Zenonia 3 has the look and feel of a classic RPG from console eras gone by. It doesn’t exactly wow visually, but is almost a perfect visual tribute to the games that gamers now in their mid-20s grew up playing. That, combined with some addictive gameplay that focuses wisely on action, makes it a great option for those looking for an action RPG to waste their day with.
Aside from a rather lengthy intro sequence that you can skip, you’ll spend most of Zenonia 3 on your toes. The overworld of the game is crawling with enemies for you to attack. That’s a nice bonus when you’re trying to level up, but it can still be a bit frustrating when you’re trying to avoid the heat and get to the next part of the game.
Although the action points more toward an action RPG in the style of Legend of Zelda, the leveling and weapon systems are more in the style of classic turn-based RPGs. You’ll earn skills to level up your abilities and that sort of thing. The leveling-up system is fairly generous early on, so players shouldn’t worry about limping through the game underpowered.
If there’s an issue with Zenonia 3, it’s the insane amount of microtransactions available to accomplish fairly mundane activities. While you don’t need to purchase any of the items that require the microtransactions to complete the game, it is a bit frustrating that there are laundry lists of items you can’t get without doing so. It feels like a good portion of the game is behind a paywall.
If you can deal with that, Zenonia 3 will make for a great action RPG if you have the time to put into it. It’s well-designed in nearly every facet. Just in time for summer, too. If they had games like this on handhelds when I was a kid, I’m not sure how I’d ever have made it outside.
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