, it appears to be a compelling experience for those invested in its unique world and characters, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and clarity.

    • “The story, music, and graphics are all great and made me want to dive deeper into this universe. I was fairly invested by the end of it; the story of a human's fusion with a weird sentient armor thirsty for blood was entertaining and even quite touching at times.”
    • “You can feel how much the team cared about the worldbuilding and storytelling. It's a biopunk dystopian future setting, and the dark story is well introduced by the characters' expressiveness, making you want to see more of the dystopian setting presented.”
    • “Slave Zero X is, at its core, a beat 'em up game, but it also has a very strong visual design, a good soundtrack, and, most surprisingly, a really moving story and compelling set of characters.”
    • “The story is not interesting at all and the main character is kind of cringe.”
    • “There's a few things to just point out, the story just simply exists; it's not good but it's not bad either.”
    • “For the story, honestly, I think it just plain stinks by the end of it.”
  • music47 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and fitting soundtrack, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Many players describe it as a standout feature, with a mix of cyberpunk elements, catchy tunes, and impressive sound design that complements the game's visuals and combat mechanics. However, some users noted issues with audio balance, where certain sound effects overshadow the music, detracting from its impact.

    • “The music is also amazing, enough to make me spend the cash on the soundtrack despite getting the game for free as a present.”
    • “Slave Zero X nails it with its killer art style, smooth hack 'n' slash action, and an insane soundtrack that amps up the whole experience.”
    • “The music is brimming with cyberpunk arpeggios, wailing guitars, and thumping breakbeat.”
    • “Also, I don't know if this is an audio bug or how it's meant to be (and if so... why?), but the ambience and soundtrack are often drowned out by the noise the drone that follows you around makes, which for some reason is 10x louder than everything else around it.”
    • “The music is alright, not quite as intense as I'd like for this type of game and a little too videogame-y for me, but it serves its purpose and is pretty catchy.”
    • “The art direction and music are top-notch, but the difficulty spikes can be brutal.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting severe performance issues, bugs, and system requirements that do not align with actual gameplay experience. While some players find enjoyment in the game despite these flaws, they recommend waiting for patches to address the numerous performance problems and glitches. Overall, the optimization is considered a significant drawback, overshadowing the otherwise enjoyable aspects of the game.

    • “It has a handful of bugs, performance problems, and overall some gameplay quirks that need to be ironed out, but overall it's an extremely enjoyable experience.”
    • “And while there are a couple of bugs and performance issues that will most likely be fixed down the line, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy the hell out of the experience.”
    • “Alongside that, just some minor hiccups with performance in some stages or the camera getting caught up in the air for a bit are more minor bugs and don't really hurt the overall experience of playing the game.”
    • “Game's optimization remains non-existent.”
    • “The system requirements do not represent this game's performance.”
    • “Seems fun enough, but jesus christ what a dumpster fire of performance and zero assistance or info online lmfao.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in Slave Zero X is highlighted by exceptional art and character design, with a strong commitment to a biomechanical aesthetic that enhances the game's world-building. While the characters and their narratives are engaging, some players feel that gameplay issues detract from the overall experience, suggesting that improvements could enhance the appreciation of the story and character arcs. Overall, the game's visual and auditory elements are praised, but technical challenges may hinder deeper engagement with the characters.

    • “The character design is amazing, the HUD is stylish, and while the game is tough to get used to, the brutal challenge makes it all the more engaging.”
    • “The character designs and art are all great and truly stand out.”
    • “The character designs are also impressive, committing to that biomechanical look the original had while evolving the aesthetic.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me disappointed by their growth.”
    • “The game fails to provide meaningful choices that impact character development, resulting in a linear and unengaging experience.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of clever writing and character interactions, with standout moments from characters like the Morshu shopkeep and humorous wallbounces that add levity to the experience. While some players find the humor resets tension at times, the overall dialogue is praised for being both serious and funny, keeping players engaged.

    • “The Morshu shopkeep is funny, but every time I finished a major plot beat and went to the shop, he basically reset the tension as a result. But that's a nitpick.”
    • “The writing is so good; the dialogue is serious, funny, and gets your attention.”
    • “- Taunting wall bounces and it's very humorous.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often exacerbated by repetitive enemy encounters and certain overly difficult foes. While some mechanics, like fatal sync, provide temporary relief from the monotony, the overall experience is marred by a lack of enjoyment and significant performance issues.

    • “It is not about difficulty; it is tedious and annoying.”
    • “But later on, the game gets tedious and frustrating, and I just was not enjoying how each combat encounter would recycle the same enemies. There are some really annoying enemy types, most notably these 'gold' hammer captain guys (legit harder than half of the bosses in the game lol).”
    • “It's outright painful and tedious.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability is criticized for being buggy and under-tutorialized, leading to frustrating experiences, particularly in the final level where players encountered significant issues. Additionally, combat mechanics can feel inconsistent, with hitboxes sometimes failing to function as intended, contributing to an overall rough experience.

    • “I attempted to post something in the community discussions to see if there'd be any assistance beyond the minimal troubleshooting provided by the developers in some FAQ regarding the demo, but people seem more busy replying to some clearly obvious bait posts than to help other users with a tech issue.”
    • “It can definitely be rough around the edges; enemies can be ever so slightly off camera, and the last level (at least for me) was a bit buggy, and I had to repeat it once or twice.”
    • “However, the combat mechanics are hard to pull off (especially within this context), which makes the combat rarely buggy or inconsistent at times, with hit/hurtboxes that will make you scratch your head for not fulfilling their intended designed purpose.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Players note that the game's replayability is significantly tied to its style system, which some found confusing, leading to a missed opportunity for deeper engagement. However, the well-paced levels and satisfying game length contribute positively to replayability, with standout moments like the atavaka fight enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The levels are well-paced and the game length is satisfying and replayable, with Enyo's stage featuring the sniper gimmick being potentially annoying, while the Atavaka fight stands out as a major highlight.”
    • “I never fully grasped the style system, which feels like a missed opportunity since that's where the game's replayability truly lies.”
    • “Imagine if the Sistine Chapel ceiling were playable.”
    • “I never got a grasp on the way the style system works throughout; it's a massive missed opportunity because that's where the game's replayability comes from.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique "bio-punk" theme, characterized by striking art and aesthetics that effectively convey a transhumanist vibe. Players are drawn to the immersive and niche aesthetic that sets it apart from other titles.

    • “You're coming here for the art, the aesthetic, atmosphere, vibes, and the very niche 'bio-punk' theme that basically exists nowhere else (think Guyver or Apocalypse Zero).”
    • “From a presentation perspective, the art and aesthetics of the game are extremely striking and really tie together the transhumanist/biopunk atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that I expected from a game with such a unique theme.”
    • “While the art style is interesting, the overall atmosphere fails to engage, making it hard to feel invested in the world.”
    • “The game has a promising aesthetic, but the atmosphere ultimately falls short, leaving players feeling disconnected from the experience.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its compelling story of a human merging with a sentient armor, which evokes a range of feelings from entertainment to deep emotional resonance. The combination of stunning graphics, engaging animations, and a powerful soundtrack enhances the player's investment in the universe, creating memorable and touching moments throughout the experience.

    • “The story, music, and graphics are all great and made me want to dive deeper into this universe. I was fairly invested by the end of it; the story of a human's fusion with a weird sentient armor thirsty for blood was entertaining and even quite touching at times. The wonderfully rendered 3D backgrounds and dopamine-inducing animations make for a lot of memorable moments.”
    • “The music makes me want to cry, run around screaming, and smile.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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