ZED

ZED is an exploration adventure game with logic elements for PC, PS4 and XONE, inspired by the legendary Myst series, which was especially successful in the ‘90s. ZED was developed by Eagre Games led by Chuck Carter, a true industry legend and the co-creator of such franchises as the aforementioned Myst and Command & Conquer. The development was supported by a successful crowdfunding campaign at Kickstarter which proved that the genre popularized by Myst lives through its second youth and is still popular among many players.

Plot

The plot of ZED takes us to a bizarre world created in the mind of a hero called the Dreamer. The protagonist, an elderly person on the verge of death, wishes to piece together the most important memories of his life and pass them to his granddaughter as his legacy. The player’s task is to help the protagonist and discover his past and thus learn who (or what) is the mysterious ZED.

Mechanics

Mechanics-wise, ZED draws a lot of inspiration from the solutions typical to the legendary Myst series. Therefore, exploration of the world, which changes before the player’s eyes along with progressing of the story, remains at the core of the gameplay. While playing, we are taken to many unusual and exotic places — by careful examination, we can learn their history and the truth about the past and the great deed that the Dreamer wishes to preserve for posterity. Naturally, this task isn’t easy because of the sophisticated logic puzzles which, contrary to most adventure games, aren’t just an enrichment of the gameplay but rather its essence. They also harmonize with the theme of piecing together the Dreamer’s fragmented memories. To solve them, we not only have to think logically but also be able to connected clues and hints found in the earlier stages of the game.

Technical aspects

ZED for PC, PS4 and XONE is characterized by high-quality graphics powered by the advanced Unreal Engine 4. The game’s events are presented in the first-person perspective, which is typical of the Myst series, while the gaming experience is intensified further by an atmospheric and somewhat mysterious soundtrack.

Last updated on 13 July 2016