Game Preview: ZERO Sievert (PC)

There’s a gaming trend that’s emerged over the past year or so that drives me absolutely bonkers. I’m stumped when it comes to pinning down an exact name for it. What I do know, however, is that if you don’t possess a very unique set of skills—skills I lack—and the patience of a saint, which I also don’t have, you’ll probably find it incredibly frustrating. Today, we’re diving into one of these games, and keeping in mind my earlier caveats, this is merely a preview. Why just a preview, you ask? Because despite my best efforts, making headway in ZERO Sievert has proven to be impossible for me. Does that equate to it being a bad game? Not at all, but it does make evaluating it a challenge. Stick around to hear more about the game and why I find it maddening, and rest assured, my grievances are justified.

ZERO Sievert sits comfortably beside games like Escape from Tarkov. These games take the old “git gud” mantra and crank it up to an absurd level. But don’t get it twisted—this isn’t the “git gud” you’d find in a Soulsborne game. This demands pure skill and nothing more. Every run is a trial of your personal gaming ability, and dying is a merciless blow. If you don’t have what it takes, you simply can’t proceed. And for someone like me, that makes my teeth clench.

Now, I understand the appeal of throwing yourself into a game where your death means losing everything you’ve built up. I can see the thrill in knowing your loot remains yours as long as you’re still breathing. The stakes are ramped up as every bullet matters, and opponents could take everything you’ve earned in the blink of an eye. It’s a cycle of trying, improving, and eventually triumphing. On paper, this all sounds thrilling. But for me, that’s when it all falls apart. You’re going to die, and you’re going to lose everything you’ve worked for, only to keep on trying again and again. The frustration is that you aren’t really getting anywhere.

As a player of roguelikes, I can relate to the drive to face impossible odds. However, in roguelikes, you level up with each failure, becoming better prepared for the next attempt. In ZERO Sievert, your progress is tied only to your skill in that specific run. You don’t really gain anything from failing except experience. You either get better from the failure, or you remain stuck. For someone who thrives on progression in gaming, being left with nothing but my own skills to rely on is rough.

Of course, this is just my personal take. Some of you might get the hang of things faster, allowing you to pull off successful runs, making it back with a haul of loot. You’ll find yourselves pumped with excitement, eager to plunge back into the chaos. That’s why I can’t label games like ZERO Sievert as bad. If you can master the brutal game cycle, it’s a great experience.

Allow me to tell you a bit about the game itself. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, ZERO Sievert offers a top-down shooting adventure where you scavenge for supplies to keep your base going. However, this is a world where practically everything wants you dead—from wild animals to armed bandits and mutants looking to give you a hard time.

When I say everything, I mean it. Aside from hostile creatures, you’ve got radiation to deal with. That constant Geiger counter ticking in your background? The faster it gets, the more radiation you’re soaking up. And we all know that’s not healthy. You also need to manage food and water supplies not just on missions, but back at your bunker too. You can even starve to death there. And just to keep things interesting, even the lack of light can be your undoing. I ventured out after dark once, only to be devoured by ghouls because I couldn’t see a thing. ZERO Sievert is survival, plain and simple.

I wish I could tell you about building up your bunker with scavenged supplies, but for that, you’ve got to survive. And that’s been my stumbling block. Hence, this remains a preview—I can’t share experiences I haven’t lived through.

Despite everything, you might think I’d have tossed ZERO Sievert aside by now. Yet, oddly enough, there’s something incredibly addictive about it that keeps drawing me back in. Even though I’m not improving much, I still enjoy playing. For fans of games like Escape from Tarkov interested in a single-player twist, this one could be right up your alley. If you crave a hardcore experience, you’ll absolutely love it. If you’re not familiar with that crowd, prepare yourself for a tough ride. Sure, there’s an easy mode, but that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it?

In conclusion, ZERO Sievert shines as a game meant for specific tastes. It’s not something you casually pick up or play with friends on a quiet evening. Consider it a stress test in gaming form. If the idea of a mind-bending challenge wrapped in a package intrigues you, then this is your game. Otherwise, you might want to think twice before diving in.