ZOE Begone!’s release date has just been confirmed.
Get ready for some retro shooter fun, as ZOE Begone! unleashes itself next month. The game, made by solo developer Retchy, is releasing on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series on 17 September 2025.
The game takes its inspiration from 1930s drawn-on-film animation and classic arcade shooters. You play as a film-strip heroine, Zoe, and she just wants to have a lovely nap. Unfortunately, that mean Animator starts causing chaos by scribbling into her world. It’s up to Zoe to take down the painted enemies and deal with the Animator.
I was lucky enough to try this game out at London’s New Game Plus event earlier this year. It was the highlight of my time at the event, and I would thoroughly recommend giving it a try!
Described as a "frenetic shooter combining the run-and-gun mechanics of Metal Slug with the infinite loops and shmup-ing of Resogun" it felt great to play when I had hands on at New Game Plus earlier this year,. The controls were responsive and it was satisfying to play. I enjoyed it when the boss arrived and it was the Animator’s paintbrush!
To celebrate the announcement, a brand new trailer has been revealed, which you can watch below:
ZOE Begone! features
ZOE Begone! features fully hand-drawn animations and a ‘groovy’ soundtrack that is reactive to emphasise everything you do in the game. You’ll need to put your skills to the test to master the game, gash, shoot and pound your way through the waves of bullets and enemies.
You’ll also collect Apples that unlock new power-ups and weapons, as well as passive abilities to help you tweak and build Zoe. The game also features online leaderboards and several modes, including:
- Arcade: Players are tasked with taking down the Animator themselves.
- Time Attack: Race against the clock to beat the Animator as time ticks down to zero.
- Frame Trap: Fight off everything the animator has to throw at you in an extended boss rush
There’s a demo on Steam that is available now, so you don’t have to wait to give it a go. And don’t forget to give it a wishlist while you’re there, it helps the dev out.
We’ve also met developer, Retchy, who is based in Glasgow, Scotland. We were lucky to catch up with him at the Glasgow Indie Game Fest recently.
Stay tuned for more ZOE Begone! coverage. I’m super excited to get my hands on this one finally! Are you liking the luck of this one?
