Z
Description official descriptions
Z is a real-time strategy game in which you fight for control of the sectors, some of which contains manufactories that can gain you additional units. Touch the "flag" in the sector and it's yours. Capture the sector before the new unit comes out of the manufactory and the new unit is yours. With six different robots (different armaments, armor, and speed), multiple vehicles (from jeeps to tanks) the robots can utilize, your ultimate objective is to destroy the opponent's base, and prevent him from doing the same to you.
The game differs from many other RTSs by emphasizing territorial control (and the manufactories) instead of getting kills and gathering a big army. You have to finely balance defense and offense. If you wait too long, the enemy will grab all the manufactories first. If you go too fast, you'll get hammered for stretching yourself too thin. You can hijack enemy vehicles by shooting the driver off. If you send a group of soldiers toward an objective and they find a vehicle, one of them will split off to grab the vehicle; you don't really need to micromanage each soldier.
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Credits (DOS version)
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Reviews
Critics
Average score: 75% (based on 30 ratings)
Players
Average score: 3.4 out of 5 (based on 69 ratings with 4 reviews)
The essence of Real Time Strategy
The Good
After I had played Z, all other RTS games looked lackluster. This is not because of fancy graphics, but because of the incredible gameplay. No other RTS keeps you on your heels like Z does:
There is no cozy buildup phase. - You are in the thick of it from t=0 onwards.
There is no room for errors. - You have to enter a map with a battle plan, or you will be crushed.
There are few units on the battlefield. - You need to take good care of yours, as high casualties cannot easily be compensated.
Besides the gameplay, there is the tongue in cheek atmosphere of the game, which kept me hooked, even after a lost a map for the nth time.
The Bad
Z is challenging. There is no one size for all strategy, which works on every map. This means that you will likely get your bottom handed to you far more often than you are used to from other games.
The Bottom Line
Z is as close to pure adrenaline, as you can get in a RTS.
DOS · by Admiral Loknar (1) · 2007
The Good
The game seemingly plays like a realtime strategy game, but when you finally order pizza, sit back and relax (while pondering on how to crush the enemy)...the whole game goes ape on you, and you're stuck in a frantic "capture the flag" rollercoaster ride which will seem insanely fast-paced at first, but will become one hell of a wargame after you adjust to it. The cutscenes can be hilarious at times.
The Bad
The graphics are quite oldskool, and can be quite dated...if you have the chance to take a good look at them.
You also would like to crawl into your computer sometimes to kill the annoying robots with their panicky, smartass comments. (That's possibly one of the nice things about the game: you get quite in character after a while)
The Bottom Line
Command & Conquer, Amiga graphics, while accidentally joining a frantic deathmatch ;)
DOS · by shifter (57) · 2000
The Good
I like Bitmap Brothers, of course :-)
Seriously though, the graphics are OK and the gameplay is very rewarding at first.
The Bad
Problem is, it's too damn hard! The controls aren't very good and the game gets SOOOOO tiresome after too short a while.
The Bottom Line
A bizzare RTS you'll get tired of real quick.
DOS · by Tomer Gabel (4534) · 1999
Trivia
Cancelled Amiga port
In the late 1990's, Canadian publisher clickBOOM announced it was porting Z to the Amiga platform. Previews were featured on dedicated Amiga magazines such as Amiga Future. However, such version never saw the light, and years after its announcement clickBOOM was still advertising an open position for a 68000 programmer to develop the port. All traces of this ongoing work vanished along with the company's involvement in the Amiga scene.
PC version
Z was Bitmap Brothers' first title to be originally developed for the PC, unlike the PC versions of their earlier titles that were ported from Amiga and Atari ST versions.
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Related Sites +
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IGCD Internet Game Cars Database
Game page on IGCD, a database that tries to archive vehicles found in video games. -
The Chaos Regime - The Bitmap Brothers Tribute
Fan site with information, music, reviews and screenshots. -
The ZZone
Fan website with news, forum, downloads etc. -
Z
Bitmap Brothers' site for "Z".
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Contributors to this Entry
Game added by robotriot.
PlayStation added by //dbz:. BlackBerry added by Sciere. Android, iPhone, iPad added by Kabushi. Windows added by lights out party. SEGA Saturn added by Terok Nor. Macintosh added by Scaryfun.
Additional contributors: Accatone, Kasey Chang, Apogee IV, Yearman, PoliticallyCorrupt, CalaisianMindthief, Starbuck the Third, Victor Vance, Jo ST.
Game added November 1, 1999. Last modified August 2, 2024.