Zup! Zero
- April 6, 2017
- Quiet River
- 1h median play time
Zup! Zero is a physics-based puzzle game with over 60 levels and 1000 achievements. Players solve increasingly complex puzzles by triggering explosions to move objects and clear paths. The game offers additional Steam features such as trading cards, emoticons, and credits. Its design is inspired by Sergio Andre's minimalist style and Aevoa's extended Steam background panels.
Reviews
- Fun and relaxing gameplay that can be enjoyed while chilling or watching streams.
- Offers a massive amount of achievements (1043) that are easy to obtain, making it great for achievement hunters.
- Simple mechanics with a minimalist design, making it accessible for players of all ages.
- Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with many levels being too easy or similar to previous entries in the series.
- The abundance of achievements may diminish their value, leading to a sense of achievement spam rather than meaningful accomplishments.
- Short playtime (around an hour) may leave players wanting more content and challenge.
- gameplay39 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay in the Zup series is characterized by simple, single-solution puzzles that gradually increase in difficulty, often incorporating new mechanics with each iteration. While some players find the gameplay engaging and addictive, many criticize it for being repetitive and lacking challenge, with a focus on achievement hunting rather than substantive gameplay. Overall, the series offers a mix of enjoyable mechanics and frustrating simplicity, appealing primarily to those seeking easy achievements.
“In terms of gameplay, the Zup series starts off relatively easy, but there's a twist.”
“Progressively getting harder as they incorporate all the previous mechanics from the previous games and then packs them in and really makes you think.”
“The Zup series offers good puzzle games with a decent scope of difficulty, a generous amount of achievements, and fair gameplay for its price.”
“The puzzles are not difficult, they rarely introduce new mechanics; the only reason to buy this game is for the spam achievements.”
“Gameplay-wise, Zup sucks.”
“The gameplay is simple, pretty obvious, and the puzzles are... they're bad.”
- music24 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as calming and relaxing, with many users appreciating the soundtrack and its ability to enhance the gaming experience. However, some players noted that the music can become repetitive over time, and there are complaints about the lack of audio controls to adjust or mute the background music. Additionally, while the background music is well-received, the sound effects, particularly explosions, are criticized for being unpleasant.
“Really relaxing game, good soundtrack and nice puzzles.”
“The music was calming and it was a ton of fun.”
“Great game with nice soundtrack, worth the penny spent.”
“It has some calming background music, but the explosions sound horrid.”
“The game doesn't include proper audio controls, so you can't turn off the annoying background music; you'll need to alt+tab out and stop the music using the Windows sound mixer.”
“Same and boring music for so many stages.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some users noting that they are basic and lack options for resolution or tweaks, leading to a lower overall impression. However, others appreciate the clear visual distinctions between elements, rating the visuals higher despite the simplicity. Overall, the graphics are deemed adequate for gameplay but not impressive by PC gaming standards.
“This game is quite interesting, decent graphics and can run on any PC even if it is very weak.”
“Visuals: 9/10 - very easy to distinguish between different blocks and different effects; red blows up, yellow can move, purple is land, etc.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
“Graphics: pretty basic graphics, but probably a 7-8/10 (not much to see though besides explosions...)”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find grinding in these games to be a mix of satisfying and tedious, with some enjoying the achievement farming aspect while others criticize it as overly repetitive. While some titles offer a more engaging experience focused on timing, others are labeled as tedious card farming games, appealing primarily to those who enjoy collecting achievements.
“At some points, grinding can be very tedious.”
“Many people call these games out, citing that they're just card farming games.”
“If you want more achievements but a game that feels extremely tedious, buy Zup!”
- story6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews present a mixed perspective on the game's story, with some users noting a complete absence of narrative, while others praise it for exceptional storytelling and character development, rating it 10/10.
“Story: 10/10”
“Great storytelling and characters.”
“This game has no story.”
“There is no narrative to engage with.”
“The lack of a coherent story makes the game feel empty.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the reviews indicate a mixed perception of replayability, with some players finding the gameplay engaging but ultimately lacking in long-term replay value. While a few users mention the potential for infinite replayability due to achievements, many express disappointment in the game's limited replay options.
“Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
“So many achievements, I need more to play.”
“Which is a pity, because the basics of the gameplay are engaging and entertaining for a time; even if there is practically no replay value.”
“No replay value.”
“Enjoyable brief, no replay value.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it amusing and enjoyable, especially given its low price point. While some note its brevity, the comedic elements contribute to a relaxing yet challenging experience, making it a worthwhile purchase for those seeking lighthearted fun.
“In fact, that's a funny game that requires some thinking. Not too much, but without thinking, you won't finish it. I ended this game in 1.7 hours, but to be honest, 1000 achievements for the price of $1 is worth it! :3”
“The game is pretty funny; for the 70 cents I got it for, it was pretty alright, although short.”
“Quite funny, relaxing, and hard at the same time (some levels).”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, leading to consistently negative reviews from users.
“This game feels like a cash grab, and I can't help but rate it negatively.”
“The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“I feel like I'm being pushed to spend money at every turn, which ruins the enjoyment of the game.”