Zexion

About

Zexion is a single player action adventure game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Gallant Leaf and was released on March 21, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Zexion is a single-player science fiction action game where you play as space warrior Natu, exploring the vast planet Cypher-X72 to find the mysterious Zexion and save your home world. Featuring ingenious game mechanics like 8-directional shooting, unique upgrades, and epic boss battles, it offers an excellent story, wonderful graphics, and a captivating soundtrack. Uncover secrets, face deadly foes, and challenge galactic warlords in this thrilling adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 219 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Zexion offers a true metroid-inspired experience with rewarding exploration and power scaling that feels earned.
The game features beautifully designed pixel art, engaging boss fights, and a well-crafted interconnected map.
The inclusion of assist options allows players to customize their difficulty, making the game accessible to a wider audience.

The controls can feel awkward and clunky, especially with the twin-stick shooting mechanics, which may frustrate some players.
The game can be brutally difficult at times, with some bosses and enemy encounters feeling unfairly punishing.
The lack of fast travel until late in the game can lead to tedious backtracking, which may detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The gameplay in Zexion is praised for its challenging yet rewarding mechanics, innovative level design, and a blend of retro aesthetics with modern controls. Players appreciate the variety of tools and abilities available, as well as the intense boss fights that incorporate unique mechanics and puzzle elements. While the game can be frustratingly difficult at times, it offers assist options to help manage the challenge, ensuring a satisfying experience for those who enjoy exploration and discovery.
- “An incredible love letter to Metroid that starts out unassuming but is filled with plenty of moments and mechanics that I've never seen in a game of the genre before.”
- “The game offers a large world to explore, smart level design, a charming retro aesthetic, great music, and tough but very rewarding gameplay.”
- “Zexion is a tightly designed game in every aspect with innovative twin-stick gameplay that I hadn't seen yet in this genre.”
- “I only have one complaint, and that has to do with the saving mechanic... I don't mind finding checkpoints to save the game, but sometimes the design of the game seems intentionally cruel towards the end.”
- “It was like the game was made to be needlessly difficult, which makes the mechanics feel off.”
- “They deserve better than that, but this excessive amount of checkpointing incentivizes people to not engage with the mechanics.”
music
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
57%
7%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the gameplay, with a diverse range of styles from funky and groovy to suspenseful and emotional. Many players appreciate the unique soundtracks for each area, although a few tracks were noted as less memorable. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “Zexion genuinely might be one of the best metroidvanias ever made, that as an added bonus comes packaged with a godly soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is incredible, ranging from funky, groovy and fun, to more dread-inducing, suspense-filled, ambient, and even thoughtful (if not emotional) at times.”
- “The music is fantastic, the exploration is remarkably open, and it has some of the most memorable, over-the-top sequences and boss fights out there.”
- “There are some pretty severe difficulty spikes and some of the late-game upgrades can lead to your character feeling a bit sticky to control, plus the music is just alright most of the time, but otherwise this is a highlight of the year.”
- “Music was decent, but of my categories probably the weakest.”
- “Some of the music in the more dangerous areas seems created more to cause anxiety in the player than to be a catchy tune- and I do appreciate that, for sure.”
story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The game's story is minimal yet effectively woven into the gameplay, utilizing wordless storytelling and environmental cues to enhance player immersion. Players appreciate the clever integration of narrative elements with exploration and boss encounters, creating memorable moments without interrupting the flow of the game. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its creativity and ability to evoke a sense of discovery, reminiscent of classic metroidvania titles.
- “The storytelling is incredible, relying purely on the visual.”
- “The story is simple but is handled with finesse, weaving normal gameplay and inventive set pieces to create some stellar situations.”
- “Large number of really cool set pieces and boss fights, and surprisingly strong zero-dialogue storytelling.”
- “It is so unnecessarily long that it starts to take away from its impact on the story and the player.”
- “The method of storytelling is criminally underdone and a very unappreciated part of Zexion.”
- “Simple story.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
44%
9%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their stunning retro aesthetic, drawing heavily from the NES Metroid while incorporating modern polish and unique elements. Players appreciate the vibrant pixel art, clever level design, and atmospheric chiptune music, all of which contribute to an immersive experience. Despite its low resolution, the visuals are described as incredible, showcasing the developer's dedication and skill, especially considering the game was created by a single individual.
- “The art style is incredible and the neon-inspired palette really hits, though I sometimes wish there were a few more fancy effects to it given the low resolution.”
- “Graphics are incredible while still keeping in the old limitations.”
- “Finally, in terms of sound design and visuals, the game is stunning with some absolutely beautiful sprite work.”
