Zeno Clash Preview

Every once in a while something appears on the radar that just seems a bit off. Something new and, dare I say, innovative. I dare and it is. The game is called Zeno Clash, a funky title by a new development company called ACE. Well there must be something in the water at ACE studios, cause there is some seriously strange things going on.

In my preview copy, which was bogged down by some errors (completely expected, dev stuff) I found myself in a strange land where beings exist as apparently melded creatures. There are pig men, a unisex type mother/father 14-foot tall thingy and all sorts of other humanoids that want to see you dead. You see, your character is called Ghat, and you have been subsequently banished from the city and your family. Well Mom/Dad has got a big chip on its shoulder because your brothers and sisters are coming after you to put you in the dirt.

 
"You're not gonna get rid of that headache that way."

A first-person controlled game, Zeno Clash has you running the gambit in a visually impressive and sometimes disturbing world. Many gamers will want to compare it to the Oddworld series or maybe to the off-world levels of the original Half-Life. I personally was reminded of a rather obscure animated film from the 80's called Rock and Rule, where the characters exhibit the features of other animals. If you want to say anything about Zeno's art style, it would be "out there." And it works, the preview I played has a certain amount of legitimacy to it. Areas are fleshed out and look habitable, there are some odd devices in which to kill your enemies and if you are anything like me, you will be running up to the weird things all around and just looking at them.

A somewhat frazzled-looking girlfriend of yours, Deadra will run around with you providing some assistance in your adventuring but how much still remains to be seen. Influences in this game must have come from everywhere. I saw things that reminded me of the Road Warrior and of a Picasso painting. So much wonderfully gross stuff to look at and be amazed. A.I. was choppy, (again, preview) but all will be forgiven if the end product can make good on the start that has been established here.

Controlling is similar to other FPS, what is different is the architecture of the weapons. Almost a primitive yet, modern collaboration. There are firearms, yet they appear to be made of bones and twine. Its all a very wild looking and visually strong title.  

With a smattering of voice work to go along with the non-typical sounds and music, I really found myself digging on this game.  

It appears that Zeno Clash will be a Steam download only at this point, I would love to see a retail version of this game so here's hoping they make some fast friends. Look for Zeno Clash in the foreseeable future, it looks bananas.