Zephon

About

"ZEPHON is a turn-based warfare strategy game, set in a post-apocalyptic world of alien origin. Survive through city management, combat, unholy research, and diplomacy, with both single and multiplayer modes. Navigate the ruins of Earth, battling mutated creatures and rogue robots, and choose your path between the indifferent Voice and uncaring ZEPHON. What will you do to survive?"

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,150 reviews

story60 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

Zephon is a significant improvement over Gladius, with enhanced graphics, smoother gameplay, and a more engaging narrative.
The game features a unique post-apocalyptic setting with a blend of sci-fi and horror elements, making it immersive and captivating.
Combat mechanics are satisfying and tactical, with a variety of units and abilities that encourage strategic planning.

The game lacks diversity among factions, as all playable leaders share a common tech tree, leading to a feeling of sameness in gameplay.
The tutorial is insufficient, leaving new players confused about game mechanics and how to progress effectively.
There are stability issues, including frequent crashes and bugs that disrupt the gameplay experience.

story
234 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
73%
2%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some praising its unique setting, engaging faction narratives, and improved quest design that adds depth and replayability. However, many players feel the overall storyline lacks depth and coherence, often leaving them wanting more from the narrative and world-building aspects. While the quests and character backstories are appreciated, there are calls for further expansion and refinement to enhance the storytelling experience.
- “It oozes with flavor and engages you with the story, which is unusual for a wargame, but is executed perfectly.”
- “They really nailed the world-building and story for this game.”
- “Zephon is a worthy successor to Gladius, offering an engaging blend of strategy and storytelling set in a beautifully crafted world.”
- “Regarding the lackluster storyline: it takes a lot of work to have enough details in a game to paint its story as realistic and interesting, and the devs really didn’t deliver on this.”
- “The story makes no sense and is rather ominous and very poorly defined.”
- “For example, by the end of the main storyline, it remains unclear what Zephen's ultimate goal is, why the aliens invaded Earth 20 years ago, or the reasons behind their invasion.”
gameplay
233 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
1%
The gameplay of Zephon is characterized by its solid 4X mechanics, focusing heavily on combat and exploration, reminiscent of its predecessor, Gladius, but with some enhancements and a unique sci-fi setting. While many players appreciate the engaging combat mechanics and the addition of diplomacy, some feel that the gameplay lacks depth and innovation, with certain mechanics feeling shallow or underdeveloped. Overall, it offers a fun and modular experience, though it may not push the genre's boundaries significantly.
- “Great and fluid gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fun.”
- “Great tactical combat feel and excellent combat mechanics.”
- “The choice of starting class is virtually meaningless as the tech trees are indistinguishable from one another and the class bonuses don’t have meaningful impact on the gameplay.”
- “Without a satisfying ramp up in military power, the gameplay feels meaningless and pointless.”
- “The gameplay was too shallow and complete extermination as the only victory condition is just boring (although lore accurate).”
graphics
149 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
2%
The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, improved animations, and immersive art style that blends cyberpunk and Lovecraftian elements. Players appreciate the significant graphical enhancements over the previous title, Gladius, noting the attention to detail in unit designs and atmospheric settings. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics, engaging sound design, and a captivating aesthetic contributes to a rich and immersive gaming experience.
- “The graphics are stunning, especially when experienced on a big screen, truly bringing the game’s world to life in vivid detail.”
- “The unit designs blend cyberpunk aesthetics with Lovecraftian bio-weapons, delivering a striking sensory experience.”
- “Beautiful graphics and art, great voice acting, interesting characters, all in a dystopian world that's revealed throughout the game.”
- “Call me nitpicky but I couldn't stand the graphical 'dissonance' between the wooden low-poly models from the base game and all the fancy DLC units that received all the buckets of love later.”
- “With grayish uninspiring graphics.”
- “It's a straight up reskin of Gladius with no noticeable new mechanics, systems, or graphic enhancements.”
music
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
47%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its immersive quality and exceptional composition, often described as beautiful and atmospheric. Many players appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, with some even enjoying it as background music outside of gameplay. However, a few critiques mention that the ambient music can feel dull when not accompanied by specific tracks, suggesting a need for more consistent engagement throughout.
- “The art design is weird and beautiful, and the soundtrack manages to tie everything together almost effortlessly.”
- “Music is some of the best I've encountered in a game.”
- “The game’s lighting, color palette, particle effects, and creative unit designs help Zephon stand out and combine with its soundtrack full of synths, didgeridoo, and rumbling percussion to create a unique and atmospheric 4X experience.”
- “In addition, the ambient music is kinda dull.”
- “The music rules.”
- “Music feels like Terminator, weapon sounds feel like Doom, unit sounds are top and immersive, animations and art are crazy good... it plays like a very good turn-based sci-fi civ game that feels very aggressive.”
atmosphere
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
27%
5%
