Mekazoo Review

mekazoo-review-screenshot-2

The somewhat simple concept of Mekazoo is something that holds a handful of hours for enjoyment, but leaves much room for improvement.

You begin the game as an electronic armadillo with a roll attack as you work to progress through a number of different levels. After progressing through these levels you then have to complete a boss level before progressing to the next stage. This process is repeated five times throughout the game as the five stages become progressively more challenging as you go along. After defeating each boss, your character learns different abilities and morphs to different states depending on which boss you have defeated. You are basically collecting a variety of different animals that can be used in the next level to take on the next boss. I thought this was a fairly original feature and I was pleased it was implemented as it added a good amount of variety to the levels. Not only this, but it was also a good incentive as I became eager to see which creature I would be morphing into next.

Gameplay is rather hit and miss with some mechanics working smoothly yet others lacking in consistency. Detecting whether your attacks have worked can be frustrating when certain actions fail to configure with some of the creatures. In addition to this, some of the environments can be difficult to navigate around, particularly when they are positioned so close together. The boss levels are average at best. The challenge is supposed to get progressively harder as the game progresses, but I would not say the game became particularly challenging at any stage. And this did not help after I realised I had completed it in around eight hours and did not really have any incentive to go back through the game.

mekazoo-review-screenshot-3

The game may not have the best gameplay mechanics, however it does thrive in showing a vibrant aesthetic with a variety of characters that can be played so it never becomes too repetitive. It’s just a shame that this variety doesn’t last a particularly long period of time, as mentioned before. However, there is the addition of challenge courses for those who really want to get they pay for. These are for those who want to improve their reflexes as they can be quite challenging at times, but I couldn’t see myself investing much time into them at all.

The only saving grace regarding Mekazoos replay value comes in the form of collectible gears that can be found throughout the story levels. These gears can be achieved by completing certain goals and challenges depending on the level and are unlocked at the end of the level upon completion. Despite this certainly being an addition, therefore giving players more to experience, I’m not convinced that it is a good one. Players are having to replay everything they have basically just done but do it a little differently than how they originally did it. This is therefore a feature suited more towards those aiming for 100% completion more than anything else. I would have preferred to see more levels available after the story rather than having to replay it again.

mekazoo-review-screenshot-1

Even though there is certainly enjoyment to be had from this game, I did struggle to really love it as much as I thought I would. As a concept, I think there is enough originality for the game to be a great competitor in this market, but I don’t think the gameplay has delivered enough for me. When a game like this has bugs with a quick story you have to question whether it’s worth paying for. What I would say to that is if the bugs are patched and the price is reduced, this game would be worth your money.

Rating 5

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary Microsoft Xbox One code was provided to Brash Games for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to editor@brashgames.co.uk.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get the latest game reviews, news, features, and more straight to your inbox