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ZHEROS

Zheros had clear ambitions of playing homage to classic arcade games, but focused too heavily on doing so. The gameplay is far too lacking to make up for the game’s other glaring issues.
ZHEROS Game Cover
59%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
story, stability
82% User Score Based on 22 reviews
Critic Score 60%Based on 8 reviews

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ZHEROS Game Cover

About

ZHEROS is a single player and multiplayer hack and slash game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Rimlight Studios and was released on February 15, 2016. It received neutral reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Zheros is a Science Fiction Hack and Slash game with pretty visuals, available for single-player or local multi-player . As intergalactic agents Mike and Dorian, defend the universe from the evil Dr. Vendetta's plan to mutate creatures in his minions. Engage in combat with various combos, weapons, and a powerful mech, and discover the mysteries that await in distant galaxies."

Genres & Tags
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ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
ZHEROS screenshot
+3
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 22 reviews
graphics15 positive mentions
stability2 negative mentions
  • Incredibly tight and satisfying combat with a wide variety of combos that feel great to execute.
  • Visually appealing with colorful graphics and engaging animations that capture a fun, cartoonish aesthetic.
  • Offers enjoyable local co-op gameplay, enhancing the experience and making it more chaotic and fun.
  • Frequent bugs and crashes, including issues with checkpoints that can hinder progress and lead to frustration.
  • Boss fights can be overly difficult with poor hitbox detection, making them frustrating rather than enjoyable.
  • Lack of online multiplayer and some control issues, particularly for keyboard users, detract from the overall experience.
  • graphics
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful, and engaging cartoonish style, reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons. Reviewers highlight the impressive animations and art design, which complement the gameplay well, making the visuals a standout feature despite some criticisms of the gameplay itself. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “A cool beat 'em up with nifty graphics and, as has been said already, captures that Saturday morning cartoon feel.”
    • “Zheros contains some fantastic graphics with a science fiction backdrop.”
    • “Again, I didn't buy this game for its graphics or storyline; I bought it because it looked like it had solid combat (with combos) in a full 360-degree setting.”
    • “The graphics are, however, very colorful and engaging, and honestly, quite pretty; the look of Zheros will not bore, and the graphics and art style fit the gameplay beautifully.”
    • “Graphic is pretty neat and colorful; both textures, models, and animations are packed in one quality product.”
  • gameplay
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Zheros is characterized by a mix of easy-to-learn mechanics and challenging mastery, offering fun, fast-paced action with a variety of mobs to combat. However, some players criticize it for being repetitive and lacking innovation, despite its engaging visuals and satisfying combo mechanics. Overall, while the gameplay has solid elements, it struggles to maintain player interest over time.

    • “Gameplay is a mix of easy, intuitive, and hard to master in just the right ratio.”
    • “Fun, fast, and frantic gameplay.”
    • “So far so good, the gameplay is solid and consistent!”
    • “Whose idea was it to add that infuriating, blighted mechanic?”
    • “The gameplay is far too lacking to make up for the game’s other glaring issues.”
    • “Repetitive gameplay and poor mechanics, with no attempts to try something new, ends up making a joke out of itself.”
  • music
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its infectious, upbeat soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, fitting perfectly with the futuristic setting and keeping players energized. While some users noted minor issues with ambient sounds, the majority agree that the fast and motivational tracks significantly contribute to the game's appeal. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that elevates gameplay.

    • “The music is where this game shines; I was just bopping along to the soundtrack, it's that infectious!”
    • “A positive thought is the soundtrack, which is fast, aggressive, and motivational.”
    • “The soundtrack will keep you pumped and help you to beat the upcoming levels.”
    • “The most annoying is the music, which is the kind of music ecstasy users stutter to at raves.”
  • story
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story revolves around two galactic police officers on a mission to thwart the evil Dr. Vendetta's plan to mutate living creatures, but it is largely considered simplistic and lacking depth. While some players appreciate the humor and the premise of defending the universe, the narrative is primarily conveyed through cutscenes without voiceover, leading to a perception of the plot as underwhelming. Overall, the focus seems to be more on gameplay than on a compelling storyline.

    • “Your mission: defend the universe from the evil Dr. Vendetta and his twisted plan to mutate every living creature in his trusted minions.”
    • “-Story: you are a couple of galactic police officers trying to take down Dr. Vendetta and keep the galaxy safe.”
    • “Even if beat'em up games are not your thing, I encourage you to try this one as the story, humor, and visuals might be enough to change your opinion of the genre.”
    • “So plot points… more like flop points!”
    • “The story is told through small cutscenes that completely lack voiceover.”
    • “There isn’t much to the story besides these two people that want to beat the crap out of a villain… so no worries there.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, featuring a blend of classic American heroism and comedic elements, particularly in its entertaining cutscenes. Reviewers highlight the developers' strong sense of humor, noting that the funny moments enhance the overall experience and are complemented by impressive graphics.

    • “The developers of Zheros have a great sense of humor, as some of the cutscenes are hilarious and priceless.”
    • “Has some pretty funny cutscenes, and the graphics are gorgeous.”
    • “First that catches attention is good humor, with good old American heroes fighting bad guys in a Marvel style.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches and bugs that hinder the overall experience. Many express frustration over the game's unfinished state at launch, suggesting a lack of thorough testing before release.

    • “Glitches, glitches, glitches.”
    • “But I sometimes wonder, what goes on behind the scenes of games that fail to fulfill their potential by launching in an unfinished, buggy, straight-up broken state?”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is considered satisfactory, with basic PC options available, but it is primarily designed for controller use, leading to less precise controls when using a keyboard and mouse. Many players feel that achieving a polished and well-optimized release is increasingly rare in the current gaming landscape.

    • “It's easy to surmise how everything that releases in a playable state, or better yet, in a polished, optimized state that is a joy to play, is a miracle.”
    • “It's easy to surmise how everything that releases in a playable state, or better yet, in a state that is polished, optimized, and a joy to play, is a goddamned miracle.”
    • “The performance is fine and it has the basics of the PC options you'd expect, but its control scheme is 100% designed for a controller, and using a keyboard (you don't use the mouse) doesn't have the same tightness of controls.”
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60%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

ZHEROS is a hack and slash game with science fiction theme.

ZHEROS is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

ZHEROS was released on February 15, 2016.

ZHEROS was developed by Rimlight Studios.

ZHEROS has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its story.

ZHEROS is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Final Exam, Strider, Outland, Zack Zero, Icey and others.