Slave Zero X Review (PC)

A dash and some fast slashes are keeping both the lance-wielding battle maidens and the hammer-equipped hulking proto-Space Marines in check. Of course, more are jumping into the fray, and they are coming from both sides of the screen. That makes it impossible to develop very long combo chains as I switch between groups.

But it also means the lot of them have not managed to touch my Slave unit and it’s unlikely that any will until the end of this fight. I know I’m not performing to the game’s high standards when it comes to style, but I really want to get through the level without a scratch. I’m pretty sure the big upcoming fight at the White Pentagon will not go well if my health bar is not full.

To get there I need to fight on a moving train and eliminate quite a few enemy groups. It gives me extra opportunities to practice my parry. It has a pretty tight window and is very effective against the more powerful opponents. I don’t have tons money, but I might invest in extra health, even if the game really wants to pay for an extra costume for my Slave.

Slave Zero X is developed by Poppy Works and published by Ziggurat. I played on the PC using Steam. It is also available on the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X and S, and older consoles from Microsoft and Sony. The title offers a classic take on beat’em up concepts, serving as a prequel to a title from the 90s.

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The story picks up four years after Slave Zero. Shou, member of the Guardians, steals and fuses with a Slave Unit Prototype, a biomecha with impressive combat capabilities. His secret cabal doesn’t seem too happy with this, but he is determined to explore the Megacity and find and kill the tyrannical Sovereign Khan.

The writing is pretty over-the-top but suits this dark universe. Shou and the suit talk constantly to each other and animated cutscenes add to the narrative. The prototype is plugged into the bad guys’ comm channels, and they aren’t afraid to grandstand, even when it’s pretty clear that they have no chance of stopping it and its pilot.

Slave Zero X has all the defining elements of a beat’em up that could have existed in an arcade 30 years ago. It’s played from the side perspective, with largely linear levels that take players through various districts of Megacity. Tons of enemies arrive from both sides of the screen or simply jump in, determined to take down the gamer’s avatar.

The basic combat tools are a weak and a heavy attack, chained together to keep opponents stunned and unable to strike back. Throw in a jump to add variety and sprinkle with a dash that also allows players to avoid getting hit. The Slave biomecha can also dodge and parry attacks. It’s an extensive arsenal of moves that gives players plenty of options.

A special meter fills up as the character takes and delivers damage. It powers improved versions of attacks, called EX, but it’s better to wait until the bar is filled up to activate a super mode, with health regeneration and more damage. A burst allows players to escape when the more capable enemies connect with a series of moves that can stun.

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It’s a complex battle system that, unfortunately, is explained quickly using slides. Slave Zero X does offer a training mode and it’s fun to discover through trial and error what works and what doesn’t. A more extensive tutorial would have helped those in the audience who have not extensively engaged with the genre.

The game evaluates player performance and gives out cash after pushing through an area. The obvious way to spend it is to get into the shop interface and get some upgrades, starting with the ones that extend the health bar. But the game also offers a wide variety of looks for the suit prototype, which cost quite a bit of money.

Boss fights are the toughest moments in Slave Zero X. They move fast, they strike hard, and dashing and dodging are not enough to defeat them. The solution is to parry, by pushing toward the incoming attack, and that requires very good timing. It can become frustrating to die, over and over, to the same enemy, and barely see a path to victory. I admire the game more than I like it.

It’s OK to directly target long-term fans of a genre and expect them to quickly pick up mechanics. But that automatically limits the potential audience. A few difficulty options and more ways to learn the combat system would attract more players, even if they have not played beat’em ups in the arcade.

Slave Zero X is a 2.5D experience that’s designed to look like a game from the ‘90s. The huge number of costumes for the main character players can unlock and then purchase is a sign of how much the developers love the universe and how they strive to make it visually appealing. The designs of normal enemies make it easy to identify them in the heat of battle, but the real lookers are the various bosses. The animations are all good.

The game’s sound design complements the graphics. I like the soundtrack, inspired by arcade classics and with industrial touches. Voice work is suitably over-the-top, especially when the villains speak, while combat effects are tolerable.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion