We first reported on Zoe Begone back in August, and have now had the delight of getting our hands on this hand-drawn shooter. It has been developed by Retchy Games, published by PM Studios, Inc., and is available now on Steam. Those wanting to try before they buy can take advantage of a demo currently available. We’ve played through the first couple of hours of this colorful arcade shooter and share our thoughts in this post.
Zoe Begone is a mix of traditional shump gameplay littered with mechanics from other arcade genres, such as twin stick and run ‘n’ gun. It also has some intriguing ideas around health regeneration and keeping your craft active by placing pods at the bottom of the screen that require popping to redeem. On first glance, this is a confusing game, but once the different mechanics start to click, it becomes a spellbinding, fast-paced, arcade game with real personality.
The main aim of each level is to take down all the enemies that spawn periodically, as quickly as possible, and preferably before the timer runs down. Each level has several ‘reels’ which make up part of a videotape reel used in old-school animation. Each set of levels culminates in a boss, and between each level, there is also the chance to upgrade your craft or cash in for more points. Currency in Zoe Begone is found by downing enemies and scooping up the fallen apples.
Most of the levels we played had a barrage of color that is formed by giant paint brushes, which incidentally become the boss battles, sloping paint to create more enemies. Other bigger enemies were art knives that would slice the reel open and allow more enemies to enter the fray. Zoe Begone is just a kaleidoscope of color with so much happening that any bullet hell or challenging arcade game fan will lap up. Even on the easy setting, the heart-pounding tempo of the game just never lets up.
Zoe Begone not only looks the part, but also features tight controls, which are essential for this type of game. It takes a bit of getting used to, but once all the different control mechanics start to click, you’ll be boosting, shooting, and skimming past enemies in no time. The boss battles stand out as the main event, as they should, and they fill the screen with implements, bullets, and minions constantly until defeated. There is also the extra challenge of online leaderboards, a couple of different modes, and the all-important difficulty settings.
While this game isn’t aimed at casual gamers, the level of fun and fantastic presentation does set it apart from the regular space shmups, and Zoe Begone may have a wider appeal beyond this usually niche genre. Those up for the challenge will enjoy mastering the mechanics, which at first may feel overwhelming, but feel natural after a while. This is such a different kind of game that splashes uniqueness and artistic creativity together in a wonderful blend of fun and chaos. This may not be for all gamers, but anyone looking for something a bit different or something challenging will find a lot to enjoy here.
