13Z: The Zodiac Trials
A hectic hack-and-slash rogue like pitting players against trials of power, determination, and increasing challenges, 13Z: The Zodiac Trials sets players on a quest to become the 13th Zodiac.
Finding and spotlighting new and lesser known games is the most enjoyable aspect of the Have You Heard Of This section. Sometimes I get recommended games from people who want to bring more attention to upcoming projects. In this case, I was recommended 13Z: The Zodiac Trials, and, after a quick look at the game’s Steam page and released trailers, I knew this would be something I would love to draw attention to.
13Z: The Zodiac Trials offers players the option of a small cast of challengers, including Fox, Raven, and Panda, each with their own unique animal spirits which come into play throughout the trials. In addition, there is an upgrade system implemented to help further diversify gameplay, giving gamers the option of creating a playstyle best suited to them. Scrolls and skill books offer further upgrades and players can unlock new playable characters as they progress.
If you have some friends who are keen on diving into something new together, 13Z: The Zodiac Trials offers up to four player co-op to take on the trials together as a team. Enemies and bosses will scale in difficulty as more players join the fray, so be sure to bring your A-game. If, however, you're like me and want to try the game out solo first, you can take on everything in a single-player experience instead. It won't be as difficult, but it's sure to provide a challenge that'll keep you on your toes. But that's not to say the game isn't beginner friendly. I had no issues getting into the thick of things.
As for my own experience with the game so far, I have been having a blast. Not long after being recommended 13Z, I saw that the developers were launching a Global Playtest, so I signed up and got my invitation shortly after. I installed the Playtest and after booting it up and adjusting my settings, I dived into the game for the first time. After a nice opening cutscene that introduced me to the game’s lore, I was greeted by one of the Zodiac who advised me if I wanted to become one of them I would need to complete a number of trials. A quick tutorial on basic gameplay combat and the movement system followed, and I was faced with two options for my first real trial.
The gameplay and combat feels fluid and responsive and I was quite impressed with how it felt to battle my way through an assortment of enemies to complete the first step in my trial. Each trial shows an overall grading on how well you did, based on things like time taken to complete, enemies defeated, and damage taken. I am not certain, but I think combos also play a factor in how much score you receive. I cleared the trial in around a minute and earned a B rating, which is higher than I expected for my first foray. Before moving onto the next section, I was given a choice for a fire-themed upgrade to one of my combat abilities.
I did notice that health didn't regenerate after each battle, which added to the challenge. And while there were the occasional health pickups dropped by enemies I defeated, the health restoration they gave was paltry. In comparison to the damage I sustained during each trial, I do believe it was part of the experience, however I feel like it could be tweaked a little more. There is also a parry option available, which I have yet to Master, so maybe taking more damage is on my fledgling skills. But with a little increase to health drops, I reckon we'll hit that sweet spot of challenging and rewarding.
I really can't stress how much I loved the art style and animations in this game. The damage indicators felt crisp and punchy. The world I experienced in my trials was vibrant, the colours vivid and I never had to worry about enemies blending in to a dull background. The character models I've seen so far are full of detail, and there was a decent variety of enemy types, distinctive in their looks as well as their combat encounters.
I'll also give a special mention to the giant frog boss that ended my first trial run right quick when I got cocky and thought I had a win in the bag. It's the first of a number of bosses to encounter in 13Z: The Zodiac Trials. It's moves we're well telegraphed, but it is surprisingly agile. Combined with my already dwindling health and my overconfidence, it's safe to say I will respect it a bit more on my next run against it.
Though it's currently running through a playtest, there is a lot of details and improvements gone into the game since its last playtest. While I missed out on that one, watching the trailers gave a quick recap. I must say it's quite impressive to see how much work and love has gone into this game so far, and I am quite excited to see how well it plays out at launch. Fingers crossed there's further updates to keep me coming back post-release, but even if not, they have definitely gotten my attention.
I played through using a controller on my PC and everything was fast and responsive. I didn't encounter any glitches or bugs during my playthrough, which is quite refreshing. Of course, each individual playthrough will vary and some may suffer issues. The devs do preface this by mentioning what may be missing or errors that may occur, but I didn't experience anything like it
We don't have a set release date for 13Z: The Zodiac Trials just yet, but I'll share more news on it as it comes. But until then, Have You Heard Of This?
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