ZED

About

"ZED" is a single-player adventure game with an intriguing story about an aging artist, suffering from dementia, trying to reconcile his past through his dreams. With exceptional graphics, a good soundtrack, and highly emotional narrative, players help the artist leave a lasting legacy for his granddaughter. This bittersweet journey is brought to life by industry veterans from Myst, Bioshock Infinite, and the Metal Gear Solid series, with an option for VR support on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 130 reviews

story48 positive mentions

gameplay5 negative mentions

ZED is a beautifully crafted game with stunning visuals and a heartfelt narrative that resonates deeply with players, especially those reflecting on memory and regret.
The voice acting and soundtrack are exceptional, enhancing the emotional experience and immersion throughout the game.
The game offers a unique and introspective journey, allowing players to explore the mind of an artist and engage with themes of family and creativity.

ZED lacks substantial gameplay elements, primarily consisting of simple object collection and repetitive sliding puzzles, which may disappoint players expecting a more interactive experience.
The game is relatively short, with many players completing it in under two hours, leading to concerns about its value for the price.
Technical issues, particularly in VR, have been reported, including bugs and performance problems that detract from the overall experience.

story
143 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
The story of *Zed* is a poignant and emotionally charged narrative that unfolds through surreal environments, focusing on themes of family, memory, and personal struggle. While the storytelling is praised for its depth and relatability, some players find the delivery lacking in nuance and the gameplay overly simplistic, reducing it to a walking simulator with minimal interactivity. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate immersive storytelling and beautiful visuals, despite its shortcomings in gameplay mechanics.
- “Zed is a game of beautiful environments, good voice acting, and deep storytelling ambition, with a brilliantly odd and touching premise, and at its best, it provides moments of intense and earned emotion that have stayed with me long after playing.”
- “The story was emotionally engaging and the voice acting decent, capturing an authentic voice that resonates with personal experiences.”
- “A heart-wrenching story told beautifully, that left me in tears by the end.”
- “It's not a game so much as a walk-through story.”
- “The story isn't compelling, the gameplay is tacked on and insultingly incidental.”
- “Much of it is meant to be inferred through the artist's thoughts and memories, but they are often incomplete, and potentially heart-wrenching story beats end up served in an underwhelming way.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
45%
8%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and artistic style, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning visuals and detailed artwork that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some criticism arises regarding inconsistencies in texture quality and lighting, as well as technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, contributing significantly to its emotional depth and immersive atmosphere.
- “Ultimately, I would recommend this game due to the great visuals.”
- “Giant sculptures of expressive faces and heads, hovering and spinning cracked stone spheres, and an aesthetic that somehow combines quirky fun comic strip characters and bright colors with a deep melancholy and sense of regret, all make it worth playing.”
- “The visuals have been well-thought-out, and many of the spaces have been filled with interesting details that add to the immersion.”
- “Lastly, while the visuals are okay overall, the lighting and textures are poor in some areas.”
- “The game starts with blurry graphics but gets sharper as he processes through his memories.”
- “No real content other than half-decent visuals and incredibly unoptimized particle effects.”
emotional
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of [i]zed[/i] is characterized by its heartfelt storytelling and deep narrative ambition, resonating particularly with players who have experienced personal struggles. While some found the emotional engagement powerful and touching, others felt it lacked depth and connection to the characters. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful environments and music that enhance the emotional journey, making it a memorable experience for those open to its artistic approach.
- “Zed is a game of beautiful environments, good voice acting, and deep storytelling ambition, with a brilliantly odd and touching premise, and at its best, it provides moments of intense and earned emotion that have stayed with me long after playing.”
- “A heart-wrenching story told beautifully, that left me in tears by the end.”
- “The game's intent is to emotionally involve you in this man's journey back from his personal oblivion.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
69%
19%
The gameplay is largely criticized for its repetitive and simplistic mechanics, primarily revolving around scavenger hunts and trivial puzzles that fail to engage players meaningfully. Many reviewers noted that the game feels more like a guided narrative experience than a traditional game, with minimal interaction and a lack of compelling challenges. While the artistic environments are praised, the overall gameplay is described as shallow and uninspired, detracting from the potential emotional depth of the story.
- “The gameplay may be simple, but the story is complex and will only unfold to the extent that you engage with it.”
- “This game is not about the puzzles or the gameplay; it's a narrated journey through a character's memories.”
- “Gameplay is very basic and involves going through memories and collecting objects from your past, which gives you a journal entry with a writing about them.”
- “It suffers a bit from some repetitive pacing, and don't expect any puzzles or gameplay elements of consequence.”
- “The entire gameplay loop consists of walking around collecting objects in silence and then standing still while the game tells you the story.”
- “The find-four-glowing-items-and-then-complete-a-nine-piece-swapping-puzzle mechanics got repetitive really quickly and even though I can only assume that the intention was to provide some kind of challenge while not detracting from the story itself, it became annoying very quickly.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
