Star Fox Zero Reviews
Star Fox Zero is a surprising game that gets better level after level. The unusual control scheme might be hard to master, but you'll soon discover that is the fulcrum for an original and innovative experience, shaped by the creative talent of Shigeru Miyamoto.
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'Star Fox Zero' releases with upgraded graphics and new vehicles but a wonky motion control and the lack of innovation hampers the Wii U title from meeting expectations.
Star Fox Zero has many parts and little time for any of them
Overall, Star Fox harkens back to a time when a different kind of shooter ruled the roost, making it a blast from the past for old-school gamers and a refreshing experience for younger players. The hybrid controls will likely be divisive for purists and the on-rails sections and invisible borders of All-Range Mode might feel confining for some. Like getting the hang of a stick shift car, however, the gameplay can be a hoot once you master its operation.
Star Fox Zero is a fun trip back to the days of the Super FX chip on the SNES, but for a modern sci-fi shooter on the Wii U it feels a bit threadbare.
Star Fox Zero is a classic Star Fox game that stays true to the formula set by its predecessors. With a focus on replayability, unlockable content, discovering alternate paths, and pushing for higher scores, fans of the SNES original and Star Fox 64 will find that the game has everything they love about the franchise and plenty more. In the current gaming era, it is rare to see an on-rail arcade shooter like this release, and that makes Star Fox Zero a treat for Wii U owners. It plays and feels like a successor to Star Fox 64, and fans of the franchise shouldn't miss out.
While Star Fox Zero offers up some exhilarating dogfights with a unique control scheme that actually makes motion controls work, its highest highs are let down all too frequently by repetitive, mundane on-rails segments that sour the freedom that the game gives you in short bursts.
Star Fox Zero is a decent but unspectacular return of a once great series, and is held back by forced motion controls and some questionable level design.
Hearing about how different Star Fox Zero was compared to its inception, it's almost like Miyamoto jettisoned most of the new ideas in favor of playing it safe due to complaints from testers. Even with Platinum's involvement, it's a confusing project that isn't quite sure of itself, wanting to try new things while simultaneously reigning it in. Despite these blemishes, I enjoyed my time with it.
Star Fox Zero is like visiting a place you remember fondly, but have outgrown
Though Star Fox Guard is presented separately, it is packed in with Star Fox Zero and essentially serves as a mini-game. This repurposed tech demo, once called Project Guard, showed potential when it was first shown off, and that's been realized fairly well here. The tower defense structure does make good use of the dual cameras, forcing you to pay attention and swap on the fly to take out enemies. I did often wish there was a more reliable way to swap camera views, since my thumb was too imprecise but holding the stylus while shooting isn't comfortable. It's a shallow experience on the whole, and not meant for long stretches. While it does offer some longevity, due to the variety of stages, it definitely isn't a reason to pick up the Star Fox Zero package in itself. It will be sold separately for $14.99 on the Nintendo eShop.
There is a good game somewhere inside Star Fox Zero, but its forced reliance on the Gamepad's screen and motion controls cause it to barrel roll right into mediocrity.
Star Fox Zero brings the series back in a big way. Taking the franchise back to its roots, while amping up the action to new heights. Unfortunately not everything that was added was perfect though, with the Gamepad controls actually taking away from the experience, rather than adding to it. Once you get past them there is a great game here, but it will take some players quite a while to do that.
Star Fox's loooooooong awaited return doesn't disappoint on any conceivable level…well…maybe online multiplayer, but given how great this game is, it would be silly to complain.
Surely if Nintendo thought it was time to bring back Star Fox now there'd be some big things in store, right?
Overall, I loved the experience Star Fox Zero provided. I felt my skills improve every time I ran a new mission and I still get cravings to just go back into the game for the feeling it offers of flying and shooting down enemies. It's extremely disappointing that there isn't more content to offer above its 20 levels as the Gameplay is incredibly fun for those who take the time to master it.
The Star Fox game fans have been waiting for; however, getting to the experience will require wading through unique controls.
The level design is all different and unique, but the locations and the story are nearly identical. Zero is a great start for a new Star Fox series, but it's also a start that features a lot of stuff we've seen before. I enjoyed saving the Lylat System once again, but give me a year and this experience might just blend in with Star Fox 64 since it shares so much DNA with that classic.
As a game that lives and dies on its mechanics, Star Fox Zero is only intermittently successful at selling its dual screen dynamics. It's at its best during the classic Arwing sections, but the Walker form becomes overly fiddly and the different viewpoints often cause more problems than they solve. Sadly it's somewhat fitting that one of the final Wii U first-party games still doesn't convince us on the viability of a dual-screen home console.
Star Fox Zero is, simply put, a great Wii U game. While the control scheme is unconventional, it's fitting for a game that goes out of its way to surprise you with additional modes, trophy rewards, hidden locations, and a spin-off with gameplay never before attempted within the series. Which, in a way makes sense. Star Fox 64 was incredible, after all. Of course a game inspired by it would be amazing in its own right. And Star Fox Zero is. Once you find your footing, you'll be proud to be part of Team Star Fox.