View source for Software:Zax: The Alien Hunter

{{Infobox video game
|title = Zax: The Alien Hunter
|image = Zax Alien Hunter 2001.jpg
|developer = [[Company:Reflexive Entertainment|Reflexive Entertainment]]
|publisher = JoWooD Productions
|designer = Ion Hardie
|engine = Velocity Engine
|released = September 2001
|genre = [[Software:Action game|Action]]
|modes = Single player
|platforms = [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
}}
'''''Zax: The Alien Hunter''''' is an isometric shooter [[Engineering:Video game|video game]] developed by [[Company:Reflexive Entertainment|Reflexive Entertainment]], released in September 2001 for [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Windows]].

==Plot==

The player is Zax, an alien humanoid, who crash-lands on an unknown planet overrun by hostile robot forces, led by Om. Zax joins forces with the local tribes on the planet, the Korbo, whose people have been enslaved by Om and the robot army, to stage a rebellion. Zax must help the Korobos from total destruction, and find as much ore and parts as possible to fix his ship.

==Gameplay==

''Zax: The Alien Hunter'' is a shooter played in a top-down isometric perspective. Movement is controlled with the keyboard and weapon aim and fire is controlled with the mouse. The player invests minerals harvested on the surface of the planet to develop new weapons, and can also acquire power-ups that increase shields or gun power from defeated enemies, or replenish health from containers found throughout the environment. The game includes 22 missions over 100 maps. Progression is partly non-linear and relies on decisions made by the player during missions.<ref name=GSpy/>

The game also features several multiplayer modes for up to 16 players, including 'capture the flag', 'deathmatch', and 'salvage king', which requires players to gather as much ore as they can.<ref name=IGN/>

==Development==

''Zax: The Alien Hunter'' was showcased by JoWooD Productions at E3 in May 2001.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=May 2001|title=E3: 2001 Directory|pages=50|url=https://archive.org/details/E32001Guide/page/n51}}</ref> The game was marketed for its fusion of the features of ''[[Software:Quake (video game)|Quake]]'' and ''[[Software:Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001 |title=Zax: The Alien Hunter |website=Reflexive Entertainment |url=http://reflexive.com/Zax/NormIndex.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030303113023/http://reflexive.com/Zax/NormIndex.htm |archive-date=3 March 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Reception==

{{Video game reviews
| MC = 70/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/zax-the-alien-hunter/critic-reviews/?platform=pc| title=Zax: The Alien Hunter| website=Metacritic}}</ref>
|CGW={{Rating|1|5}}	<ref name=CGW>{{Cite magazine|last=Babler|first=Jason|date=January 2002|title=Zax: The Alien Hunter|magazine=Computer Gaming World|issue=210|pages=110|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_210/page/n113}}</ref>
|EuroG=8/10<ref name=EuroG>{{Cite web|date=29 August 2001|title=Zax: The Alien Hunter|website=Eurogamer|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/r-zax}}</ref>
|GSpot=7.5<ref name=GSpot>{{Cite web|last=Osborne|first=Scott|date=May 2006|title=Zax: The Alien Hunter|website=GameSpot|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/zax-the-alien-hunter-review/1900-2815818/}}</ref>
|GSpy=82%<ref name=GSpy>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Mark |date=2002 |title=Zax: The Alien Hunter |website=GameSpy |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/october01/zax/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050217152504/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/october01/zax/ |archive-date=17 February 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|GZone=9.0<ref name=GZone>{{Cite web |last=Bedigian |first=Louis |date=15 October 2001 |title=Zax: The Alien Hunter |website=GameZone |url=http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15236.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050104023601/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15236.htm |archive-date=4 January 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|IGN=7.7<ref name=IGN>{{Cite web |last=Sulic |first=Ivan |date=28 September 2001 |title=Zax: The Alien Hunter Review |website=IGN |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/167/167008p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020221020817/http://pc.ign.com/articles/167/167008p1.html |archive-date=21 February 2002 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|PCPP=72%<ref name=PCPP>{{Cite journal|last=Cottee|first=James|date=December 2001|title=Zax: The Alien Hunter|journal=PC Powerplay|issue=68|pages=72}}</ref>
|PCZone=47%<ref name=PCZone>{{Cite journal|last=Lyon|first=James|date=November 2001|title=Zax The Alien Hunter|journal=PC Zone|issue=108|pages=77}}</ref>
}}

