Z-Exemplar

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

graphics7 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game is a colorful and varied homage to classic ZX Spectrum shoot 'em ups, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
Its bite-sized levels and in-depth upgrade system make it approachable for newcomers, allowing players to tackle challenges at their own pace.
The game features a rich variety of power-ups and a unique exploration style, providing a satisfying gameplay experience that encourages replayability.

The novelty of the game can wear off quickly, leading to repetitive grinding, especially in levels that offer less reward for the effort required.
Some players may find the difficulty curve steep and frustrating, with certain levels feeling unfairly challenging and lacking clear progression.
The power-up system can be cumbersome, and the lack of options for returning to conquered planets may hinder the overall experience for some players.

graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
The graphics of the game are a nostalgic homage to the ZX Spectrum era, effectively capturing its retro aesthetic with vibrant pixel art and intricate details. While many players appreciate the nostalgic visuals and the modern touches, some note that the graphics can be crude in places, potentially hindering gameplay. Overall, the combination of old-school charm and contemporary design elements has garnered positive feedback, with some reviewers rating the graphics as high as 9/10.
- “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.”
- “While the game perfectly captures ZX Spectrum nostalgia, its novelty quickly wears off, and the game turns into a repetitive grind.”
- “The graphics and sound are so Spectrum-esque I thought if I looked down I'd see a small, black, rubber-keyed computer!”
- “The graphics immediately bring the ZX Spectrum to mind, but there are so many things flying on the screen and so many little details that it's actually way more modern than it seems.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The gameplay is a nostalgic blend of classic arcade shooter mechanics reminiscent of R-Type and Gradius, featuring short, engaging levels and a progressive upgrade system. While some players find the difficulty and controls to be old-school and occasionally laggy, the satisfaction of completing levels and enhancing your ship with various upgrades is a highlight. The option to toggle retro effects adds to the experience, appealing to fans of both vintage and modern gaming styles.
- “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 enhanced by light-hearted flavor text and in-game achievements, which contribute to the overall experience without being overly intrusive. Players collect zogs, the in-game currency, to activate powerups and purchase upgrades, with a risk-reward system reminiscent of classic shooters. The narrative unfolds through occasional story-related mail and the progression of the player's character, z-exemplar.
- “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%
17%
17%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and nostalgic appeal, particularly for fans of ZX Spectrum titles, though some users wish for more control over sound effects to better appreciate the soundtrack. While it is described as "awesome" and "perfect," a few reviewers feel it lacks the distinctive style of classic 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.”
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.
- “The game is really fun to play in the beginning, grinding levels for money for upgrades...”
- “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.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's humor is noted for enhancing the overall experience, particularly appealing to fans of classic games.
- “The humor in this game is spot-on, making every moment enjoyable and keeping me engaged throughout.”
- “I love how the game incorporates clever jokes and witty dialogue that never feel forced.”
- “The quirky characters and their hilarious interactions add a unique charm that makes the gameplay even more fun.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
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.
- “Each playthrough offers unique challenges and experiences, making it exciting to dive back in and explore different strategies.”
- “With multiple endings and character choices, the game encourages you to replay it to uncover all the secrets and storylines.”
- “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 multiple endings, they all feel similar, which diminishes the replayability factor significantly.”