Star Fox Zero Reviews
Standing back and looking at the wider picture, Star Fox Zero succeeds far more than it falters. There are some terrific set pieces, the new Cockpit View lends more precision in taking down enemies for those chasing high scores, and the Star Wolf team are at last given chance to pose a menacing threat. The controls will be remembered as being divisive, but, for those that persevere, will soon marvel in this space shooter's spectacle.
There are plenty of nostalgic aspects present in this crisp and beautiful high-definition title, reminiscent of games gone by. At the same time it shakes things up with some drastic changes to the game play that can be too jarring for some to want to put up with, making it a bit of a black sheep to many. For those who take the time to master the play style, however, it is incredibly rewarding and satisfying.
As a game, Star Fox Zero isn't so much broken as deeply and disappointingly lacking in inspiration. Shiny but not smooth, it's a game about a space-faring fox in a spaceship that turns into a chicken without any sense of joy, and that might be the biggest disappointment of all.
Despite all these pressing and quite glaring faults, there is a good game and pleasant experience to be salvaged from out of Star Fox Zero's momentary, lofty set-pieces and short-lived moments of daring adventure.
It's taken several years for us to get a new instalment into this series that can live up to the N64 classic, but with Star Fox Zero that wait is finally over. With a new lick of paint, a vast amount of secrets to discover and solid gameplay mechanics it'll easily provides players with hours of thrilling dog fights and action packed set pieces. The new Gyrowing and Walker vehicles are fun new additions but they're thrills that quickly wear off leaving you wanting more of the fast action packed Arwing missions. Star Fox fans will surely not be disappointed with this title.
Star Fox Zero is a mixed bag of good level design coupled with bad controls. It's a love letter of everything the series stood for, but it's written in crayon with several misspellings throughout. Even the most diehard of Star Fox fans will probably have trouble getting through this one.
Star Fox Zero tries and fails to blend the nostalgic feel of StarFox 64 with new controls. While the game can be enjoyable and comes with some exciting moments, it is muddled down by unwieldy controls and bland level design.
Star Fox Zero is just plain rotten. An otherwise run-of-the-mill space shooter that couldn't be content with its own mediocrity and subsequently mutilated itself in a desperate attempt to stand out.
Star Fox Zero really could’ve been the best Star Fox in the series if Nintendo didn’t try to be so cute with it for the sake of innovation, and it’s thanks to these decisions that Nintendo will probably be saying goodbye to a lot of Star Fox fans.
For a title that people have been awaiting for years, Star Fox Zero falls a bit short. It continues the Star Fox legacy in a nostalgic and venerable way, but its controls and length hamper its greatness. It is a good game, yet somewhere underneath its main problems is a fantastic one.
While it's able to stand on its own, Star Fox Zero is more of a re-imagining of a Nintendo 64 classic rather than an all new Star Fox game. But that's not a bad thing. One thing that might be the biggest issue is the controls, getting to grips with aiming and steering at the same time is something that some players just won't be wired to do, making for a frustrating experience. For those that can overcome the control issues they'll find a Star Fox game begging to be replayed for secrets after the 4 hour main story is completed. There's much to be unlocked, but don't expect to still be playing in a months time.
For most players, though, Nintendo's insistence on forcing us to use the GamePad's second screen is a huge stumbling block. It's like a tech demo for a four-year-old console that's already past its prime, and a sad tribute to the failures of the fading Wii U.
The returns of Star Fox is a great experience, brought down a little by frustrating controls.
[T]his is when Star Fox Zero is at its best: a thrilling, fleeting and flawed joyride.
One of the Nintendo Wii U's final games in its release pipeline has arrived, but perhaps it could have used another delay or two before hitting shelves
Even after I found a way to wield its unwieldy controls, the game underneath those controls is a lukewarm retread. As a flagship Nintendo console release or even as a worthy sequel to a once-great franchise, Star Fox Zero just doesn't cut it.
I had a good time with Star Fox Zero, but it feels like a game whose design is built on contradictions; the desire to have the new targeting control, but with the classic Arwing gameplay keeps both from being entirely functional. It prizes arcade-style progression, but lacks modern concessions for console titles, like adequate checkpoints or multiple difficulty levels. It's at its best when it diverges from traditional gameplay, but does so only fleetingly, as if its scared to commit to different experiences. This mix of playing it safe, relying too heavily on old-school conventions, while also pushing a control scheme that doesn't quite match, makes the points where it works glorious, but only fleetingly fun.
Despite Star Fox Zero's relatively brief story mode (around 4-5 hours, absent the branching paths), the game remains a great value, with Guard's inclusion giving even more incentive to pick up this title.
Star Fox Zero is a barrel roll of N64 nostalgia, and that's about it.