===Reviews===

''Zax: The Alien Hunter'' received "mixed or average reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name=MC/>

Positive reviews of ''Zax: The Alien Hunter'' focused on its gameplay. Louis Bedigian of ''GameZone'' stated the game was "insanely addictive", praising its multiplayer play.<ref name=GZone/> Ivan Sulic of ''IGN'' found the gameplay "legitimately gratifying" due to the "simply, refreshing and enjoyable" control scheme and "fast and furious" multiplayer mode.<ref name=IGN/> Scott Osborne of ''GameSpot'' stated, despite the simplicity of the gameplay, the game's "excellent pacing and rewarding action" made the game "refreshingly fun", noting "there's just enough diversity to hold your interest and keep the action flowing".<ref name=GSpot/>

Reviewers were mixed on the merits of the game's isometric presentation and graphics. Scott Osborne of ''GameSpot'' praised the game's "beautiful graphics" with "fine attention to detail" and "crisp and colourful" landscapes and creatures.<ref name=GSpot/> Ivan Sulic of ''IGN'' similarly stated "graphically, the game is an artistic, albeit static feast...the game is an excellent still frame painting, but the vast majority of the environment is purely decorative."<ref name=IGN/> James Lyon of ''PC Zone'' found the graphics dated, stating "(it) looks like a ten-year-old game".<ref name=PCZone/>

The game also received negative reception. Jason Babler of ''Computer Gaming World'' dismissed the game as a "''[[Software:Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' clone", labelling it as "the buggiest game I've ever played".<ref name=CGW/> Scott Osborne of IGN similarly noted the game "sounds like another ''[[Software:Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' wannabe, and in some ways it is", citing the game had not learned lessons from ''[[Software:Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]'' by having a short single-player campaign, few powers and abilities, and no character classes or skills.<ref name=IGN/>

Criticism of the game frequently made adverse comparisons to the isometric [[Software:Role-playing video game|role-playing video game]] ''[[Software:Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]''.<ref name=CGW/> Lead designer Ion Hardie acknowledged that this reception came from the dissonance between the [[Software:Action game|action game]]play and the isometric graphics of role-playing video games normally reserved for ''[[Software:Diablo (video game)|Diablo]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=5 August 2002|title=Ion Hardie of Reflexive Entertainment|website=Eurogamer|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/i-lionheart}}</ref>

===Legacy===

Lead designer Ion Hardie states that developer [[Company:Reflexive Entertainment|Reflexive Entertainment]] was approached by [[Company:Interplay Entertainment|Interplay]] subsidiary [[Company:Black Isle Studios|Black Isle Studios]] to develop a game after "because of the fun they had" playing ''Zax: The Alien Hunter''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knudsen |first=Kurt |date=12 August 2003 |title=Lionheart Interview |website=Gamers Hell |url=http://www.gamershell.com/reviews_LionheartInterview.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030819072948/http://www.gamershell.com/reviews_LionheartInterview.shtml |archive-date=19 August 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The following [[Company:Reflexive Entertainment|Reflexive Entertainment]] game, ''[[Software:Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader|Lionheart]]'', was published by [[Company:Black Isle Studios|Black Isle Studios]] in 2003.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{moby game|id=/zax-the-alien-hunter}}

{{Reflexive Entertainment Games}}

[[Category:Adventure games]]
[[Category:Science fiction video games]]
[[Category:Video games set on fictional planets]]
[[Category:Windows games]]

{{Sourceattribution|Zax: The Alien Hunter}}