Review: Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition (XBLA)

• Game: Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition
• Developer: ACE Team
• Price: 1200MS Points ($15.00)
• Release Date: 05/05/2010

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition is not new – it released for PC over a year ago without the “Ultimate” tagline – but it just came out on XBLA with extra content and it is unique if nothing else. Zeno Clash is a first-person brawler/shooter with the teeter-totter tipping in the direction of brawling. The Ultimate Edition adds new modes and weapons, but the thing that drew me in was nothing new; the art style is both beautiful and disturbing.

The art of Zeno Clash is basically the Shivering Isles expansion pack for Oblivion, if Shivering Isles smoked crack and sniffed glue. There are bird-men, pig-men, and indescribable men [women too]. The game is very colorful and stands as one of the best looking arcade titles on 360. I can see some people being turned off by the art as it is rather strange, but seeing as I’m an artist by trade; I couldn’t get enough.

Art isn’t enough to warrant a purchase and thankfully Zeno Clash is more than just a pretty face. The controls are simpler than I expected, but they work well and that’s all that really matters. The gunplay is definitely the weakest aspect, but it is rarely used and never gets in the way of enjoyment. I also found the occasional frustration from trying to pick up a weapon as the same button is used for both picking up items and locking on to enemies.

The story is just as weird as the art and I honestly didn’t pay much attention as the game never did a great job at pulling me in. The story jumps from past memories to present time and all you ever do is punch people in the face. The occasional interesting moment pops up here and there, but they never take advantage of the situation and the story falls on deaf ears. I never found this disappointing; however, the rest of the game made up for the weak story.

Zeno Clash is packed full of content with a full story mode, a rush mode, and tower or pit challenges, which can be played solo or with a buddy via Xbox LIVE or couch co-op. Zeno Rush is dedicated to speedrunning certain story missions and both tower and pit challenges consist of either ascending or descending a set number of levels for a time-based high score. Zeno Clash is a lot of fun and definitely worth the higher-end price of 1200MS Points ($15). My only fear is that the art style may turn off a lot of people and that would really be a shame.