- “The visuals felt so retro that I was afraid the game would feel too similar to the original Metroid, which is the only one I didn't finish (I didn't grow up with it and Zero Mission is right there).”
- “Early 90s audiovisuals and difficulty, with modern day indie polish.”
- “Aesthetically, the game's presentation is probably closer to Metroid than Super Metroid with its 8-bit styled graphics.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game offers significant replayability through its built-in randomizer, diverse challenge options, and a variety of achievements that encourage players to refine their skills and explore different strategies. With a well-designed map and unique power-ups, players can enjoy endless replay value, making it a standout in its genre. Overall, the combination of post-game content and the ability to generate new game seeds ensures that players will find plenty of reasons to return.
- “My favorite part of the game is how, like Super Metroid, its design puts a lot of focus on replayability; difficult to master, nearly no downtime at all, many routing options, great bosses, skippable power-ups, fantastic practice tools, and even a built-in randomizer (should be a genre standard by now).”
- “So aside from a very meaty base game, a well-crafted randomizer adds limitless replayability.”
- “Most of my qualms are quashed by how much potential replay value it gets via challenge options for subsequent playthroughs.”
- “It even has some replay value thanks to the post game's randomizer mode and its achievement/feats system, which encourages players to strategize and build their skills in traversing the map, fighting bosses, and speedrunning the game to get those last few achievements.”
- “With the different upgrades, the openness of the map, and the options included for the randomizer, you have some endless replay value that I wish more games in the genre included.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The atmosphere in Zexion is highly praised for its open map design, rich exploration, and hand-crafted environments that enhance the game's narrative and high-stakes feel. The soundtrack complements the experience, providing an atmospheric backdrop that intensifies during key moments, particularly boss fights. Overall, players appreciate the game's immersive qualities, which are further enhanced by its retro pixel art style and metroidvania elements.
- “Great atmosphere, with a very open map and tons of secrets to find.”
- “The soundtrack is also really good, providing a nice, atmospheric background to everything that happens.”
- “Similar to its gameplay, not a moment of Zexion's narrative feels wasted, every set piece and environment hand-crafted to contribute to its high-stakes and alien atmosphere.”
- “The exploration and atmosphere in Zexion are really well done.”
- “Similar to its gameplay, not a moment of Zexion's narrative feels wasted; every set piece and environment is hand-crafted to contribute to its high-stakes and alien atmosphere.”
- “Don't get me wrong here; the music does its job well for the most part, enhancing the atmosphere in certain areas or increasing the intensity during a boss fight.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its diverse and impactful soundtrack, which enhances the nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic titles like Metroid. Players report feeling a range of emotions, from tension and dread to nostalgia and excitement, as they navigate through the game's dramatic narrative and intense gameplay. Overall, Zexion successfully blends modern design with the emotional depth of old-school gaming, creating a compelling and immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack is incredible, ranging from funky, groovy and fun, to more dread-inducing, suspense-filled, ambient, and even thoughtful (if not emotional) at times.”
- “That isn't to say that Zexion is without emotional merit; during my time with the game, I witnessed horrific revelations, quiet tension, heart-pounding chases, and dramatic comebacks.”
- “Zexion takes that classic formula and expands on it greatly - making modern advancements in design still fit with the core emotional experience of the old-school era.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the character designs, highlighting their strength and uniqueness, with particular admiration for the design of a character involved in a significant event, referred to as "siege."
- “Character designs are very strong; the character Siege, in particular, is a design I'm quite fond of.”
- “The character development in this game is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization strategy has been criticized for its lack of visibility, as users feel that insufficient marketing and advertising have contributed to its obscurity in the market.
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and heavily favors players who are willing to spend money.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra.”
- “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience and makes it feel like a cash grab.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of backtracking to collect items, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. The lack of item retention during runbacks adds to the frustration, making the experience feel more laborious than engaging.
- “The runback wouldn't be so bad if you kept the items you picked up, but it gets tedious to go out of your way to grab them for the 15th time.”
- “I usually love to backtrack, but with Zexion, it feels tedious.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of light-hearted moments and frustrating challenges, particularly in Stage 4, where players may find the difficulty amusing yet irritating. The inclusion of brief, playful elements like ice physics adds a comedic touch without becoming overly tedious.
- “The platforming gets hard, and a couple of sequences may annoy you with heavy use of platforms that move in cycles. However, I found the brief trollish foray into ice physics funny because it didn't overstay its welcome.”
- “Stage 4 may be a bit of a joke, but the player isn't laughing if you make them redo things.”