Ex-Zodiac | PC Review
Do you remember the game Darksiders? It was the game that felt like the developers couldn’t decide if they were going to make an homage to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or create a darker carbon copy of it. That pretty much sums up what you can expect with Ex-Zodiac, which originally released in 2022. Except instead of Zelda, MNKY has a clear love of 1993’s SNES classic, Starfox. That’s far from a bad thing; on the contrary, this is a solid small title that will remind you of simpler times. It won’t stick in your mind as well as what Nintendo did when we were kids. But it’s a much smoother experience than what the FX chip touted back in the 90s.
Priority One
If you take one look at Ex-Zodiac and don’t immediately think of Starfox, then you’ve never played it. Again, that’s not a criticism of the developer. At least someone is actually doing something in this genre so beloved from our childhoods. The game is clearly inspired by that game. From the polygonal graphics to characters talking to you via text and their portrait at the bottom of your screen, there’s no question.
The modern technology has been been much kinder to this game, however. As cool as the FX chip graphics looked to us as kids, let’s be honest. They haven’t aged well. The low frame rate of the original game is painfully obvious even to someone like me who can’t tell the difference in modern games. Ex-Zodiac provides classic graphics without the slowdown, and it’s quite impressive.
Almost every other aspect of the game should feel familiar. Your shield bar, number of lives/bombs, weapon upgrades, and glowing flat panels on destructible environments make you feel like you’re playing Starfox 3. It’s that close to the original source material.
All Aircraft Report
That’s not to say there aren’t some differences as well. Not only does the game run incredibly smooth compared to the original, but you have a new mode of transportation. Don’t get too excited; there’s no tank or submarine to control. Instead, you’ll have moments where you are controlling a humanoid figure with a massive gun. It plays very similarly to the main game, but is a fun change of pace.
Also, you have zero actual interactions with the other characters who talk to you during levels. Those fun moments of taking down an enemy on your teammate’s tail are completely nonexistent here. It’s almost as if you’re on these missions alone, which is kind of a bummer. It doesn’t ruin the experience per say, but it’s a stark reminder why this title won’t have that Nintendo seal of quality despite being a technically superior product.
Ex-Zodiac Final Verdict
Why am I reviewing Ex-Zodiac, a game that released over three years ago now? Well, because the publisher sent me a code and asked me to. This scratches that nostalgia itch a great deal. It’s a fun play through, but not one I’ll be jumping back into any time soon. I hate to be that guy, but this makes me want to go back to Starfox 64 again more than anything else. What they’ve done here is very impressive, but it stands as more of a stark reminder of a simpler time in gaming than something that makes me stand up and cheer.
To hear me talk more about Ex-Zodiac, be sure to listen to the May 21st, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 1:01:00 time stamp.
This review is based on a PC copy of Ex-Zodiac provided by Pixeljam Games for coverage purposes. As of this writing, it is exclusive to that platform.
Ex-Zodiac
$11.99
Pros
- Oozes with Nostalgia
- Modern Framerate
- Lots of Replayability
Cons
- Hard Sell for Younger Players
