Zanki Zero: Last Beginning Reviews

Some may enjoy the convoluted systems and who is to judge. Per instance of grid based dungeon crawlers, Zanki Zero manufactures an entity that quite possibly an artificial intelligence might enjoy. The sheer amount of grinding for loot, skill points, death buffs etc. goes to show there are extremities to what a gamer may find endurable. Manipulating of our characters ages might as well be similar to aligning of the planets, only to unlock a short story segment. Weight and inventory management as well as re-equipping everything after a death is asinine. These are inordinate examples of clumping program structure instead of archaic game design. Surrealistic viewpoints and creative level design bewilder and cryptic puzzles divulge the mysteries even deeper. The technological aspects transcend the reincarnation/apocalyptic themes through the flashback story that twists and surprises it's inhuman nature aiming to justify the horror elements with dignified shock value. It is Spike Chunsoft horror ala visual novel, spread segmented wide apart by dutiful grind. The real time combat, zombified and mutated, dances like Grimrock with target specific damage and charges up for Team hits. Got to love the ambition and premiere gameplay, although monotonous, the graphics are bright and everything checks including the difficulty options. I will complete the story and see through to it on a respectable difficulty setting, just not too soon. This game can wear on an individual especially the caretaking of each member, bathroom breaks...really...

I couldn't bring myself to finish it. The combat is clunky, the micromanagement is not fun, and I'm not invested in most of the characters. I finished an LP online to check out the rest of the plot and I'm glad I didn't continue with the game - the plot writing also left me feeling very disappointed. Hard pass.