Slave Zero#Prequels
{{Short description|1999 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Slave Zero
| image = File:SlaveZero.jpg
| caption = North American cover art
| developer = Infogrames North America
| publisher = {{vgrelease|NA|Infogrames North America|EU|Infogrames Multimedia}}
| director = Sean Vesce
| producer = Matthew J. Powers
| designer = Jeffrey Gregg
Mike Wikan
Jason Weesner
| programmer =
| artist = Ken Capelli
| writer = Margaret Stohl
| composer = Randy Atkins
| engine = Ecstasy Engine
| platforms = Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|November 17, 1999{{cite web|last=Justice|first=Brandon|date=November 17, 1999|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/11/18/slave-zero-hits-ground-zero-at-retailers-nationwide|title=Slave Zero Hits Ground Zero at Retailers Nationwide|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}{{Cite web |date= |title=Slave Zero |url=http://www.sega.com/sega/catalog/SegaProduct.jhtml?PRODID=268 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001030091814/http://www.sega.com/sega/catalog/SegaProduct.jhtml?PRODID=268 |archive-date=October 30, 2000 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=sega.com}}|EU|March 24, 2000}}
| genre = Third-person shooter
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
}}
Slave Zero is a 1999 action video game developed and published by Infogrames North America for Dreamcast, Windows 95, and Windows 98.
While the game was originally designed to work with Windows 95 and Windows 98, a fan following had developed a number of CD cracks in order to make the game compatible on newer systems.{{cite web|url=http://www.megagames.com/cracks/html/c33805_0.htm|title=Slave Zero Trainers and Game Fixes|website=MegaGames|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071002025022/http://www.megagames.com/cracks/html/c33805_0.htm|archivedate=October 2, 2007|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}} While this allowed the software to become playable, it still required that the owner possess the original software. The PC version uses the Ecstasy Engine. Tommo purchased the rights to the game and digitally published it through its Retroism brand in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://docs.bmcgroup.com/Atari/nysb_1-13-bk-10176_313.pdf|title=Atari - Notice of Proposed Sale Orders|date=July 22, 2013|website=BMC Group|access-date=September 5, 2020|archive-date=April 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407014654/https://docs.bmcgroup.com/Atari/nysb_1-13-bk-10176_313.pdf|url-status=live}} On March 25, 2014, Retroism re-released the game on GOG.com and, together with Night Dive Studios, to Steam.{{cite web|url=https://www.gog.com/news/release_slave_zero|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328134724/http://www.gog.com/news/release_slave_zero|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 28, 2014|title=Release: Slave Zero|date=March 25, 2014|website=GOG.com|publisher=CD Projekt}}
In June 2022, publisher Ziggurat Interactive (who purchased the rights to Slave Zero) announced a prequel titled Slave Zero X. It was released on February 21, 2024 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.{{cite web |url=https://gametyrant.com/news/latest-trailers-for-slave-zero-x-reveals-popular-voice-talents |title=Latest Trailers for Slave Zero X Reveals Popular Voice Talent |last=Clark |first=Dean |website=GameTyrant |date=March 2, 2023 |access-date=March 9, 2023 |archive-date=March 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309185057/https://gametyrant.com/news/latest-trailers-for-slave-zero-x-reveals-popular-voice-talents |url-status=live }}
Story
Taking place 500 years in the future, the game tells the story of Lu Chen, a sinister world overlord more commonly known as the SovKhan, who rules the Earth from a massive complex called Megacity S1-9. The only resistance to the SovKhan is from an ancient order of warriors known only as the Guardians. The SovKhan's army is nearly invincible as it is, and it is growing by the day, his most powerful units being 60-foot-tall humanoid robots called "Slaves". The Slaves themselves are grown from a combination of artificially created cybernetic embryos and a mysterious compound called NTR95879, referred to as "dark matter" by the Guardians. Now the Guardians' only hope of overthrowing the SovKhan and his cybernetic army lies in a single captured Slave unit, which will have the mind of a specially trained Guardian agent permanently downloaded into it. The game follows "Slave Zero" as he wages war against the SovKhan's forces throughout every part of Megacity S1-9.{{cite web|url=http://slavezero.planets.gamespy.com/game_story.shtml|title=Slave Zero Storyline|website=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060505154012/http://slavezero.planets.gamespy.com/game_story.shtml|archivedate=May 5, 2006|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| align = left
| SDC = true
| PC = true
| na = true
