Zerograve
- May 16, 2022
- Ebonscale Games
Get on Steam"Zerograve" is a first-person shooter set in zero gravity, where you pilot a combat drone through treacherous tunnels, battling an army of bots and huge robot bosses. The game boasts a single-player campaign with 24 levels, horde-mode arenas, and a variety of weapons and upgrades to unlock. Itideal for players seeking a challenging and fast-paced experience, with full gamepad support and remappable controls.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and fun combat with a variety of unique weapons that feel satisfying to use.
- Streamlined gameplay with customizable loadouts and difficulty settings, allowing for a tailored experience.
- Short, punchy levels that are easy to navigate, making it accessible for quick play sessions.
- Levels can feel repetitive and lack visual variety, often appearing boxy and samey.
- Minimal plot and story development, with borrowed ideas from other games in the genre.
- Limited weapon selection at a time can restrict gameplay variety and strategy.
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics feature a bright, colorful aesthetic with a clean, stylized design, though some players find the boxy geometry and repeated textures lead to a somewhat same-y experience across levels. While the visuals are generally crisp and clear, opinions vary on the simplicity of the graphics, with some appreciating the intentional design and navigability, while others may prefer more complexity. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of humor and align well with the game's energetic vibe.
“The level geometry is boxier than its peers, but I'm a fan of the clean aesthetic, and levels remain very navigable and provide a good amount of challenge.”
“Visuals are crisp and clear, and the game design is very intentional.”
“I do like the bright, colorful aesthetic with lots of hard lines and neon lights.”
“While I do like the bright, colorful aesthetic with lots of hard lines and neon lights, the levels do all feel a bit same-y with generally very boxy geometry and repeated textures.”
“And then there are the graphics.”
“If you are not a fan of the neon aesthetic or feel like the graphics are too simplistic, don't let that dissuade you.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title is characterized by its solid 6DOF shooting mechanics, enjoyable weapons, and creatively designed levels that offer a mix of fun and challenge. While some players find the experience repetitive over time, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics and imaginative elements that enhance the overall experience. Overall, it successfully pays homage to the genre while introducing meaningful innovations.
“A solid 6DOF shooter with fun weapons and short, punchy levels that feel like popcorn. The weapons may not have the best feedback, but they are mechanically fun to use.”
“It's good to see the genre getting more love these days, and Zerograve is a fantastic little indie title that not only understands what made those games great but also expands on the core gameplay in small but meaningful ways.”
“The levels may have a bit of a cubist design that you might not expect from a modern game, but it makes up for it in spades with great gameplay and imaginative mechanics, enemies, and bosses.”
“Decent gameplay, but it becomes too repetitive and gets boring quickly.”
“The mechanics are clunky and make the experience frustrating.”
“There are too many bugs that disrupt the flow of gameplay.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story is described as minimal and derivative, drawing inspiration from various sources, such as retrovirus and overload, with a basic premise of controlling a battle drone to combat a hostile AI within a mainframe. Despite its simplicity, players find the narrative engaging enough to enhance their experience, particularly with the variety of missions and weapon loadouts available.
“Having finished all of the available non-sandbox/arcade missions, I can say this game will remain a personal gem and favorite.”
“On the other hand, the very minimal plot seems to have borrowed all of its ideas, combining the super agent fighting an AI invader like in Retrovirus and waking up a frozen pilot in a crisis like in Overload, then giving quick progress updates before each level to explain the surroundings.”
“The basic story is that you control a battle drone through the inner cyberspace of a mainframe computer in order to purge a hostile AI (sorta like Tron).”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered decent but unremarkable, effectively supporting the action without standing out. While the sound design is serviceable, both the music and sound effects can become repetitive and lack dynamism, contributing to an overall average auditory experience.
“The sound and music design are quite decent, with neither standing out but servicing the action perfectly well.”
“If you liked Overload/Decent, you will like this. Controls and movement feel great; the music and graphics are nicely stylized, not bad.”
“The music kind of just hums along.”
“Pew pew sound effects are serviceable for the game's theme, but they do get repetitive, as does the dull music.”
“The sound and music design are also quite decent, with neither standing out but servicing the action perfectly well.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is well-received, with users reporting smooth performance even on older systems, achieving stable frame rates around 60fps at high resolutions, with only minor dips during intense action.
“Performance is generally good; I have an aging system with a Ryzen 5 1600 AF, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and an AMD RX 580 8GB, and could run Zerograve at a fairly rock solid 60fps at 32:9, 3840x1080 resolution with only some minor dips when the action got intense.”
“I experienced no performance issues; the game plays nice and smooth.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game incorporates a subtle sense of humor that enhances its streamlined aesthetics, though further details would spoil the experience.
“Despite the streamlined aesthetics, it does have a bit of a sense of humor; saying more would be a spoiler.”
“The witty dialogue and clever puns kept me laughing throughout the game.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, making every moment feel light-hearted and fun.”
