Zax: The Alien Hunter (2001)
Genres:Adventure
Themes:Action, Science fiction
Game modes:Single player
Story:Zax: The Alien Hunter is a PC action game from Reflexive Entertainment.
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.1 650
I played this game first time in 2008-2009. And This game stole my hearth. I loved this game and i want this game to this platform. Thanks this game I remembered of childhood.
It is so good! Like Alien Shooter, but with an incredible story, all voice acted and dynamic music! You can mine for ore and upgrade your guns to zap the enemy robot slavers to bits!
I got this game as a gift from a PC gaming magazine, which was the style of the time.
These gifts were usually a hit or miss, but this one was a decent one, well balanced story-oriented action game.
I have never finished it, which bugs me, because this game is not avaiable enywhere. So make it happen!
Great story with unique depiction of aliens, great Polish VA, very satisfying progression with multiple guns and shields, a lot of ore to collect and spend right after, can't think of a single game that was similar.
I only played single player as GameSpy servers were down.
Currently it has no wide screen fix, the game is not on Steam, it needs to get more attention for the community or GOG to fix the game for modern PCs.
As an isometric shooter fighting the enemies required constant running around to avoid enemy bullets. The caves had boar traps you could step into!!!! There were also multi-layer puzzles spread out across rooms with keys to unlock. Almost like a Metroidvania, but with isometric view, and less backtracking.
Zax has a big place in my gaming heart for two reasons.
TL;DR:
1) It's a cool twin stick shooter with a totally polished gameplay.
2) The devs obviously created the game they wanted to create; with a lot of love.
More detail:
1) Game
While some games auto-aim for you or, on the other hand, don't allow you to shoot in the exact direction you want, you can git gud at Zax, and you'll feel that every hit or miss is a true consequence of what you did right/wrong.
The isometric graphics are rather comics-stylized (see screenshots), which means they don't get old. And even though reviewers back then had wildly differing opinions, I personally liked the OST, as I found it fitting the game's theme and vibes.
And the game has the perfect length. You have fun, the stakes keep on rising, you learn the backstory, there's an epic final fight and a nice ending. It's pretty long, yet it doesn't overstay its welcome.
2) Devs doing their thing:
Zax is a game about an opportunistic alien scanning his galaxy for ores that he could mine, sell, and get rich. Just when he finds a promising-looking planet, something shoots him down from the orbit. It looks like the planet is inhabited by docile, enslaved creatures called Korbo, but his only worries initially are to fix his ship, mine that ore, and get outta there.
See? There's not a single human. The only female element in the game is the voice of Zelon, the ship's computer (which Zax named and modeled its voice after an actress famous on his home world). I can see a publisher rejecting the game for "the player having no one to identify with". Yet, that's exactly what happens. Even though it's just about pure action, Zax wisecracking and warming up to the Korbo and discovering the identity of the slavedriving Om, you'll find yourself invested in the (predictable to a degree) story, rooting for Zax, celebrating the victory at the end of the fun - and often funny! - ride.
I'd so much love to see it released digitally at last!
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