| GR_SDC = 58%{{cite web|url=https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/198671-slave-zero/index.html|title=Slave Zero for Dreamcast|website=GameRankings|publisher=CBS Interactive|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505090056/https://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/198671-slave-zero/index.html|archivedate=May 5, 2019|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| CGSP_PC = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Battles|first=Hosea|date=December 9, 1999|url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/176/slavez_review.html|title=Slave Zero|website=Computer Games Strategy Plus|publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc.|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030530121501/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/024/176/slavez_review.html|archivedate=May 30, 2003|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| CGW_PC = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Salvador|first=Dave|url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_187.pdf|title=Less Than Zero (Slave Zero Review)|magazine=Computer Gaming World|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=187|date=February 2000|page=116|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| EGM_SDC = 4.375/10{{cite magazine|author=EGM staff|url=https://archive.org/details/electronicgamingmonthlyvol126january2000600dpi/page/n219/mode/2up|title=Slave Zero|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|issue=126|date=January 2000|page=223|accessdate=September 6, 2020}}
| EuroG_SDC = 6/10{{cite web|last=Bramwell|first=Tom|date=April 11, 2000|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/slavezero_dc|title=Slave Zero (Dreamcast)|website=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010107200100/http://www.eurogamer.net/content/slavezero_dc|archivedate=January 7, 2001|url-status=live|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| GI_SDC = 6.25/10{{cite magazine|last1=McNamara|first1=Andy|last2=Fitzloff|first2=Jay|last3=Reiner|first3=Andrew|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3250|title=Slave Zero (DC)|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=FuncoLand|issue=81|date=January 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001021144408/http://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=3250|archive-date=October 21, 2000|url-status=dead|access-date=September 5, 2020}}
| GameFan_SDC =(J.W.) 79%{{cite magazine|last=Weitzner|first=Jason "Fury"|url=https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_02/page/n45/mode/2up|title=Slave Zero (DC)|magazine=GameFan|publisher=Shinno Media|volume=8|issue=2|date=February 2000|page=44|accessdate=September 6, 2020}}
(F.M.) 40%{{cite web|last=Mosquera|first=Fernando "Lagi"|date=November 11, 1999|url=http://gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=1280%26t=r|title=REVIEW for Slave Zero (DC)|website=GameFan|publisher=Shinno Media|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000305201041/http://gamefan.com/repre.asp?g=1280%26t=r|archivedate=March 5, 2000|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 6, 2020}}
| GameFan_PC = 80%{{cite magazine|title=REVIEW for Slave Zero (PC)|magazine=GameFan|publisher=Shinno Media|date=November 8, 1999}}
| GamePro_SDC = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|author=Scary Larry|date=December 2, 1999|url=http://gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/3425.shtml|title=Slave Zero Review for Dreamcast|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG Entertainment|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040919083724/http://gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/3425.shtml|archivedate=September 19, 2004|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 6, 2020}}{{cite magazine|author=Four-Eyed Dragon|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_135_December_1999_U/page/n191/mode/2up|title=Slave Zero|magazine=GamePro|publisher=IDG Entertainment|issue=135|date=December 1999|page=198|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}
| GameRev_SDC = C+{{cite web|author=G-Wok|date=February 2000|url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32235-slave-zero-review|title=Slave Zero Review (DC)|website=GameRevolution|publisher=CraveOnline|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506233637/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/slave-zero|archivedate=May 6, 2014|url-status=live|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| GSpot_SDC = 7.2/10{{cite web|last=Fielder|first=Joe|date=November 10, 1999|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/slave-zero-review/1900-2540612/|title=Slave Zero Review (DC) [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000"]|website=GameSpot|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=September 5, 2020|archive-date=March 19, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319032716/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/slave-zero-review/1900-2540612/|url-status=live}}
| GSpy_SDC = (P.D.) 3.5/10{{cite web|last=Bowen|first=Kevin|date=November 23, 1999|url=http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/slavezero/|title=Slave Zero|website=PlanetDreamcast|publisher=IGN Entertainment|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124054806/http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/slavezero/|archivedate=January 24, 2009|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
