Atlus Drops First Gameplay Footage From Zeno Clash 2

Earnest Cavalli

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Jun 19, 2008
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Atlus Drops First Gameplay Footage From Zeno Clash 2


A sequel to the brilliant, yet sadly under-appreciated Zeno Clash arrives in less than a week, and we've got the first look at actual gameplay footage.

As anyone who's played it will tell you, Zeno Clash is a game that's very difficult to describe. From a superficial perspective, it appears to be a first-person shooter, only there are very few guns, and most of the combat is closer to what you'd find in a beat 'em up, like Streets Of Rage. Compounding these strange gameplay mechanics are an aesthetic and world design sensibility that are completely unlike anything you've ever seen. The closest analogue I can come up with is a cross between Jim Henson's creepier muppets (think: Dark Crystal) and that climactic scene in Apocalypse Now where the villagers are butchering the cow to appease a sweaty, overweight Marlon Brando.

If any of you read that description and aren't immediately interested in the sequel, I don't know what else to tell you. You've obviously over-stimulated. Take a nap.

That video embedded at top-right, is the first gameplay footage to be publicly released from the upcoming Zeno Clash 2. It's scheduled for release on Steam come April 30, with Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network iterations to follow shortly after.

As for what sort of novel plot and gameplay elements you can expect from this latest addition to what I pray to every unholy deity in the book somehow becomes a long-running franchise, here's an official synopsis courtesy publisher of all things quirky, Atlus:

The world of Zenozoik comes alive like never before, an open world waiting to be explored, rendered with breathtaking splendor. As Ghat, players can fully and freely explore every natural and architectural wonder his world has to offer. In addition to most of the characters, enemies, and items from the first game-all of which return with dramatic visual enhancement-Ghat can also expect to encounter awe-inspiring new sights, jaw-dropping new creature designs, and wildly creative new weapons and items.

I remember covering the first Zeno Clash when it was first released in 2009, and as with every article I wrote about that title, I'll conclude this in much the same way: Developer ACE Team creates completely original games in an industry that is so often soaked to the bone with a fiscally-mandated lack of creativity. If you care even a whit for new ideas, Zeno Clash II is exactly the sort of project you should support. If, for no other reason, than the mile-wide vengeful streak inherent to each and every one of those unholy deities I mentioned.

If you want more info, visit the official Zeno Clash 2 website [http://www.zenoclash2.com/].

Source: YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEuLCPSTPpI]

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itsthesheppy

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Zeno Clash was maybe one of the weirdest games I have ever played. It's stayed with me. It was like playing a Salvador Dali work.
 

Shia-Neko-Chan

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Huh. Well, sorry if there are any Zeno Clash fans out there, but this has probably one of the worst art directions I've ever seen. :/

That's probably why the first one was under-appreciated.

The gameplay does look interesting, though.
 

AzrealMaximillion

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Shia-Neko-Chan said:
Huh. Well, sorry if there are any Zeno Clash fans out there, but this has probably one of the worst art directions I've ever seen. :/

That's probably why the first one was under-appreciated.

The gameplay does look interesting, though.
Worst art direction? Maybe to you. It looks like the concept art of some of the older Final Fantasy games animated in 3D. A little taste of older Akira Toryama manga.

But I think you're right about the art direction throwing people off. That and the inability to describe playing the game without just telling someone to play the game.
 

Summerstorm

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Sep 19, 2008
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Hm... Leadership skill, and calling in friends. GOODGOOD
Also i AM wondering what the connection between Golem and Ghat was... I liked the one, it was just massively annoying they didn't end the story for FOUR YEARS.

Sold, i guess *g*
 

Hagi

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Zeno Clash, such an utterly brilliant and freaking weird game.

Will definitely be buying this, first doing another play-through of Zeno Clash though. All I can honestly remember from the story is that it was crazy weird and crazy cool.
 

DrunkOnEstus

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May 11, 2012
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First game I've pre-ordered in a while. I loved the first game. It might be because I'm really into the surrealist thing, but I adored every second I played of it and never wanted it to stop. Being able to explore and walk around the world a bit is going to blow my mind.

Also, many people aren't aware of this, but these are the fine folks who brought us Rock of Ages. I highly recommend that game and Zeno Clash to anyone who wants to play something totally different.
 

piinyouri

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Mar 18, 2012
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The art style in this one seems like it's going in an even more Morrowind-ish inspired direction.

I DL the demo off Steam for the first one about a week ago.
Odd game, but very satisfying.