Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer
- June 1, 2023
- Big Z Studios Inc.
- 15h median play time
.. welcome to.... THE STEEL SEWER. The biggest motherflippin secret base in the galaxy. We are X Slayers... It is we who fight The Psyko Sindikate. We pledge to defend the people of earth even though they're beep-holes to us and don't even deserve it. Why? Because the Psyko Sindikate are freakin sick evil turds and are using the Hackblood (yes... they are stealing our powers... idiots) to bring…
Reviews
- Incredibly fun gameplay with a nostalgic '90s shooter vibe, reminiscent of classics like Duke Nukem 3D and Redneck Rampage.
- Unique and creative weapon mechanics, such as the shotgun that uses broken glass for ammo and the Hackblood Talisman that allows for powerful attacks.
- Charming and humorous writing that captures the essence of teenage angst and crude humor, making it a delightful experience for fans of the era.
- The game is relatively short, with a playtime of around 3-4 hours, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- Some levels can be confusing to navigate, leading to frustration when trying to find keys or progress.
- Performance issues and bugs, particularly related to saving and loading, can detract from the overall experience.
- humor115 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Slayers X" is a nostalgic homage to the crude, edgy style of late 90s and early 2000s gaming, blending gross-out jokes, juvenile humor, and self-aware parody. While many players find it genuinely funny and a perfect fit for the boomer shooter genre, others may see it as overly crude or miss the context if they lack familiarity with that era. Overall, the humor is a defining feature that enhances the game's charm and appeal, particularly for those who appreciate its unique blend of nostalgia and irreverence.
“The humor and styling are on point (especially for the character presented as developing the game), and the gunplay and movement mechanics are on point.”
“A hilarious experience that balances being shit on purpose.”
“Self-aware, tongue-in-cheek, and genuinely funny.”
- music104 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its nostalgic nu-metal and alt-rock vibes that evoke the late '90s and early 2000s. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as "banging," "killer," and a perfect match for the game's edgy aesthetic and humor. Overall, the music not only enhances the gameplay experience but also serves as a significant draw for fans of the genre, making it a memorable aspect of the game.
“The soundtrack to this game is top notch and just reeks of nu-metal and angst, easily taking its place as one of my favorites.”
“Had a lot of fun playing Slayers X, it takes me back to the mid and late 90s of FPS games and I really dig the nu-metal soundtrack!”
“The soundtrack of Slayers X is chef's kiss slayin’ good, pardon the pun, it was composed by Jay Tholen and I gotta say, it was damn good, packs a lot of rock, metal, tension, adrenaline to my ears, it’s so good.”
“It may have a catchy song, but this game wears thin by the end and never grows beyond its first half.”
“Then the action dies, and so too does the music as it levels to a depressing ambiance.”
“The music is not just sick, it's not just diseased, it's dead!”
- gameplay84 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Slayers X" is characterized by its fast-paced, addictive mechanics and retro aesthetic, reminiscent of classic '90s boomer shooters. Players appreciate the unique weapon mechanics, such as using glass as ammunition, and the engaging level design filled with secrets and humor, although some find the gameplay to be somewhat janky and lacking in depth. Overall, it successfully blends fun, nostalgia, and comedic elements, making for an enjoyable experience despite some minor criticisms regarding length and difficulty.
“The gameplay is addictive, fast, and punchy.”
“A perfect blend of genuinely fun and solid gameplay with an incredibly funny 90s edgelord sense of humor.”
“Fun gameplay, shooting feels satisfying, there's a lot of effort put into those dense 5-6 hours, fun little details, tons of dumb jokes, references to hypnospace outlaw / 1999 internet / youtubers...and the soundtrack just kicks ass.”
“Slayers X has a retro aesthetic that might only appeal to a certain demographic, and it has a meta-narrative that could be very cringe and give way to some bad gameplay.”
“The gameplay starts off kind of played-out, and by about the third level I was ready to drop it thinking it was just another generic retro shooter.”
“Gameplay is pretty standard; I don't think anything is particularly wanting or excellent, other than the glass shooter which is a great mechanic that never really goes deeper than 'glass is ammunition, so break any glass panels you see for a quick refund.'”
- graphics73 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Slayers X" evoke a nostalgic retro aesthetic reminiscent of 90s FPS games, appealing primarily to fans of that era. While some players appreciate the intentionally janky visuals and unique art style, others criticize the graphics for being confusing and poorly executed, detracting from the overall gameplay experience. Despite mixed opinions, the game's charm lies in its quirky design and sound, making it a memorable addition for those who enjoy retro-inspired shooters.
“The graphics and sound are great - gnarly katakute, flying gibs, crunchy samples, and an OST of fantastic seepage bangers.”
“The game's entire aesthetic - from the characters to the music to the weapons themselves - is so edgy that you could cut yourself just by watching the trailer.”
“The graphics are very authentic (outside of the cut-scenes).”
“The readability of a lot of game elements is poor, owing to the art style.”
“But the graphics make it unplayable.”
“The movement and gunplay is slightly janky, the level design is confusing, and the visuals are a (though deliberately) jarring mess, all of which makes for a less than enjoyable gameplay experience.”
- story58 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "Slayers X" is a self-aware, tongue-in-cheek narrative that blends humor, nostalgia, and emotional depth, primarily focusing on the protagonist Zane's journey as both a cyber warrior and a young man grappling with personal challenges. While the plot may initially seem like a parody of early 2000s gaming tropes, it unfolds into a more complex character study, revealing layers of sincerity and creativity amidst its zany aesthetic. Players appreciate the environmental storytelling and hidden backstories that enhance the overall experience, making it a memorable entry in the boomer shooter genre.
