Shout Out: Zeno Clash 2

Originality is a precious commodity in game design and development. For every truly original or unique game, there are literally thousands that simply imitate or elaborate on what's been established.

It's for this reason that I instantly fell in love with "Zeno Clash" when it debuted back in 2009. From its unique take on first-person melee combat, to its evocative and surreal landscapes, to its often strikingly-original character and enemy designs, "Zeno Clash" was a game that set the creative bar at a height that's a challenge to reach, much less exceed.

Sure, it was a little too weird for its own good at times and there was a bit of jank to its mechanics but that was all very easy to overlook because of the hugely-important things it did right.

Much like its predecessor, Zeno Clash 2 is about punching things in the face.
The variety of ways players can go about that is a big part of its appeal.

"Zeno Clash 2" (ZC2) as a result shouldn't be as important a game as it is. It should be the bigger, fuller-featured, more refined and totally-predictable sequel that one would expect but while it is many of those things, it's also something more.

ZC2 looks a bit better than the original. It plays a bit better than the original. You can even play through the campaign with a friend via drop-in/drop-out co-op. All these things are important but they're not the most important thing about it.

ZC2 is important because there's still nothing else quite like it. Even given the four years since the release of "Zeno Clash," there hasn't been a single game released that I'd consider a worthy successor to it until now.

The game's environments are often quite beautiful and unique.

Think about how crazy that is. A quality game comes out and basically defines, or at the very least re-defines a sub-genre of gaming and not one other game comes along in four years that's anything like it?

It's this utter absence of anything similar in the marketplace that makes ZC2 so special. You're not going to play this game and mistake it for generic first-person game x, y , or z. It's a truly unique experience that's going to stick with you because, unless you've played "Zeno Clash," you haven't played anything like it.

Of course, if you did play "Zeno Clash," you probably already have ZC2 on your radar and have a pretty good idea whether or not it's something you'd be interested in playing.

You'll fight a lot of unique enemy types that vary their attacks
and defenses both in terms of timing and technique.

Even though I love ZC2 as much as the original, I should point out that there are some minor AI, collision-detection, input-timing and networking (during co-op) issues that can very occasionally put a damper on the experience. It's also not a particularly long game, with a 6-8 hour campaign– depending on how quickly you power through it.

Finally, ZC2 can be somewhat obtuse in terms of conveying core game mechanics and moment-to-moment objectives to the player. It's nothing that a few runs through the fighting tutorial and a little careful thought and observation can't overcome but players who are used to games holding their hand throughout the experience might find it a bit daunting or frustrating at times.

Still, ZC2 is a noteworthy and compelling gaming experience in a world full of all-too-often derivative stock. That alone makes it worth a look and the $20 price makes it easy to recommend.

Zeno Clash 2 (via Steam)