Slave Zero X perfectly nails the 32-bit PS1 action game aesthetic

03 March 2024 , 17:00

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The gorgeous spritework in Slave Zero X nails the vibe of PS1 classics (Image: Poppy Studio)

Honestly, if you had asked me what Dreamcast-era games I'd expect a sequel to appear for in the 2020's, I wouldn't have guessed that Slave Zero would be one of them.

The original Slave Zero came courtesy of Infogrames and launched months after the Sega Dreamcast arrived on the scene. The game featured giant humanoid mechs called 'Slaves' and had you take the role of Lu, who has hijacked the titular 'Slave Zero'. The game was a third person shooter which garnered enough of a cult following that it was eventually re-released with the help of the remaster wizards at Night Dive Studios (who are responsible for the recent remasters of the Turok Trilogy, and Star Wars: Dark Forces).

Ziggurat Interactive, who now owns the rights to the original Slave Zero, shockingly announced a prequel was in development back in 2022, titled Slave Zero X. And instead of creating another third person shooter, Slave Zero X takes the series 2D with a hack and slash seemingly inspired by the likes of Devil May Cry and Strider. The Dreamcast launched the sixth generation of consoles, which followed up the 32-bit era the PS1 and Sega Saturn battled in. So it was a fairly inspired decision to make a prequel to this Dreamcast game feel like a 32-bit action game.

While the PS1's main focus was on the 3D games – which were the new hotness – it and the Saturn (which wasn't as worried about forcing 3D titles) had a large share of 2D games which turned out to be classics in their own right. The likes of Capcom's Strider 2, and Mega Man X4, the original Rayman and Konami's Castlevania Symphony of the Night – which is a strong contender for the best PS1 game ever made – all aged far more gracefully than their 3D contemporaries. The main reason for this was thanks to the new hardware allowing for large and gorgeous sprite work with even better animation – things that the SNES and Mega Drive couldn't handle.

And this was the first thing that stuck out to me when I booted up Slave Zero X. The PS1 2D game aesthetic is perfectly captured by the large detailed sprite work on show. This is perfectly complimented by the blocky 3D backgrounds, and the way your enemies blow up into big splashes of red once you defeat them. The character designs themselves are also right up that alley, feeling ripped straight out of an unreleased '90s anime. Even the soundtrack from Protodome feels right for the era; Poppy Studio nailed the mood.

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I haven't been able to play enough of Slave Zero X to give the full verdict just yet, but if you're looking for a PS1-inspired hack and slash with satisfying combat, it's definitely a game that should be on your radar.

Scott McCrae