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Z.A.R.

58%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
story, graphics
58% User Score Based on 104 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindowsLinuxLinuxMs DosMs Dos
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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."

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Z.A.R. screenshot
Z.A.R. screenshot
Z.A.R. screenshot
Z.A.R. screenshot
Z.A.R. screenshot

58%
Audience ScoreBased on 104 reviews
music22 positive mentions
story12 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 music and adding it to their playlists.
  • Despite its age, the game offers a nostalgic experience for fans of retro FPS games, with some players finding it surprisingly fun and engaging.
  • The game suffers from frustrating mechanics, such as not retaining weapon inventory between stages and having a lack of health pickups, making it difficult to progress.
  • Many players find the level design repetitive and the missions uninspired, often leading to aimless wandering in search of objectives.
  • Controls are described as floaty and unresponsive, with issues like fall damage from jumping and a lack of a crosshair making aiming difficult.
  • story
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is often described as confusing and serves primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. Players engage in a variety of missions across different planets, including escort and target elimination tasks, but many find the mission design repetitive and frustrating, particularly due to the lack of clear objectives and the absence of retained weapon inventories between stages. Overall, while the game offers a range of mission types, the execution leaves much to be desired, making it hard to recommend despite its nostalgic appeal.

    • “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 (e.g., overly elaborate mission briefings and loadout screens), 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.”
    • “Due to those strange flaws, lack of story, and $6 price tag, it's too hard to recommend, considering other retro games like Quake are free.”
    • “The worst part is the mission design.”
  • music
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting it as the standout feature, often describing it as fantastic or awesome. The soundtrack is noted for its high quality, reminiscent of CD audio, and is considered a significant motivator for players to continue engaging with the game. Overall, the music complements the gameplay well, enhancing the overall experience with its energetic and enjoyable compositions.

    • “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 (that can be deformed with explosions!), 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
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by simple shoot-em-up mechanics and blocky graphics that evoke nostalgia, though the terrain design is praised for its technical execution. While the destructible world adds an interesting element, it rarely impacts gameplay, and issues like poor controls, repetitive levels, and frustrating mechanics detract from the overall experience. Despite some engaging challenges and a relaxing atmosphere, many players feel the game suffers from significant flaws that overshadow its strengths.

    • “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.”
    • “The game, even then, struck an impression on me due to its advanced voxel engine and open-concept gameplay.”
    • “Mechanically fun, decent music, relaxing.”
    • “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 issues that definitely hurt the overall gameplay.”
    • “So despite doing quite a few things right, I feel like the downsides 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
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by blocky, nostalgic visuals reminiscent of classic boomer shooters, with some players appreciating the primitive voxel design and cool terrain. While some reviews criticize the graphics as outdated compared to contemporaries, others highlight their charm and technical execution for a game of its age. Overall, the visuals evoke a sense of nostalgia, appealing to fans of retro gaming despite their limitations.

    • “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 (DN3D 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
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag; while it features a nostalgic 90s FPS setting and effective sound design that appeals to genre enthusiasts, many players find the overall atmosphere lacking in excitement and engagement, with uninspired enemies contributing to a sense of boredom. The intuitive gameplay mechanics, such as aiming and jumping, add a layer of challenge but can detract from the immersive experience.

    • “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
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and comedic tone, particularly evident in the hilariously short missions that last just a couple of minutes, providing quick bursts of entertainment.

    • “You’re basically launched into these missions -- hilariously short ones, just a couple of minutes long.”

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