Originality does not make a game great, but it certainly helps when a new release can distinguish itself by going where no developer has gone before. Even if we all tend to play these 'yearly update' titles from time to time, the games that stay with us for years to come are usually the ones that have something special. Such is the strength of the Chilean indie effort Zeno Clash: Despite leaving some things to wish for, its innovativeness and overall charm in both presentation and gameplay make it a memorable experience, even if it's over before you know it.

The basic concept of Zeno Clash's gameplay is pretty simple, offering a 3D beat 'em up experience that takes place from a first person perspective. While this idea may seem prone to frustration and clunkiness in theory, given the relative scarcity of first person games outside of the shooter genre, it actually plays out really well. Introducing some of this game's bizarre enemies to your fists is a satisfying activity from start to finish, and a modest but solid share of combo moves keeps the brawling fresh. Regardless from whether or not you're violent in nature, there's just an immense sense of satisfaction to be derived from beating down multiple opponents and kicking them while they're down.

You'll get to do more in this game than just planting your knuckles in the faces of unfortunate goons, though. Throughout your adventure, you'll have to familiarise yourself with a variety of weapons, ranging from dual pistols and crossbows to clubs and grenades. While some of these weapons will prove to be essential for your progress, their use is mostly optional, leaving you with a relative amount of freedom in choosing how to engage your enemies. In any case, Zeno Clash should not be considered a first person shooter. Even if you end up using most of the weapons you encounter, the vast majority of this game's fighting will still consist of melee combat.

Despite the interesting gameplay, perhaps the most important aspect of Zeno Clash is its out-of-this-world presentation. It's hard to describe its strange world to someone who hasn't seen it for himself, but looking at some of Salvador Dalí's abstract paintings might give a general impression. It's obvious that the designers of this game were inspired by some great artists, such as El Bosco, Gaudí, and the aforementioned Dalí, implementing some cyberpunk references while they were at it. A lot of the environments in Zeno Clash involve nightmarish images, abstract, or rather absurd structures, and bizarre characters. The creativity exhibited by the developers is nothing short of astonishing, and half of the enjoyment of playing Zeno Clash is derived from merely looking around and allowing yourself to be amazed and surprised by the beautiful scenes that appear on screen.

The graphics themselves do not provoke a similar sense of amazement, though. Running on the Source engine, Zeno Clash has the same polished, cartoony look that we have seen in many Valve games. At the same time, some of the more foresty areas can look dated due to the blurry foliage. The relative emptiness of these sections when compared to some of the other areas in this game doesn't help either. However, with the fantastic art design taken into account, any slight shortcomings in the graphics department will barely matter, as Zeno Clash is quite simply one of the most visually appealing games out there.

Some of the areas are brought to life even more by an appropriate and solid soundtrack. Melancholic melodies greatly enhance the suspense evoked by desert sunsets, ancient temples and dark sewers, all of which have to be explored during the campaign. The  music could have used a bit more variation, though. The repetition is  rather eminent, especially considering the short nature of the game. Adding to that, the voice acting is just not very good. Even the main actor himself doesn't come across as very believable, and generally speaking, only your female companion succeeds in breathing some life into the pretty basic story.

The biggest problem of Zeno Clash, however, is its length. If you play on the default difficulty setting, odds are it'll all be over after a mere 4 hours. There is a bit of replay value, but at the end of the ride, you can't help but realise this concept had more potential. However, it may be a bit unfair to expect the indie developer ACE Team to fully capitalise upon this potential in its first major project, as resources were limited to a point that a lot of cool ideas had to be cut from the final product. Besides, with a price tag being set at just a little over €10/$12, you are definitely going to get your money's worth.

In the end, Zeno Clash is an ambitious yet solid product with a simply amazing presentation, and gameplay that carries enough substance to keep you entertained throughout the campaign. At the same time, Zeno Clash, as a product, appears to be a bit rough around the edges. Moreover, in the end, it doesn't have a whole lot to offer when it comes to pure gameplay hours. That being said, those who are able to appreciate a healthy dose of indie charm, should definitely check this game out.

Jesse Dolman, NoobFeed.