Description

"Z," developed by the Bitmap Brothers, is a real-time strategy game that was originally released in 1996 for PCs before making its way onto the Sega Saturn console. The game distinguishes itself from other strategy games of its era by eschewing the traditional resource-gathering model. Instead of collecting resources and building a base, players capture zones containing preset factories which can immediately begin producing units. This streamlined approach emphasizes rapid tactical decisions and constant aggression, making for a fast-paced and engaging gameplay experience. Players control units of robots, directing them to capture territories and defeat enemy units, with the ultimate goal to capture the opponent's headquarters.

The development team, the Bitmap Brothers, were already well-renowned for their innovation in strategy games, bringing titles like "The Chaos Engine" and "Speedball 2" to gamers. In "Z," they included an aspect of humor and personality that was uncommon in the genre at the time, with each robot unit exhibiting distinct, individual quirks that added a layer of charm to the high-stakes strategic gameplay. The game defied conventional strategy roles, implementing an AI that could adapt to player actions and change tactics dynamically, significantly ramping up the challenge. "Z" was praised for its intelligent AI and the high quality of its graphics and animations, which stood out distinctly on the Sega Saturn platform, showcasing the console's capabilities in handling complex real-time strategy games.