Enemy Zero

"A good idea that didn't come through as planned."

Despite the poor reviews many magazines gave it, namely for
being a slow moving game with weak shooting sequences, I actually enjoyed this game. It was a refreshing break from standard first person shooters, and I actually got nervous hearing the beeping of the radar letting me know that an enemy was nearby!


Graphics: 8/10
For a Saturn game, the graphics are actually pretty good. You can see little details, including the nail polish on Laura's fingernails, very clearly. Although you don't see the creature that you are after, the aftermath is rather grotesque, meaning that the weak of heart should stay away!
As for the acting, it's not the best, but it's not that bad either.


Sounds: 7/10
The music in the game sets a good mood for the alien thriller theme. As for sound effects, you hear the beeping of the radar device which indicates how close you are to an alien, which you can't see. If you get close enough, you'll hear it roar, meaning that it's time to move out of there or become the next victim! As for the voices, they are acted fairly well, but the conversations are all one-sided as Laura never speaks, save for when she's recording her progress.


Controls: 8/10
When you're in a room, it plays like you're on rails: That is, if you press forward, you'll move ahead a few steps, left and right turn toward the next thing of interest. You can examine objects and use items in rooms. Outside of the rooms, however, is a different story. You can run, shoot with your gun, and...get killed! Yes, if you get too close to an enemy, you will become the next victim of the game!
However, shooting isn't all it's cracked up to be. You must charge up your gun untill the right point, and then let go. If you don't charge enough, you'll miss, and if you charge too much, you'll overload and have to restart. In addition, you've got to be at the right distance to hit. It takes practice, but it gets easier.


Story: 8/10
It's kind of like an Alien movie: Laura awakes from cryogenic sleep to find something wrong, and then discovers that the crew is being killed by an invisible alien creature. Go figure. Then again, it's not that bad, either.


Replay: 6/10
Considering the difficulty of the game, some people may be turned away after a few test runs. With a little practice, though, you should be able to get further into the game and actually enjoy the storyline.


Overall: 8/10
True, Kenji Eno may not have made a blockbuster hit, but it is worth the time if you want a unique game. Try Enemy Zero at least once if you're a fan of Sci-Fi thriller movies. Just watch out for the enemy, which you don't want to get too close. Suddenly, my radar is beeping rather- AAAAH!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/29/00, Updated 07/16/01