Z.A.R.

About

"Z.A.R. is a 2097-set game where players, as Colonel Hermit, must combat a frenzied central computer controlling weaponized mining robots on Iberium-rich planets. Traverse expansive low-gravity terrains, engaging in intense firefights with various enemies, all set to a high-quality audio soundtrack."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

58%

Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews

music11 positive mentions

story6 negative mentions

The game features a unique voxel-based terrain that allows for destructible environments, adding an interesting layer to gameplay.
The soundtrack is highly praised, with many players enjoying the guitar riffs and overall music quality.
Despite its age, the game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of retro FPS games, with simple yet engaging gameplay mechanics.

The game suffers from frustrating quality of life issues, such as not retaining weapon inventory between stages and a lack of clear mission objectives.
Controls can feel floaty and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially with fall damage and enemy accuracy.
Many missions are repetitive and can lead to aimless wandering due to the lack of enemy markers on the map, making it difficult to complete objectives.

story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
75%
17%
The game's story is often described as confusing and serves primarily as a backdrop for gameplay, featuring a series of 33 missions across various planets where players must complete objectives like searching for and destroying targets. While there is a variety of mission types, including escort and convoy missions, many players find them repetitive and frustrating, particularly due to the lack of weapon inventory retention and the challenging terrain. Overall, the narrative is seen as a weak point, overshadowed by gameplay mechanics that can lead to aimless wandering and frustration.
- “During the 33 missions, the protagonist is sent to various planets to put an end to this destructive creation.”
- “It's hard to say that it's a better game than the average for the time, but it does have a good sense of focus and style, dropping a lot of cruft that began to appear around this time and embracing cinematic cutscenes and a throbbing CD-audio soundtrack.”
- “It joined games like Rebel Moon, Terra Nova, and Terminator: Future Shock in being more about objectives and missions than just about indiscriminately shooting-- and it's not like the variety of mission types was anything close to standard at the time.”
- “The story is confusing as hell, but I mean it's probably more of an excuse for gameplay; damn is it long-winded though.”
- “The worst part is the mission design.”
- “I started on the normal difficulty but got frustrated mid-game and switched to easy because some of the terrains in the game are so unforgiving, aiming is terrible, falling and shrapnel damage is ludicrous, ammo is scarce, and the missions are repetitive and uninspired.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
13%
19%
The music in the game is consistently praised as a standout feature, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. Described as "fantastic" and "rockin'," the soundtrack is noted for its engaging and memorable tracks, often motivating players to continue playing. Overall, the music is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.
- “This game is worth buying just for the soundtrack.”
- “Best part of the game would be the music... it was the only thing egging me on to keep playing.”
- “R provides some solid (if simplistic) old school fun, with challenging combat, charming voxel landscapes, and a surprisingly enjoyable soundtrack.”
- “It also features a 'CD' quality soundtrack, whatever that means.”
- “It's hard to say that it's a better game than the average for the time, but it does have a good sense of focus and style, dropping a lot of cruft that began to appear around this time (e.g., overly elaborate mission briefings and loadout screens), and embracing cinematic cutscenes and a throbbing CD-audio soundtrack.”
- “The 'battle show' function lets you spectate battles between the robots with 7 scenarios to choose from while some of the badass music plays in the background.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay is characterized by simple shoot-em-up mechanics and blocky graphics that evoke nostalgia, but it suffers from poor controls, repetitive levels, and frustrating game mechanics that detract from the experience. While the destructible environments and engaging challenges offer some redeeming qualities, the overall execution feels outdated and lacks impact, leading to a mixed reception among players. Despite its potential for fun, many reviewers found the gameplay ultimately disappointing and tedious.
- “It's simple shoot-em-up gameplay, and the graphics are blocky, but the terrain design is pretty cool and you can see it's technically very well programmed.”
- “The crusty VGA visuals give it an awesome nostalgic feel to the gameplay.”
- “The challenge is engaging and rewarding, skirting by with 10 HP and a single round of ammunition left me with my adrenaline pumping in a way that felt like I was able to pull it off due to my own skill and rationing-- not game mechanics designed to keep me from losing.”
- “Terrible controls (even if they are arguably intentional), annoying game mechanics (like small bits of rock or debris from explosions causing damage long after the explosion has ended), and repetitive levels make this a game I cannot recommend.”
- “The game has a lot of annoying niggles though which definitely hurt the overall gameplay.”
- “So despite doing quite a few things right, I feel like the down points really hurt the overall gameplay and while this game would have been a breath of fresh air in 1997, that was then and this is now.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
30%
40%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a nostalgic, blocky aesthetic reminiscent of classic titles, with primitive voxel designs that evoke a sense of retro charm. While some players appreciate the technical execution and terrain design, others criticize the outdated visuals compared to contemporary standards, noting that the graphics may not hold up well in the modern gaming landscape. Overall, the visuals are seen as a mixed bag, appealing to fans of the genre but potentially disappointing for those expecting modern graphical fidelity.
- “The crusty VGA visuals give it an awesome nostalgic feel to the gameplay.”
- “It's simple shoot-em-up gameplay, and the graphics are blocky, but the terrain design is pretty cool and you can see it's technically very well programmed.”
- “Awesome game with awesome graphics (for its time)... I'm sorry I haven't played it back then... surely I would have loved it.”
- “Is a 21 year old game which uses primitive voxels like the old Comanche: Maximum Overkill game (which means the graphics look almost exactly the same).”
- “Graphics suck (Duke Nukem 3D was around this time and was so much better).”
- “-1 for the modern age you might argue the graphics are outdated - but you can play it on 800x600 which is more than decent for a game over 18 years old.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag; while it features a nostalgic 90s FPS setting and engaging sound design that appeals to genre enthusiasts, it suffers from a lack of strategic depth and uninspired enemy encounters, leading some players to find it dull.
- “However, its setting and its sound and atmospheric environment turn this unknown title into a reasonable 90s FPS for the entertainment of lovers of the genre.”
- “Boring enemies and atmosphere make this game a snooze.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and brief missions, which are often just a couple of minutes long, providing players with quick bursts of comedic entertainment.
- “You're basically launched into these missions -- hilariously short ones, just a couple of minutes long.”
- “The dialogue is packed with witty one-liners that had me laughing out loud.”
- “The absurd situations you find yourself in are both ridiculous and entertaining.”