Deep in the endless sediment of the ancient, fossilised internet, it is possible to find signs of an interview in which I spoke to ACE Team about their weird beat ‘em up sequel, Zeno Clash 2. Company founder Carlos Bordeu finished up that interview by saying: “aesthetic choices have been intentionally made to make our game stand out from the mass of traditional fantasy games that continue to mimic each other”. I feel that it’s probably fair to say that these choices have continued to be made almost a decade later, with Bordeu now the game director of The Eternal Cylinder, a game about a giant cylinder.
But is it really about a giant cylinder? And what do such esoteric choices add up to in this latest Ace Team venture into the unfamiliar? Let’s find out.