Save the Galaxy with Agent Strong and Captain Smart!
“Zheros” is the first multi-platform game released by Rimlight Studios, and although it is not the best debut ever made, it is a first try that deserves at least some of your attention.
In this 3D action platformer, you play as either a strong-armed, dim-witted space agent named Mike, or the “agile, smart and ready for anything” Captain Dorian. So much for gender stereotyping.
The plot revolves around two members of the ZHEROS squad, who are trying to stop the evil mastermind Dr. Vendetta from completing his plan to force the entire universe into submission.
Up to this point, I still don’t know whether this is supposed to be a parody of the genre or not. It does sound like that, though.
As in any action platformer, there are plenty of enemies to kick, punch, shoot, or stomp to the ground, and although ZHEROS does have its strong parts, it is only partially found in the level design or the innovative enemies. The entire game is somewhat repetitive: move to the next stage, kill the baddies, get killed yourself, load last save, kill the baddies that previously killed you because you have figured out the best way to attack them, and repeat. Mindless fun, if you want a thing like that. It’s no surprise this game is aimed at a younger audience. For the older players, there are RPG elements or ‘upgrades’ to make Mike stronger and Captain Dorian faster.
The game also offers a co-up mode, although it seems like it should be played by two people at all times, as it is slightly unbalanced if you are playing alone. Additionally, the controls are a bit of a mess on the pc, and sadly, they cannot be customized. For a multi-platform title, the game feels like a simple port. Because of that, the first game sessions I played were a bit ‘messy’ and frustrating.
Speaking of a younger audience, the level- and character design have a nice ‘cartoon’ look, and even resemble some of the old-school science-fiction series such as “Buck Rogers” or “Flash Gordon”. This is by far the best aspect of this game. It looks campy, and some people like campiness. Combined with the sound effects, up-tempo soundtrack, and the plentiful numbers and ‘combos’ flashing on the screen, it sadly feels too ‘childish’ for me. Perhaps a better story, and more balanced gameplay, would have helped to make this game more suitable for older gamers too.
| The Good: | The bad: |
| + Nice old-school vibe | – Not for older gamers |
| + Gameplay is rather entertaining | – Bland story |
| – Gets too repetitive quickly |
In summary, ZHEROS is not a bad game. The visual style has a nice vibe to it, and the gameplay, although it might get repetitive quickly, can give you a couple of hours of entertainment. It could have been better, though, if the developers had invested in a more interesting story, aimed at an older audience, and if they had tried to do something innovative, and not simply a game ‘in the style of the classics’. Decent games pay homage to their source material, but excellent games boldly go where no game has gone before.
3 out of 5
