Instant gut feeling about the game...

[Zakalwe]

I don't usually give feedback after 20 minutes in-game, but you know what they say about how long it takes to make an assessment upon meeting a stranger...

I'd Steam-faved Zephor when the devs first announced its development, but then it seemed to disappear off my radar. I had absolutely no idea that a series of demos had been run, and I only found out by sheer luck that it had been fully released. I'm on Steam every day, so either the algorithm is borked, or I just haven't been paying attention.

Anyway, I liked Gladius. It got massively better as the years went on (I think we all agree on that), but it was always a bit of a one-note experience. That's mostly down to the W40K license, let's face it, (there's never much wiggle-room for creativity there), and that's why I'd had my eye on Zephon. Maybe it would allow the devs some space to breathe, creatively?

The thing is, it really does look like a re-skinned Gladius at first glance. Watching reviews and reading the forums, I could see positive things, but not enough to shake that 'uhh more Gladius?' vibe. Did I really want to part with 30 quid for Gladius 1.5?

But...everything about the Zephon experience feels so much better than Gladius. The UI is gorgeous, the opening story is surprisingly creative and engaging. It's rather horrible in a Lovecraftian way, in fact. I like that! The voice acting is (so far) really excellent, and the score is very accomplished. There's a very clear creative vision going on here.

One of the video reviews mentioned that Gladius was like an RTS. I understood what he meant, but I wouldn't really go that far myself in describing it like that. Zephor on the other hand...yes, definitely. To coin an oxymoron, a turn-based RTS is exactly how my first few turns felt, and I loved it!

So anyway, those three minutes to make a decision on that stranger? It's an instant pass! THIS is what I wanted Gladius to be, and I can't wait to see where it goes.

[SoundsOfNight]

Glad you're enjoying it. After your first win select "Who are you?" + apply new mutator next game = profit.