The atmosphere of Zephon is widely praised as its standout feature, characterized by a rich post-apocalyptic setting, immersive worldbuilding, and a deep lore that captivates players. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional graphics, dynamic maps, and a unique soundtrack that collectively enhance the overall experience, evoking nostalgia and a strong emotional connection. The attention to detail in creating a compelling atmosphere is noted as a significant achievement, making it a memorable and engaging game.
- “Zephon is a game that is just pitch perfect in terms of atmosphere and setting.”
- “The setting is unique, the writing is good (and dark) and the atmosphere it creates is top notch.”
- “The game’s lighting, color palette, particle effects, and creative unit designs help Zephon stand out and combine with its soundtrack full of synths, didgeridoo, and rumbling percussion to create a unique and atmospheric 4x experience.”
- “The atmosphere and writing leave you wanting for more and more, while the gameplay itself is very passable.”
- “All are putting me to the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Atmosphere and style drip from the game, and the combat keeps you on your toes with positioning.”
replayability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
9%
Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability through varied playstyles, multiple factions, and customization options, though some players feel it could benefit from more diverse factions and playable leaders. While many appreciate the engaging lore and unique faction mechanics, concerns about limited replay value due to a shared tech tree and a lack of campaign mode have been noted. The game is generally seen as fun and replayable, but improvements in AI and faction diversity could enhance the experience further.
- “Excellent, high replay value.”
- “Each faction has its own twist and quirks, which does add some replay value.”
- “The game has some RNG with options to customize for replayability, which is good for singleplayer/coop.”
- “It's not a bad game, but there just isn't as much within to warrant this price or offer replay value at its current state.”
- “The one issue I have is that as the tech tree is shared, it feels like there isn't much difference compared to the leaders. Even with the setting to reduce the other techs, it doesn't stand out, and I worry about replayability.”
- “I love this game, but I can see replayability will be limited if, at the very least, the AI isn't improved.”
optimization
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The game is highly praised for its exceptional optimization, delivering smooth performance even on older systems without noticeable bugs or slowdowns, particularly during late-game scenarios. Reviewers highlight its responsiveness and efficient resource management, making it a standout alternative to similar titles like Civ6. Overall, the game's optimization contributes significantly to an enjoyable and immersive gameplay experience.
- “The game has good performance and feels responsive.”
- “And I have to say that Zephon is an extremely well-optimized game.”
- “Performance-wise, it runs buttery smooth without impact on the late game turn times and challenging AI without needing cheats to compete.”
- “Performance wise, it runs buttery smooth without impact on the late game turn times and challenging AI without needing cheats to compete.”
- “You don't see this level of optimization in products of this quality much anymore.”
- “Excellent alternative to Civ6 with less bloat, better performance, and better gameplay.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially in longer sessions where managing numerous units becomes overwhelming. While the early game is manageable, the mid and end-game phases can feel like a slog, with upgrades failing to provide a sense of progression. Despite the engaging story, the repetitive nature of combat and unit management detracts from the overall experience.
- “This isn't so bad early on, but in a long game with many units all over the map, it gets very tedious.”
- “New and improved units (what few there are) really don't feel like upgrades, and while it makes the mid-game tedious, it makes the end-game such a slog you forget what the point was.”
- “I just find them so... tedious.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with no major glitches or crashes reported, particularly on Linux with Proton. However, there are significant issues with multiplayer functionality, such as only the host being able to save the game and frequent glitches when selecting sides at the end of a match.
- “The game runs smoothly with no glitches or crashes.”
- “It runs great on Linux with Proton, right out of the box.”
- “The game operates flawlessly, providing a stable experience.”
- “When playing with friends, only the host can save the game. If the host leaves, it closes the lobby. Additionally, when you pick a side at the end of the game, it often glitches and chooses an alien regardless of your choice. Please fix it!”
- “When playing with friends, only the host can save the game. If the host leaves, it closes the lobby. Additionally, when you pick a side at the end of the game, it often glitches and chooses an alien regardless of your choice. Please fix it!”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a playful and self-aware tone, with players finding amusement in the exaggerated damage mechanics and the absurdity of the combat scenarios. The developers seem to embrace this comedic aspect, inviting players to engage with the humor as a central part of the experience. Overall, the humor is light-hearted and encourages a fun, irreverent approach to gameplay.
- “Ultimately, you will side with one side or the other, and you can hit them for 3 damage here and 5 damage there while they hit each other for dozens of damage, sometimes over a hilariously massive area of effect.”
- “Haha, you know what would be funny?”
- “So what, devs? It's funny, isn't it? Hehe... so maybe, let's make this joke a reality?”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the game fosters a strong emotional connection by encouraging them to care for each unit individually, enhancing their investment and enjoyment over extensive playtime. While some areas may need improvement, the emotional engagement remains a significant highlight.
- “It makes you care for each unit individually, which keeps the entertainment and emotional investment going for 100+ hours into the game.”