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Tales of Kenzera: Zau - Reviews Thread

Mr Hyde

Gold Member
Checked out a couple of videos. Interesting setting and mythology but the action and platforming seems kinda derivative. Like a lesser Ori. Prince of Persia looks much better so probably going to go with that one.
 
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Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
I finished and got the platinum as well. Some sections towards the end were annoying lol, as in instakill sections and you had to repeat it.

Other than that, not a bad game, the fighting is mediocre but the story was fine. The soundtrack and visuals are also fine.

Would rate the game a 7/10.
Not bad for a first project. If they do make another game, I hope they stay away from SBI.
 

Stainless

Member
I finished and got the platinum as well. Some sections towards the end were annoying lol, as in instakill sections and you had to repeat it.

Other than that, not a bad game, the fighting is mediocre but the story was fine. The soundtrack and visuals are also fine.

Would rate the game a 7/10.


I got all the way to the end and couldn't finish due to that escape platforming section. I got through the 2 escape platform sections in Act II, but this one is just too tough for me. Pretty frustrating as I enjoyed the game, otherwise. If there was literally one more checkpoint in there, I'd be able to get through it.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Played a bit of this today. The game itself is pretty decent, tight controls, good metroid-vania traversal and powers etc.

The one thing I don't get, however, is how a game this simple looking has a 30 FPS 'quality' and a very aliased 60 FPS 'performance' mode on the current gen, when similar games like Lost Crown run at 4K/120 fps without breaking a sweat.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Lesser Ori is pretty on point based on what I’ve played so far. A lot of weird design decisions, too, that a more experienced dev probably would have avoided, but for a first game? Pretty decent. And the African theme is neat.

Sounds like I need to play this game first, before I play Ori or Ori 2. Because the African theme is what's speaking to me the most.
 
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Shakka43

Member
While doing one of the Trinket trials my character went out of bounds and the game decided it would be a great idea to immediately save out there, now there no way for me to to get back in and the cloud save already synced 💀💀

Edit:
Found my way back in :)
 
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Shakka43

Member
Done with the game. Not bad, the combat is a very weak point but the level design and abilities are good. Overall a pretty enjoyable metroidvania.

Easy platinum for those that care, only 20(19+platinum) trophies and you can get most of them by just playing naturally, the collectables are easy to find and are not that many.
 

Hudo

Member
I need that retard Andrew Wilson explain to me why he's happy blowing money on Immortals of Ass and this shit but when it comes to Command & Conquer, there's no money left. The remastered collection made a profit.
 


I like this dude a lot. He's a fantastic actor, and it's awesome that he decided to build a team and make a game that was dear to his heart.

But this isn't how you sell a game, by saying that its the boogeyman racists that "prevented my game from being successful, and you know, I need some sympathy so go buy my game (which I've just discounted 25%)". You sell it by making it unique and fun to play. Besides the African theme, the majority of the game's reviews said that the gameplay was a competent if uninspired Metroidvania.

Personally, I think it's a little unfortunate that his game is getting torched by people who will not buy anything associated with SBI. But that's their right as consumers, and you as a creator have no right to guilt people into buying your product. I wish the guy had just made his game, him and his team, his writers, and not even bothered with an SBI partnership. Writers shouldn't need consultants. They need to listen to their voice, and convey that voice in its purest form to the consumer.

I'm still planning on picking this one up, but given that I (and most gamers) already have massive backlogs of stellar games, anything that doesn't have overwhelming positive feedback sits on a $10 waitlist for me.
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter

SBI tanked his game. People (including me) were on board with it until SBI came into the picture. He blatantly refused to address the controversy and let the association with them torch his game. If he takes another crack, I’ll be on his side so long as SBI or those insulting DEI (or whatever they’re called) companies aren’t involved.

Also, his game is merely competent in an oversaturated genre. We’re not exactly on short supply of amazing indie metroidvanais.
 
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Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
I like this dude a lot. He's a fantastic actor, and it's awesome that he decided to build a team and make a game that was dear to his heart.

But this isn't how you sell a game, by saying that its the boogeyman racists that "prevented my game from being successful, and you know, I need some sympathy so go buy my game (which I've just discounted 25%)". You sell it by making it unique and fun to play. Besides the African theme, the majority of the game's reviews said that the gameplay was a competent if uninspired Metroidvania.

Personally, I think it's a little unfortunate that his game is getting torched by people who will not buy anything associated with SBI. But that's their right as consumers, and you as a creator have no right to guilt people into buying your product. I wish the guy had just made his game, him and his team, his writers, and not even bothered with an SBI partnership. Writers shouldn't need consultants. They need to listen to their voice, and convey that voice in its purest form to the consumer.

I'm still planning on picking this one up, but given that I (and most gamers) already have massive backlogs of stellar games, anything that doesn't have overwhelming positive feedback sits on a $10 waitlist for me.
I've actually asked him personally on Discord what was the extent of SBI's involvement and other people also did. He just ignored us. I was genuinely interested in supporting the game solely because of the setting and because there's a dearth of games inspired by African history/mythology, but the SBI made me hold off.

The thing with DEI companies is that they don't promote diversity. They promote division and I believe they're actively harmful to developers and/or creators who are part of minority groups. They help no one so I now utterly refuse to give them my money even if the creator is a well-intentioned black man like this fella.

Once again, he ditches SBI and all this garbage for his next game and he has my undying support, even if the game isn't all that amazing, I'll at least encourage him to keep trying until he makes something great.
 
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Dr.Morris79

Gold Member
Once again, he ditches SBI and all this garbage for his next game and he has my undying support
Never gonna happen. It's all a grift. That's money you don't just 'drop' because you've had a change of heart..

These people don't have ethics, it's purely money driven. This isn't the 80's anymore with people actually doing it as a passion for fun.

Just get all of this shit out of gaming. Like you said yourself. It's pure division

We don't, and have NEVER! needed it.
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
Never gonna happen. It's all a grift. That's money you don't just 'drop' because you've had a change of heart..

These people don't have ethics, it's purely money driven. This isn't the 80's anymore with people actually doing it as a passion for fun.

Just get all of this shit out of gaming. Like you said yourself. It's pure division

We don't, and have NEVER! needed it.
Then he'll have to make do with the money he gets from those grants. The industry has spoken and SBI or their ilk isn't wanted.

Sure, major IPs like Spider-Man or Assassin's Creed will be successful regardless, but smaller games and studios such as this one will be seriously hurt by associating themselves with these companies.

Controversy can help boost engagement and popularity when your product is already established to begin with. If not, it can just kill it before it even hits the ground. Sucks for him, and I'm saying this as a black Caribbean man. I was rooting for this game the moment I saw it, but he made his own bed and something something.
 
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I haven’t seen a single word about this game since the reviews dropped. Even with it in PS+. I played the first few minutes but haven’t gone back to it. Too many better games to play.
 

Jaybe

Member
It was on PS+ so I think he got a nice lump sum upfront.
One reason I detest the major game subscription services is it puts the catalog purchases into the platform owner’s control to spend and they reward Sweet Baby Inc / DEI using developers like this, which then enriches SBI and other firms of their ilk.
 
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