“The real surprise is the story; it’s both a loving send-up of early 2000s cringe fanfiction you wrote as a 13-year-old, yet also features a very intentional sad character study of its fictional creator as he grapples with his own inadequacy, sexual frustration, and dead-end Midwest existence.”
“However, under the guise of the straightforward plot of Zane trying to stop the Psykos and his boss from taking over Boise and avenging his mom, comes a different story of the actual Zane trying to publish a video game while managing his real life and relationships.”
“Once again, this game works so well because it feels original, it feels unique, it never gets old even after a couple of playthroughs, it has a story worth investing in, it has cool world-building, funny moments, and meta jokes that can also be funny, but most importantly, Slayers X is memorable.”
“One of the most immature and sloppy FPSs I've played in quite some time, Slayers X is a game that feels like it hasn't learned a thing about game design post-1995 and combines hordes of poorly placed enemies with limited ammo, a keycard-based progression system without a logical level layout to match, and an edgelord story told by cringe-inducing dialogue and cutscenes right out of Drake of the 99 Dragons.”
“The story of a teenager who spent so much time crafting a smooth FPS in his notebook that there wasn't any left to learn basic grammar or punctuation.”
“Imagine a game based off a really crappy comic straight off of DeviantArt featuring a completely nonsensical Mary Sue character (in this case a famous CEO/comic book artist/dollar store employee) with a plot that you can't help but laugh at.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game evokes a surprising range of emotions, blending humor with a heartfelt narrative that resonates with players, particularly fans of retro shooters and quirky worldbuilding. While it features zany aesthetics and toilet humor, it also delivers genuine, heartwarming moments and a touching story about revenge and empathy, making it a unique emotional experience in the gaming landscape. Overall, it successfully balances fun and sentiment, leaving players with a lasting emotional impact.
“A really odd game that made me feel more emotions than most games.”
“I never expected to get an emotional response like that playing a literal hackjob of a 90s era run and gun FPS.”
“Someone put a lot of thought into making this authentic feeling and it paid off, it's absolutely authentic and honestly is heartwarming in a weird sense.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for significant performance issues, including stuttering and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in longer sessions or as levels progress. While some players still find the game enjoyable despite these drawbacks, the overall consensus indicates that it suffers from poor optimization typical of modern engines.
“Unfortunately, the game has a good few bugs and occasional performance issues, but nothing that ruined the game for me.”
“Performance aside, this game is just straight fun.”
“Really goes to show how poorly optimized modern engines are.”
“Performance can drastically shift as you progress through levels.”
“Halfway through the 'cul-de-sac' level, I had to turn the game off because it was stuttering so badly.”
- stability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is characterized by a mix of minor glitches and rough edges, with some users noting occasional bugs in enemy behavior and character dialogue. Despite these issues, the game runs well on various platforms, including Linux, and is generally considered entertaining, reflecting a labor of love despite its janky appearance.
“Runs great on Linux.”
“It's got some clunk and glitches that are fine, I guess, but the whole thing feels a little rough around the edges.”
“The game looks very janky, but do not be deceived - this game runs pretty good with a few glitches and hiccups.”
“My only complaints would be that sometimes enemies alerting to your presence feels a little buggy, and Zane says, 'the s-blade has a charge' maybe a little too often, but I wouldn't count these rough edges against what's clearly a labor of love for a very specific slice of living in America in the late 90s.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it often involves facing large numbers of copy-pasted enemies in repetitive encounters. While there is a unique weapon introduced later, the gameplay primarily revolves around managing its ammo and using it to efficiently clear out mobs, which can feel monotonous.
“Namely the fact that encounter design mostly boils down to putting 1,000 enemies copy-pasted into rows that you mow down in a very tedious fashion.”
“You get a somewhat cool gimmick weapon late in the game's story, but gameplay quickly revolves around keeping it stocked with ammo and figuring out when you're intended to use it to mow down a huge mob of enemies that would be extremely tedious to kill with things that are comparative pea shooters.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its nostalgic, grungy metal vibe that effectively transports players back to their teenage years, evoking strong feelings of nostalgia without relying on specific character cameos. While the immersive experience is compelling, some players find it intense enough that they appreciate the game's shorter length.
“Mercifully, the game is short because I don't think I could take any more of the atmosphere. As great as it is, I absolutely recommend it if there's any bit of 2000's/90's nostalgia left in your heart.”
“Grungy metal fills up the game's atmosphere, allowing the player to relive their excess dopamine surges from their teenage years while blasting away bad dudes around them.”
“I don't need cameos of 90's characters to feel nostalgia; I want that atmosphere, that time capsule, rushing home from school to get on my parents' computer that I would sometimes get to keep in my room.”
“Grungy metal fills the game's atmosphere, allowing players to relive their excess dopamine surges from their teenage years while blasting away bad guys.”
“I don't need cameos of 90's characters to feel nostalgia; I want that atmosphere of a time capsule, rushing home from school to get on my parents' computer, which I sometimes got to keep in my room.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its engaging gameplay, rich details, and a wealth of secrets and hidden elements in each level, making it more replayable than typical shooters. Despite its short length, players find it fun and filled with humor, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
“Fun, hilarious, and replayable.”
“There's also a significant amount of replay value here based on the density of secrets and hidden areas/jokes packed within each level, more so than typical shooters of its nature.”
“An incredibly fun romp that, while short, has a lot of wonderful details packed in and plenty of replayability.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development is subtly woven into the gameplay, as players uncover backstory and character growth through exploration of secret rooms. The game is presented as a "found game," reflecting the protagonist's teenage design, which adds depth to the character's narrative.
“The more you explore the secret rooms, the more backstory and character development you uncover.”
“But the more you poked around for the obligatory secret rooms, the more backstory (and even some character development??) you uncover.”
“This is advertised as a 'found game' of sorts that this character designed in his teenage years.”