Developer: ZeroBit Games
Publisher: Ocean Media LLC
Platforms: PC
Zotrix – Preview
Zotrix is an arcade space shooter developed by ZeroBit Games, who found inspiration for their latest game from the classic shooter games on arcade machines in the 80s and 90s. This type of inspiration is clearly visible as the game in its entirety screams nostalgia, especially when it comes down to the gameplay elements. Whether this vintage-like approach to the game is worth is, is an entirely personal opinion, one that you should form yourself as a fan of the genre.
A typical element in the genre is the lack of story. In Zotrix, it feels like they have tried to add some of it but the storyline feels somewhat forced and un-original, and the storyline doesn’t continue in the gameplay. It simply doesn’t bring any added value to the game so we should move on to what does bring value in the game.
Zotrix is a game that will visually throw you back a few decades. Its visual style is on par with the classic arcade gaming that we grew up with. The backdrops during gameplays are vintage-styled, dark backgrounds with animated dots that serve as stars in the galaxies. This whole retro approach to the genre is not something that can be looked at as a bad thing, but having it slightly renewed would have done wonders as it is a genre not easily loved by many.
The rest of the graphics are as retro as the backdrops. The ships, as well as any of the possible upgrades, are slightly pixelated. You’ll be able to tell what they are from the forms and slightly more cheerful colors but the pixilation is quite obvious. The retro look carries on in the menus, so the visuals are certainly one large whole.
The soundtrack in Zotrix is an entirely different matter. It’s catchy and it’s fresh. The soundtrack is a fantastic compilation of trance-like tracks which complete the game and the genre more than you’d think. However, the ambiance sound of the game will often drown out these great tracks. On the other hand, it is positive that the different types of ‘shooting styles’ also have different ambiance sounds.
Gameplay-wise, the game is not much more than a simple space shooter, where you need to steer your ship so it cannot be damaged while also unleashing waves and waves of bullets. At times you’ll need to avoid the incoming waves of bullets yourself, unleashed by angered species in the galaxy who see you as a threat. Other times, you’ll need to avoid meteorites in various sizes, or you need to do both. Either way, there is enough action going on but this sums up the gameplay.
Of course, there are ways to upgrade your spaceship by buying bigger guns, missiles or companions; which costs a various amount of materials. There are two ways to get these materials. You can either travel around the galaxy, completing different ‘quests’ which will grant you certain materials or you can buy the needed materials in the trading room of the hubs you are currently visiting. Keep in mind that buying the materials via the trading room is at times more expensive, especially since the prices vary. The game will compare the prices of the materials to the trading room you are currently at, to any of the trading rooms you have clicked. This does make it easier to see which materials are lower or higher in price and whether you should travel around some more or not.
The game can be played both with the mouse and keyboard as well as with a controller but the latter one feels extremely slow. This will need some heavy tweaking but for now the simply awkward ways of moving around will make you switch back to the keyboard – a fairly old-school approach but one that simply works as it should. As there are no key bindings, you will need to smash different buttons to find out what they do but in the end it is fairly simple. You can move your ship around with the WASD-keys while you spam-fire the enemies with the left-mouse-button. You can use your previously bought upgrades by having them bound to a key from 1 to 9 right before you start the ‘quest’. This type of binding feels more RPG-styled than classic arcade but you won’t be having an overabundance of upgrades since most of these are a one-time-use only.
Conclusion
The game could have used more modern elements because, honestly, a game inspired by the classics does not necessarily need to feel like a classic itself. The storyline could have gone deeper so the gameplay feels less repetitive. The rest of the game is good and just as it should be. The visuals and sound design fit great together. Overall, Zotrix is a great game for any age to enjoy and who knows, the younger players may fall in love with the classics because of it.
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