Zorro The Chronicles Review

The character of Zorro is fairly well known, with numerous novels, films, and TV shows all centred around the fictional masked vigilante. But did you know that back in 2015 there was an animated show based on a teenage Zorro? Unlikely, as it only lasted one season and only aired in France. Seven years later we have Zorro The Chronicles, a videogame based on the short-lived animation. Whilst this clearly isn’t a title targeted towards a more mature audience, is it a title that young ones would enjoy? Let’s find out!

The game opens with a quick introduction scene that shows us very little. Unsurprisingly, Zorro The Chronicles assumes you’ve watched the TV series, and does away with character or world building of any sort. From the small snippets of scenes given, we’re shown that Don Diego and his twin sister Ines have both taken on the Zorro alter-ego, fighting the corrupt Captain Monasterio and his army of goons. There isn’t much more to it than that, and across the game's 18 levels you’ll rarely find more plot than the opening text that outlines the current mission’s objectives.

Zorro The Chronicles has the same look as the TV series, with the character models and environments all having the same 3D animation you’d see in the show. Though it’s great that it keeps to the same aesthetic (particularly the likeness of the characters) the overall package is repetitive and bland. Rarely will you venture outside of levels that feature a small range of similar looking buildings, mountains, and other generic scenery. Take a look at the screenshots for the game and you’d assume each one has been taken from the same level, but no, aside from one or two missions, they all look almost identical.

Sound is another portion of the game that lets it down. Whilst I can look past it having no voice acting, the audio lies somewhere between “royalty free sound effects” and “we barely had a budget”. It’s a shame, because the developer clearly had to do their best with what little they had, but aside from the average musical themes that play throughout — much like the environment assets — there just isn’t much here. You’ll hear the same grunts from enemies, the same handful of sword swing effects, the list goes on.

Here’s where things get slightly more interesting, the overall gameplay of Zorro The Chronicles actually feels like a stripped back version of a Batman Arkham game! You can choose to sneak your way through missions: taking out bad guys with quick stealth attacks before ziplining away to a nearby rooftop to locate your next victim. Or, if you’re more of an “all guns blazing” type (or should that be all swords blazing?), then taking on groups of enemies head on will offer no repercussions.

Combat and stealth work very similarly to what you would see in an Arkham title, albeit with much less finesse and polish. Whilst going head-to-head with enemies, you’ll perform basic attacks, parrys, and such. Contextual takedowns also occur depending on where you’re standing in the environment, and it was rather fun to try and find new ways to defeat Zorro’s foes. The controls aren’t perfect, and the camera is consistently wonky, so you may find yourself fighting with it more than your opponents. However, when everything works, it’s a decent stealth experience that, while it may be light on content, is fun for a few hours or so.

Zorro The Chronicles isn’t a difficult game in the slightest. I decided to be a big, brave boy and went straight into hard mode (something I very rarely do) and found very little that challenged me. However, I’m not the target demographic here, and if a young person was to play this, then they’re sure to get some enjoyment out of the Arkham-esque combat.

Is this a game you should play if you’re a Zorro fan? No, almost certainly not. Although it is a decent entry point for children — and with a lack of blood or grizzly deaths — it may just be a title worth investing in for the little ones.