Zoe Begone!

Zoe Begone! is a fascinating paradox. On the one hand, it's one of the most visually stunning and creative indie games of 2025. The hand-drawn aesthetic, vibrant presentation, and unique atmosphere are simply exceptional. The dedication and passion of solo developer Graeme Hawkins are palpable in every frame. On the other hand, the control issues and sometimes frustrating difficulty prevent the game from reaching its full potential. The "groove"—that flow state you experience in good bullet-hell shooters—never quite materializes. You're fighting the controls more than the enemies, which is fatal in a genre that relies on precision and reflexes. Nevertheless, for the right target audience, Zoe Begone! is an absolute hidden gem. The combination of visual brilliance, satisfying progression, and addictive high-score chase makes the game, despite its flaws, a must-play for hardcore shooter fans. At a price of around 8 euros, the risk is manageable, and the chance of getting a truly unique gaming experience is high.

ZOE Begone! is a wonderfully created but brutally difficult SHMUP, that despite looking cute and cuddly, will challenge even the most adept players.

A bit of style over substance, with Zoe Begone!’s controls proving too big a hurdle in getting to the fun for my tastes.

ZOE Begone! is a classic shmup; bullets everywhere, and points to rack up. With it’s responsive gameplay, unique art style, and sound, it is a joy to play. It is gloriously addictive and can sit proudly alongside the likes of Cuphead as a shoot-em-up, providing you with that incredibly rewarding feeling when you succeed, and can finally get some well-earned sleep!

ZOE Begone! is as intriguing as it is enjoyable, and once you battle its steep learning curve you'll be rewarded with an utterly fantastic shmup.

With an undeniably unique flow, controls, and challenges, this is a wild and creative shooter… but it also has some rough edges

Frenetic hand-drawn bullet hell arcade game on Switch

Zoe Begone! is the perfect example of a modern arcade game. It takes the best from modern gaming tools to add a wonderful polish to its graphical style that those from the days of arcade halls couldn't. It stays close to its roots with a gameplay cycle that will take 5-10 minutes before the game over screen appears, before players last half an hour as they learn not just to beat the game, but also chase high scores. It is so refreshing to see a game dare to go in this direction and even make the easy difficulty level challenging for real, obviously not being meant to be beaten easily. The only thing lacking to make the arcade feeling 100% pure is an actual arcade cabinet.

If you love a hearty challenge as much as I do and have a fondness for arcade-style shooters, you'll absolutely adore ZOE Begone!

While a review from a seasoned shmup or bullet hell veteran might be more useful for more seasoned gamers, I remain a novice. Instead of as an expert, I come to you as someone on the outside, looking in. Tapping on the window to remind you that even if something is out of your wheelhouse, it can still be worth a shot.