One thing that’s a real kick in today’s game industry is how companies are bringing back long lost favorites. For instance, just last week, Hamster offered up Ace Driver for Arcade Archives 2 – a game I haven’t played in years. But now I can enjoy it anytime on my Xbox. Likewise, Clear River Games has goodness cooking with FZ: Formation Z, a revitalized edition of a classic 1984 arcade shooter. Yes, another shooter. But like most of that publisher’s releases, there’s purpose behind it.
In the game, you can fly in the air to shoot enemies as a ship. But you can also transform into a ground-running robot, delivering powerful melee strikes. You need to keep a fine balance between the two as your energy runs low, while also watching out for enemy fire.
Sound tricky? Well, it is. The biggest drawback to FZ: Formation Z is it’s ferociously hard. Even with difficulty settings at your disposal, you’ll have to work to reach the next checkpoint. But it’s worth it, as the gameplay is rewarding in terms of strategy and good ol’ destruction. On top of that, the visuals and music are nicely revitalized.
FZ: Formation Z may not be entirely familiar to you at first, unless you played the original. But that’s alright. There’s something here for old-schoolers and newcomers alike, provided you’re hungry for a challenge.
FZ: Formation Z Puts You In a Real Transformer
So, yeah, as usual, the galaxy is in chaos. Enemy forces are flooding the ground and the skies, just begging to be punished. Enter your mighty craft, which has the ability to transform between a robot and a jet fighter.
Now, there are advantages to both. When you’re flying in the air, you have a better sense of verticality, as well as a less likely chance of being hit by enemies. That said, however, you run out of energy fairly quickly, and once it’s up, you have to return to your general form – that of a robot.
Now, being a robot is cool, because not only can you fire at enemies with your cannon from below, but you can deliver powerful melee strikes. These can combine together to truly make you a force, though you do have to perform some minor platforming. No biggie.
It’s a neat concept that worked well in the original 80s version, and does so here as well. FZ: Formation Z can be good fun to play, and there’s a lot to do here, including bonus modes like Score Attack.
That said, it is a pain in the butt sometimes. The difficulty is definitely up there, and one good hit will send you careening to the next checkpoint. You’ll need to remember who hit you last and find a good way around them. This happened more than once, but…just keep at it. There are difficulty settings you can adjust, but remember that the formula remains the same.
For that reason, newcomers may find themselves slightly turned off by FZ: Formation Z. But I think it’s a great game for fans of the genre, even if you’ve never played the original. And some of the secondary modes are very cool, adding replay value aplenty.
Obviously you have other choices on the market, but Clear River Games knows what they’re doing when it comes to games like FZ: Formation Z. I’m glad it’s here.
How Does FZ: Formation Z Hold Up With Presentation?
I wouldn’t exactly call FZ: Formation Z’s visuals dazzling, as it’s a remake of a side-scrolling shooter. That said, however, the devs did a fantastic job bringing this game into modern times. The animations are razor sharp, and the multi-scrolling backgrounds look damn good. The game also runs at a nice speed (on Xbox, anyway) and gives you a readout that makes it simple to keep track of your energy. Nothing over the top, but very true to the original game.
As for the music, it has an old-school approach. The vibes here are about on the level of classic sci-fi territory. Plus you can hear some hints of guitar in there too, which I don’t mind in the least. The sound effects are explosive as well, filling your ears with satisfying destruction.
Stay Informed With Formation
Will FZ: Formation Z be for everyone? No. Again, its difficulty spikes ask a lot from you, and the transforming gimmick takes some getting used to. But it’s a fine refresh of a long-lost shooter, and one that deserves a second chance on this market. Plus it looks and sounds great, and has stacked replay value.
We know you have a lot of “shmups” to choose from lately, but Formation Z just might transform you into more of a hardcore legend. Give it a shot.
GAMERHUB RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to the good people at Overload PR for providing us with a review code! FZ: Formation Z is available now for Steam/PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch 2!
Want more Clear River Games shooter fun? Check out our review of Under Defeat!
