FZ: Formation Z
Granzella Inc. · 2026 · Shoot 'Em Up, Robots, Shooter, Character Customization, 2D Platformer
PC
Positive88% · 17
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About FZ: Formation Z
One of the most emblematic titles from Jaleco, Formation Z, is reborn for the modern era as a full remake featuring updated graphics and sound design. While staying true to the classic gameplay and intuitive controls of switching between Robot and Flight forms, this version introduces brand-new weaponry and actions. Now, the curtains rise once again on a shivering and exciting return!
■ Transforming Gameplay: Rule the Land or the Air!
Your Ixpel can transform in real-time between land and air as long as your energy lasts. Will you choose the Robot Form to dominate the ground with melee attacks and precision shots, or the Flight form to rip through the battlefield at overwhelming speeds? Traverse 5 vast Mission freely and carve out your own path to victory.■ Customize Performance in The Factory
Use FZ Points earned in missions to unlock new Ixpel and cosmetic items. Enhance your firepower by equipping modules into four available slots. Whether you build a well-balanced Ixpel with no openings or specialize one trait to its absolute limit is entirely up to you. With Part swaps, different colours, and stickers, the joy of building your ultimate style is yours to discover.■ Challenge Your Limits in Score Attack
Once a mission is cleared, Score Attack Mode is unlocked. You can challenge individual mission to beat your personal best, with high scores recorded for each area. Use your fully customized machine to rewrite the record books.■ Extensive Archives: Record Your Path Through Battle.
War Record: Tracks total enemies defeated, sortie counts for each Ixpel, and more. Enemy Data: A detailed encyclopedia of every foe you’ve taken down.Gallery: Unlock stunning artwork by completing specific in-game conditions. As you fight, your legacy grows. Keep battling to complete your records!DLC & expansions
🎁 Complete the collection
Base game + 1 of 1 DLC at today's best prices.
$33.98
to own everything
What Steam players say
Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.
Formation Z was a horizontal shmup with a bit of run 'n gun developed and released by Jaleco for the Japanese arcades in 1984 and Williams as Aeroboto for the USA also in 1984. 1985 saw ports to the MSX (ugly, poorly scrolling) and NES (looks and plays better than the MSX version, but short) and FM-7 (haven't played). It saw some further ports over the years, including being included in Jaleco arcade collections for the PS1 and Gameboy Advance, and apparently this upcoming collection on Steam I didn't know about until now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4074840/Jaleco_Arcade_Collection_Vol1/ Anyway, that brief history lesson to say that we're talking something of a footnote or cult classic here, however you prefer to look at it. For a game that's not talked about very often, it sure did get a lot of ports and re-releases over the years. Including the Arcade Archives versions, I think we're up to 14 different ports. The store page calls this a remake, but it's definitely not that. A reimagining would be a better description, or really it's more of a sequel that includes a few homages to the original. And like in the original, the main gameplay is horizontal shmup but one that …18 found this helpful
A modern remake of the old Jaleco hit. Use your mech and shoot your way through 5 stages of pure retro action, or switch on the fly and fly as plane instead. Higher scoring depends on strategic switches between those and using different weapons. There are also many additions, like secrets, a score attack mode to practice specific stages and an in game shop (factory) where you spend your currency to construct new mechs, weapon modules and cosmetic items. A fun game overall, which would have been better if it hadn't been for the absence of online leaderboards. (8.5/10)7 found this helpful
Had to refund this as my PC wasn't up to the task. So bought it on xbox. Writing this for visibility purposes. It's awesome fun-if u have a PC that can run it it's a great release. Nice work City Connection!4 found this helpful
A perfect example on how to revive a long forgotten IP. Fun gameplay, great music, simple clear art directions and very fair difficulty scale. Granzella really nailed it.3 found this helpful
I admit, I have never played through the original Formation Z before, but this has been a fun romp to playthrough. I still need some more time with this, but what I initially liked about R-Type Final 2 would sort of apply to this game as well. Obviously where this game differs is the gameplay, which I don't usually see within the Shmup genre. You play as a mech that can transform between land and air modes, with the air mode requiring fuel. What other Shmup could you think of that is interspliced with minigame segments, like Metal Black or, to a lesser extent, Cotton? All in all, a fun time, with decent graphics and soundtrack to boot.3 found this helpful
I really like the game when it works once in a while on Steam Deck. Please patch the game, City Connection.1 found this helpful
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