Before diving into the challenging indie game Zexion on my Steam Deck, I made a classic mistake. A quick YouTube search showed someone completing it in just three hours. “Three hours!” I mused. “What a breezy, compact adventure—a perfect palate cleanser from my endless struggles in Silksong.” Yet, here I am, nearly three hours in, having faced countless defeats in Zexion and still far from the end. It seems Silksong had thoroughly rewired my perception of a speedrun.
Contrary to my initial impression, Zexion isn’t a brief Metroid experience. It feels more substantial, likely surpassing Super Metroid and several other titles in the genre in length. However, it remains commendably compact when stacked against sprawling epics like Silksong or Hollow Knight. Crucially, the numerous setbacks I’ve encountered haven’t felt frustrating, largely due to its generous checkpoint system and quick-to-resolve boss encounters.
Zexion’s Innovative Mechanics and Quality of Life Features
Given its aesthetic as an 8-bit throwback, I was genuinely surprised by the abundance of innovative mechanics and quality of life features Zexion presented in its initial moments. It functions seamlessly as a twin-stick shooter, enabling precise eight-directional aiming with the right stick while maintaining movement. The thoughtful binding of the jump action to both a face button and a bumper smartly frees the thumb for continuous aiming. Upon a boss defeat, players are offered the choice to restart directly before the encounter or from their last save, effectively eliminating tedious runbacks. Early movement power-ups, such as the wall jump and slide, are acquired swiftly, immediately opening up diverse traversal options. Additionally, the frequent encounters and battles with other explorers on planet Cypher-X72 foster a more dynamic, less isolated experience compared to many Metroid-likes.
Balancing Retro Challenge with Modern Accessibility
As one perceptive commenter aptly put it, Zexion is “basically Metroid 1 If they Locked tf in,” a description that perfectly encapsulates its core. While its technical sophistication feels beyond the capabilities of original NES hardware, it convincingly plays like a meticulously crafted evolution by an experienced team. The title’s unforgiving, old-school challenges—such as significant damage from spike traps and foes—would be far more exasperating were it not for the strategic placement of frequent save points and optional boss fight restarts. This thoughtful equilibrium between retro challenge and modern accessibility is further exemplified by its comprehensive Assist menu. Here, players can find welcome adjustments for damage taken, ammo refills, a complete map reveal, save states, and even controls for game speed. Personally, I appreciated doubling my health bar within the first few hours by discovering energy tanks, a welcome contrast to the minimal health gains experienced over 15+ hours in Silksong.
Clever Resource Design and Pure Metroid Experience
Initially, Zexion might seem sparse with health and missile refills, but its underlying resource design proves far more ingenious and generous than first perceived. Diligent players who explore by shooting seemingly random walls and empty areas will soon uncover hidden blocks yielding ammo, while specific enemy types consistently provide health drops. This intuitive system expertly satisfies a core appeal of the genre: the discovery of how the game world operates. Moreover, it’s particularly refreshing to experience a title so singularly dedicated to the classic Metroid experience, deliberately eschewing the common “-vania” elements. Absent are the leveling, looting, or other RPG-esque mechanics that have become prevalent in the genre, delivering instead a pure, unadulterated, and focused adventure.
While direct comparisons at the same Steam price point might lean towards more anticipated titles like Silksong, Zexion stands out as an exceptionally engaging alternative. Its accelerated pace, streamlined boss encounters, and the absence of currency grinding for save points offer a distinct, refreshing experience. As a reviewer for Digital Tech Explorer, I can confidently say it delivers on its promise of accessible retro challenge. I might just dial down that damage slider a bit myself, as Silksong has certainly provided enough intensity for one month.