Almost a year after its initial release, Slayers X lands on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Does this quirky shooter have enough charm? Or should it have stayed in the 90’s?
A Simulation Inside A Simulation
Slayers X is a truly unique product in every sense of the word. Set in the same universe as 2019’s Hypnospace Outlaw, Slayers X is a game within a game. The game is marketed as developed by the main character of the story Zane Lofton, through Big Z Studios Inc. Having supposedly started the development of Slayers X in the 90s, Zane has decided to return and complete the game whilst working as a manager at the Dollar Shaver. It’s a ridiculous concept but one that you really have to admire; the lengths the developers have gone to in order to market the game such as through social media, is something to behold, with developer Jay Tholen posts all made as if Zane was posting himself.
The story itself of Slayers X is bizarre, stupid and preposterous, but it just has this charm about it. Set in 1998, you play as Zane, a teenager who, like most teenagers in the 90s, thinks he knows better about everything and anything. He is a part of the superhuman team, the X Slayers. This team is thrown into turmoil when Zane’s mother and mentor are killed in the games opening cutscene by the villainous Pysko Syndicate. This makes Zane the only person who can save the city of Boise, Idaho. It’s such a ridiculous concept it actually works quite well. Cutscenes are animated like a 90’s show and voiced to such an exaggerated extent that it’s hard not to laugh at everything the characters are saying. The story itself is a simple revenge plot, but what makes this game so unique is its concept; we are playing as Zane who is also the developer of the game so it’s a world within a world, very meta. There are notes left around the world from Zane that are hilarious and obnoxious. The story is never going to win any awards and it’s forgettable but it’s good at what it sets out to do as you cannot help but applaud it, so quintessentially 90’s in every aspect, particularly gameplay.
Hail To The King, Baby!
When I first began playing Slayers X, it was like I had stepped into a time capsule. Modelled so clearly after games like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D, Slayers X is a blast to play. It’s a simple first person shooter that doesn’t try to do too much with its gameplay. Gun play is serviceable and movement is sleek, whilst the classic 90’s shooter tropes, such as health packs and the character’s face at the bottom of the screen are much welcomed choices. Weapons are hilarious: a shotgun that fires glass shards; a grenade launcher that fires sewage to attract rats, or the S-Blade, a katana infused with the games mysterious power Hack Blood. All these weapons feel great to use and the variety in the game is absolutely fantastic. It feels as good today as Doom did back then. A true homage to the classic FPS games of old.
This game plays so much like Duke Nukem 3D, in its levels that are both open and linear at the same time. Countless times I would walk down areas only to find some stupid picture mocking me for going that way, or just something absurd like Zane’s terrible writing sprawled on a door or window. It’s small touches like this that make Slayers X so endearing. Each of the 10 levels available in the base game plays the same: shoot your way through, find the key and exit the level or defeat a boss beforehand. Simple, yet satisfying. Bosses are also a strong point in the game, with my personal favourite being a literal toilet that throws excrement at you whilst you are swirling around in a big landfill – yes it’s that stupid! Slayers X is such a simple pick up and play game, the developers (or maybe I should be thanking Zane) have done an excellent job crafting a true relic of the past but in a good way.
A Gloriously Disgusting Time
Slayers X looks terrible, but it’s purposely designed that way. Levels range from a supermarket to underground bases and more. There is just this level of charm added to each area that’s hard to quantify. I truly felt like I had been transported back into the early FPS’s of old. Character models look awful and blocky but again it’s what the game is going for. Everything visually screams 90’s gaming and I absolutely loved that. Even small additions like Zane’s face changing at the bottom of the screen based on your health is a lovely little touch. Another clear throw-back to games of old are the level designs themselves. Levels have many different hidden areas and secrets to find, some hilarious like Zane’s messages to himself and other areas like secret weapons and powerups. Bosses look increasingly ridiculous as the game goes on, and levels become spectacles of just utter chaos as Zane fights to kill Pysko Syndicate. This game is never ever going to blow you away visually, but it really doesn’t care. It’s unequivocally vulgar and violent and you have to admire that.
The element of the game I loved the most by far was the soundtrack itself. It’s emo, it’s metal and it’s just an absolute blast! Composed by Seepage, the soundtrack just oozes punk rock and metal, with over 30 tracks available in the game. It truly felt like it could have been Green Day and Linkin Park making these songs as I blasted, hacked and slashed my way through the game. The soundtrack feels like it never stops as there is constant music blaring through the game to keep the tempo up. You’re constantly on the move and the music echoes this. A wonderful soundtrack.
Sound design is also strong in Slayers X. Guns sound fantastic and weighty upon firing, enemies groan and moan when attacked, reminding me so much of games like Quake and Doom. Zane is hilarious when he speaks, as most of the time it’s just obnoxious nonsense coming out of his mouth but it keeps the game feeling light-hearted. The best way I think I can sum up the sound is that it’s reminiscent of a 90’s game but with modern day enhancements to make it feel upgraded and improved.
Verdict
Slayers X truly is a throwback to the past. For players seeking a retro arcade shooter, all the ingredients are here but with added vulgarity and punk rock mayhem. This is never going to blow people away with its gameplay and visuals but it doesn’t care and I can truly admire a game that just wants to have fun. Whilst the story is forgettable, the soundtrack kept me wanting to replay levels just to hear those songs again. In a gaming world where developers are constantly trying to iterate and innovate, it is bizarrely refreshing to experience a game that is so old school. See you in the 90’s!