35%{{cite web|last1=Bowen|first1=Kevin|last2=Buecheler|first2=Christopher|date=November 23, 1999|url=http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/reviews/slavezero_a.shtm|title=Slave Zero|website=GameSpy|publisher=IGN Entertainment|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020414150211/http://www.gamespy.com/legacy/reviews/slavezero_a.shtm|archivedate=April 14, 2002|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| NGen_SDC = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Lundrigan|first=Jeff|url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen61Jan2000/page/n93/mode/2up|title=Slave Zero (DC)|magazine=NextGen|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=61|date=January 2000|page=92|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| PCA_PC = 6/10{{cite magazine|last=D'Aprile|first=Jason|url=https://archive.org/details/PCXL18Feb2000/page/n85/mode/2up|title=Slave Zero|magazine=PC Accelerator|publisher=Imagine Media|issue=18|date=February 2000|page=84|accessdate=February 11, 2021}}
| PCGUS_PC = 68%{{cite magazine|last=Poole|first=Stephen|url=https://archive.org/details/PCGamer_April_2000/page/n93/mode/2up|title=Slave Zero|magazine=PC Gamer|publisher=Imagine Media|volume=7|issue=4|date=April 2000|pages=90–91|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060315144152/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/slave_zero.html|archivedate=March 15, 2006|url-status=live|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| rev1 = Maxim
| rev1_PC = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.maxim.com/gaming/reviews/28731/slave-zero.html|title=Slave Zero (PC)|website=Maxim|publisher=Biglari Holdings|date=November 18, 1999|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226155557/http://www.maxim.com/gaming/reviews/28731/slave-zero.html|archivedate=February 26, 2010|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
| rev2 = USA Today
| rev2_SDC = {{Rating|4|4}}{{cite news|last=Ham|first=Tom|date=June 16, 2000|url=http://cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/sega.html|title=Dreamcast scores high with five titles: Fast-paced entries will rival die hard gamers' favorites|newspaper=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010525195250/http://cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/sega.html|archivedate=May 25, 2001|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 6, 2020}}
}}
The game received mixed or average reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. GameSpot and IGN both praised the PC version's selection of weapon upgrades, and GameSpot also argued that the boss battles are both unique and memorable.
GameSpot, GameRevolution, and IGN all criticized the game's failure to create any sense of being a giant robot on the rampage in a city, as well as the lack of combat depth or replay value. IGN and GameRevolution additionally criticized the Dreamcast version for its extremely poor frame rate, lack of in-game music, and conspicuous game-crashing bugs. Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen said that the same console version "may not be to everyone's taste, but it does offer a different sort of challenge for those so inclined."
Damien Thorpe of AllGame gave the Dreamcast version three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that it "has its flaws, but turns out to be a fun game."{{cite web|last=Thorpe|first=Damien|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18668&tab=review|title=Slave Zero (DC) - Review|website=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114160035/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18668&tab=review|archivedate=November 14, 2014|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}} Joel Durham of the same website gave the PC version three stars out of five, saying, "The more you play Slave Zero, the less appealing it is. [...] You can come pretty close to experiencing Slave Zero to its fullest -- for free -- by playing the demo thirty times. If you get tired of it, just think of the money you saved."{{cite web|last=Durham|first=Joel|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18744&tab=review|title=Slave Zero (PC) - Review|website=AllGame|publisher=All Media Network|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115100743/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18744&tab=review|archivedate=November 15, 2014|url-status=dead|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}
Prequels
In June 2022, Ziggurat Interactive (owners of franchises such as BloodRayne, KKnD, Uprising, among others) announced a prequel to the original Slave Zero. Titled Slave Zero X, the game's genre was described as a side-scrolling hack-and-slash as opposed to the original game's third-person shooter premise. It was also announced that SungWon Cho and Anjali Kunapaneni were added to the game's cast. Slave Zero X was released on February 21, 2024 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
{{clear}}
In addition to Slave Zero X, Ziggurat partnered with Ironwood Software and Poppy Works for Slave Zero X: Episode Enyo, a total conversion for the first-person shooter game Quake, which featured the main antagonist of Slave Zero X as the playable character. It was confirmed to be part of the series' canon as it took place prior to the events of Slave Zero X.{{cite web |url=https://slayersclub.bethesda.net/en-US/article/new-add-on-episode-enyo-quake |title=New Add-on Available: Episdode Enyo for Quake |last=Boyle |first=Joshua |website=Bethesda Softworks |date=January 14, 2024 |access-date=February 3, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{MobyGames|id=/slave-zero}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080412022055/http://slavezero.planets.gamespy.com/index.shtml Slave Zero News]
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