Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer

Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer (simply titled Slayers X) is a first-person shooter video game developed by Tendershoot (as Big Z Studios Inc.) and published by No More Robots on Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 1, 2023. It is a followup to the 90s web simulation video game, Hypnospace Outlaw, and was revealed alongside the sequel to Hypnospace Outlaw, Dreamsettler. In the universe of these games, Slayers X is a game made by the fictional character Zane Lofton, who put himself in the role of the protagonist of Slayers X.

Slayers X has received generally positive reception, holding generally favorable reviews according to Metacritic. Rock Paper Shotgun writer Liam Richardson was particularly enthusiastic, identifying it as one of his favorite indie games of 2023.

Gameplay

Slayers X is a first-person shooter regarded as a boomer shooter for its inspiration from classic 90s video games similar to the likes of Duke Nukem 3D and Redneck Rampage. The story begins with Zane being attacked by the Psyko Sindikate. They explode Zane's apartment and mother, hack his computer, kill his mentor, Mikey Sikey, and kidnap fellow X-Slayer Steffanie. Driven by a thirst for revenge, Zane goes after Mevin Raniels, leader of the Psykos and his stepfather.

Players have access to a diverse array of weapons as they navigate through a series of challenging levels. Each level presents players with hordes of enemies to engage and overcome. Players must strategically shoot their way through these adversaries to progress to the next level, allowing the story to unfold further. The soundtrack originates from Hypnospace Outlaw's parody band "Seepage", inspired by bands like Linkin Park.

Announcement and release

Slayers X is a followup to the video game Hypnospace Outlaw. It was announced alongside the sequel to Hypnospace Outlaw, Dreamsettler. Slayers X released on June 1, 2023 for Windows and Xbox Series X/S. On the same day, it was made available on the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

On May 8, 2024, No More Robots announced that the game would be coming to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles on May 15. Alongside that, an extra campaign was teased.

Reception

Slayers X has received generally positive reception, with the PC version of the game receiving generally favorable reviews according to Metacritic. Before the game released, Rock Paper Shotgun Liam Richardson was optimistic about it, saying the demo was "exactly what I hoped it would be." PC Gamer writer Rich Stanton felt that despite there being a fair number of retro-style FPS games and finding the humor "love it or hate it," he nevertheless found it "kinda charming."

Upon release, Richardson praised it as an accurate depiction of what teens found cool back in the 2000s, and praised it for feeling so similar to the build engine despite not using it. He also regarded it as one of his favorite indie games of 2023. TechRadar writer Jordan Forward-Lamb felt that, despite difficulty spikes and "frustratingly old-school FPS design," he appreciated how creative it is and how it replicates the "90s setting." Destructoid writer Zoey Handley felt that the game was lacking in a lot of ways, including being too short, having too few enemies and weapons, and having bad flow, though she noted that some of the game's flaws may be deliberately done. Despite this, she found the game enjoyable due to its "fascinating character exploration of its fictional designer Zane, particularly how much of himself he puts into the game. DualShockers writer Robert Zak noted that the protagonist was like a "younger less studly brother of fellow 90s quipper Duke Nukem," though finding some of his dialogue "grating." Despite issues with the game, he found the repetitive gameplay and "ever-intoxicating nostalgia" enjoyable.

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