Z-Exemplar

About

Z-Exemplar is a single player arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by suminell and was released on November 15, 2015. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Z-Exemplar is a single-player, sci-fi shooter game with a nod to classics like R-Type and Gradius. Its striking 8-bit visuals, reminiscent of the ZX Spectrum, offer a unique, imaginative experience. The game contains nearly 1000 planets to conquer, taking approximately 10 hours to complete."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

graphics7 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Captures the nostalgic feel of ZX Spectrum games with colorful graphics and 8-bit sound, making it a love letter to retro gaming enthusiasts.
Offers a rich upgrade system and bite-sized levels, making it accessible for newcomers to the shoot 'em up genre while still providing depth for veterans.
Gameplay is engaging with a variety of power-ups and a unique exploration style, allowing players to tackle levels in a non-linear fashion.

The game can become repetitive and grindy, with some levels offering less reward despite requiring multiple attempts to conquer them.
Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, and the power-up system may feel cumbersome, leading to moments of unfairness in gameplay.
Lack of options for customizing controls and returning to conquered planets can hinder the overall experience for some players.

graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
33%
20%
The graphics of the game are heavily inspired by the ZX Spectrum, successfully capturing its nostalgic aesthetic with vibrant pixel art and intricate details. While many players appreciate the retro charm and the homage to classic titles like R-Type, some note that the visuals can be crude at times, potentially hindering gameplay. Overall, the graphics are praised for their authenticity and creativity, though a few reviewers suggest they could benefit from additional polishing.
- “Some of the best spectrum graphics never to be on a spectrum ;)”
- “Oh and never mind that it also features gorgeous zx-spectrum inspired graphics, as well as a great soundtrack.”
- “The graphics immediately bring the zx spectrum to mind, but there's so many things flying on the screen and so many little details that it's actually way more modern than it could seem.”
- “The graphics and sound are so spectrumesque I thought if I looked down I'd see a small, black, rubber-keyed computer!”
- “While the game perfectly captures ZX Spectrum nostalgia, its novelty quickly wears off, and the game turns into a repetitive grind.”
- “Audio sounds just like it's coming from the audio chip in a ZX Spectrum; the graphics are also the same, with the intricate shading.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
45%
33%
The gameplay is a blend of classic arcade shooter mechanics reminiscent of R-Type and Gradius, featuring power-up selection and a progressive upgrade system. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel and short, engaging levels, others criticize the laggy controls and difficulty spikes that can hinder the experience. Overall, it offers straightforward, satisfying gameplay with a mix of retro and modern elements, appealing to fans of old-school games.
- “It is just good old straightforward gameplay with a ton of cool weapons upgrades and very easy to get stuck into.”
- “The gameplay combines elements of classic arcade shooter-em-ups (and again, specifically r-type), with modern elements such as collecting coins ('zogs') for buying upgrades, getting your ship to be more and more powerful every time.”
- “Shitty Gradius copy, laggy controls, slow gameplay where attempting to upgrade your ship can lead to dying.”
- “The graphics are interestingly retro, but they are in some places so crude that gameplay becomes difficult.”
- “The difficulty can be a bit old school, but the levels are fairly short, bite-sized chunks of gameplay.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The game's story is subtly woven into the gameplay through light-hearted z-mail and the collection of zogs, which serve as both currency and a means to enhance the player's experience. Players can earn achievements and bonuses that contribute to the narrative progression, creating a sense of evolution in the game's world without overwhelming the player with heavy storytelling. Overall, the story complements the gameplay mechanics rather than dominating them.
- “The z-mail adds some fun flavor text without being heavy-handed with the story, which I appreciate.”
- “Other bonuses including zeds (currency), medals, and the occasional story-advancing piece of mail delivered in-game, all of which add to the evolution of z-exemplar.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
16%
17%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and nostalgic appeal, particularly for fans of ZX Spectrum-inspired graphics. However, some users feel it could benefit from a more prominent presence, as sound effects can overshadow the soundtrack, and a few critics note it lacks the classic style of renowned composers like Rob Hubbard and Jonathan Dunn.
- “Awesome soundtrack.”
- “Music is perfect.”
- “If you ever had a ZX Spectrum and loved R-Type, then you really should get this as all the graphics and music recreate that and so much more.”
- “My only complaint is that I wish I could reduce the volume of the sound effects so I could hear the music.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is noted for enhancing the overall experience, particularly appealing to fans of classic games. It effectively engages players with its witty and nostalgic elements.
- “The humor in this game is spot-on, making every moment enjoyable and keeping me engaged throughout.”
- “I love how the game combines clever jokes with its gameplay, creating a truly entertaining experience.”
- “The witty dialogue and hilarious situations had me laughing out loud, making it a memorable adventure.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers significant replayability due to its extensive collection of upgrades and weapon types, encouraging players to experiment with different configurations across multiple playthroughs.
- “The game features a very extensive collection of upgrades, and I did not manage to buy all the different weapon types in a single playthrough, so there is definitely a lot of replayability value here, trying to play with different weapon configurations.”
- “After completing the game, I found little incentive to replay it. The story doesn't change much, and the side quests feel repetitive.”
- “While the game has a variety of paths to take, the lack of meaningful choices makes replaying it feel more like a chore than an adventure.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players initially enjoy the grinding aspect of the game for upgrades, but many express frustration upon realizing that a significant portion of the game (86%) consists of repetitive grinding with minimal variation, diminishing the overall experience.
- “- ...until you realize that you've beaten just 14% of the game and mad grinding is all that awaits you in the remaining 86%, with only slight variations.”
- “+ the game is really fun to play in the beginning, grinding levels for money for upgrades...”