Published by eastasiasoft and developed by Panda Indie Studio, Z-Warp is a nostalgic vertical shoot-em-up that will have players feeling as though they’ve been instantly transported to the arcade of their childhood. And by God, does it commit to that feeling. From the gameplay to the graphical style to the music to even the aspect ratio, Z-Warp feels exactly like an arcade shooter of old.
The story is simple. In the year 21XX, Earth’s scientists have invented a starship capable of traveling through both space and time. Dubbing this star ship the E.V. Horizon (you may now take the appropriate amount of time to say “I understand that reference”), it was launched into the stars only for it to lose contact with Earth. That is, until a distress signal makes it to earth. Taking on the role of Z-Division’s most accomplished pilot, the player must take an advanced ship of their own and travel to the deepest reaches of space to retrieve the black box, fighting hordes of demonic monsters along the way. The story isn’t Shakespeare, but that’s okay since it never tries to be. It’s just a set-up for that sweet, sweet gameplay.
The gameplay of Z-Warp should be familiar to anyone who’s ever played a vertical shooter before. You auto-scroll up a map, shoot anything and everything that moves, and try not to die. Z-Warp adapts this classic style of gameplay while also incorporating bullet hell (pun very much intended) for a truly unique experience. Z-Warp offers players two main weapons. The first is a barrage of laser beams that fire in an outward spread, similar to a shotgun (the ship even ejects shotgun shells when this beam is used which, despite making little sense, fills me with joy every time it happens) and is most useful for the many different enemies that will try and rip the players to shreds. The second, and the one I find myself using the most during my playthroughs, is a giant laser beam that melts everything it comes across and is most useful for sturdier single enemies and the game’s massive bosses.
The most enticing feature of Z-Warp’s gameplay is the bombs. The game gives the player infinite bombs that function on a cool down, with a blue circle around the ship indicating the radius of the explosion. The radius will grow over time and, when fully charged, the bomb will destroy any enemy caught in the circle. However, killing enemies isn’t the main use of the bomb. Rather, players will find themselves using the bomb to destroy the vast amounts of projectiles that threaten to kill them. As previously mentioned, Z-Warp is part vertical shooter and part bullet hell and nowhere is that more apparent than the game’s gargantuan boss fights. Players will be forced to dodge waves of lasers and bomb the ones they can’t dodge. The recharge time of the bombs is usually enough to ensure the player has enough time to destroy unavoidable attacks as they come while making it feel as though they’ve escaped by the skin of their teeth. The result makes combat feel like a pulse-pounding, nail-biting, frantic fight for survival against insurmountable odds.
The music adds to this feeling. The soundtrack feels like a perfect blend of 80s rock and the 16-bit tunes of classic video games. Every piece feels fast-paced and intense, really making the player feel like a swashbuckling sci-fi badass blasting their way through hordes of the damned. The other aspects of Z-Warp’s presentation are also excellent. The sprite work is top notch, from both the ship players take control of to the demons they kill. The vertical aspect ratio and UI are both made to emulate the feeling of an arcade cabinet being placed on your TV screen.
Unfortunately, Z-Warp isn’t flawless. The frame rate of the game often drops when one too many things are on screen at once, especially when the projectiles of a boss all turn into green skulls for the player to pick up. And considering this is a bullet hell, you can imagine how annoying this can be. Additionally, while fair for its low price range, the admittedly limited content of the game can be a turn-off for some players. There are only five levels with three difficulty options (though there is a secret should the player finish all five levels in only one life), and an endless mode where the player seemingly loops these levels until the player dies. Although, considering the seven dollar price tag, I personally have no issue with this. Players will get enough bang for their buck and, considering the excellent gameplay, it’s more than worth it.
Z-Warp is a fantastic tribute to the vertical arcade shooters of old. With frantic and engaging gameplay, a banging soundtrack, and great visuals, any fan of old school games or gaming in general will have a great time with this sci-fi adventure. I give Z-Warp an 8/10.
For more information, visit the PlayStation Store.
I love games and love talking about games. Some of my favorites include action games (both 2D and 3D), metroidvanias, roguelikes, shooters, and Indies.
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