20%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its high quality and emotional depth, enhancing the immersive experience alongside beautiful visuals and storytelling. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke feelings and complement the game's surreal environments, although some note occasional repetitiveness. Overall, the combination of ambient tracks, haunting melodies, and well-timed music significantly elevates the gameplay experience.
- “The music throughout the game was perfectly placed in connection with the memories that were shared.”
- “The soundtrack is comprised of some beautiful ambient tracks, all of which do wonders towards enhancing the emotion of their respective scenes, and especially make the more surreal areas feel much more dreamlike.”
- “The environment, design, music, voice acting, and story all come together for an immersive, sensual experience that everyone should enjoy at least once.”
- “The music could become annoyingly repetitive at times.”
- “There's a whole bevy of haunting piano refrains, melancholy violins, acoustic guitar pieces (at least I think there's guitar pieces, the full soundtrack isn't available yet and I'm going off of a week-and-a-half old memory that's been diluted by like four other games).”
- “Zed is designed to be experienced slowly - for the player to take in the visuals, the music, and above all the story.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback; while the voice acting and narrative quality are praised, players have reported significant performance issues, including motion sickness and unoptimized visual effects. Despite its engaging story and visuals, the technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience.
- “Stephen and all the other voice actors do a great job at making the emotion in their lines come across perfectly naturally, whether it be the protagonist's internal narration or flashback/voicemail segments, and the sheer quality of their performances really helps to further invest you in the story.”
- “Zed is not a puzzle game in the slightest, but a 'walking simulator' built around gorgeous visuals and a rich narrative, along with great vocal performances.”
- “Roughly the cost of your average cinema night really, and compared to most films, the writing and the performance you hear and see here is going to be miles ahead.”
- “On top of that, the bizarre performance issues were giving me spasms of motion sickness the whole time.”
- “No real content other than half-decent visuals and incredibly unoptimized particle effects.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its superb voice acting and immersive setting, creating a heartfelt experience that allows players to relax and fully engage. While it excels in mood and ambiance, it faces challenges in technical execution.
- “The superb voice acting and atmospheric setting definitely set this game apart from others in the genre.”
- “Perfect game to sit back, relax, and immerse yourself in the atmosphere.”
- “It is always atmospheric and above all heartfelt.”
- “The game succeeds at creating its atmosphere and mood, but struggles in many technical areas.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unengaging, with many feeling that it detracts from the overall story and emotional impact. The repetitive nature of searching for objects is often described as short and lacking innovation.
- “However, I found the process of looking for objects to be tedious, and the impact of the story was a bit lost on me.”
- “Short, tedious, uninnovative, and emotionally shallow.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report mixed experiences regarding stability, with some encountering significant bugs, particularly in VR mode, while others find the game runs smoothly on Windows. There is hope for future patches to address these issues.
- “It may just be my system having a buggy, glitch-filled experience, but it is forcing me to write this negative review.”
- “I played it on Windows, which ran fine, but it seems VR is currently buggy. Hopefully, something will be patched in the future.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is enhanced through flashbacks, but many users feel that the lack of contextually appropriate settings, such as the use of an elevator lobby, detracts from the overall impact of these moments.
- “The character development through flashbacks added depth to the story, but it would have been even better if they were presented in more contextually fitting settings.”
- “I loved how the character development unfolded throughout the game, making each character feel more relatable and complex.”
- “The evolution of the characters was beautifully crafted, allowing players to connect with their journeys on a deeper level.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the game's balance between not overstaying its welcome and offering solid replay value, making it enjoyable to revisit without feeling tedious.
- “It doesn't drag on like some games that feel like they're just trying to kill time, yet there is also great replay value.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different paths and strategies available.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the humor in Sanitarium to be a unique blend, combining elements of touch, fear, and delight, resulting in a game that is both entertaining and emotionally engaging.
- “Sanitarium is touching, scary, hilarious, and delightful.”

Buy ZED

ZED
$17.99
See offer on Steam

2h Median play time

2h Average play time

2-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

77%2kreviews

The First Tree

2017

Simulation

+12

80%2.6kreviews

LOST EMBER

2019

Action Adventure

95%3.7kreviews

What Never Was

2019

Casual Simulation

This game contains adult content

81%20.8kreviews

Gone Home

2018

Simulation

+11

This game contains adult content

73%2.5kreviews

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

2016

Casual Simulation

82%5.7kreviews

Deliver Us The Moon

2019

Survival Action Adventure

61%793reviews

Mind: Path to Thalamus E.Edition

2014

Action

54%1.2kreviews

Dream

2015

Puzzle

84%1.3kreviews

The Gallery - Episode 1: Call of the Starseed

2016

Action

82%4.5kreviews

RiME

2017

Open World Action Adventure

ZED Tweets

Platforms

About

Buy ZED

ZED

Videos

Games Like ZED

The First Tree

LOST EMBER

What Never Was

Gone Home

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

Deliver Us The Moon

Mind: Path to Thalamus E.Edition

Dream

The Gallery - Episode 1: Call of the Starseed

RiME