1. The Combat is Still Stiff This is the biggest flaw. Enemies don’t flinch reliably. Hitboxes are sometimes a pixel off. The lack of a dodge-roll or dedicated dash button (outside of class skills) makes kiting feel clunky. Compared to modern ARPGs like Oceanhorn 2 or Diablo Immortal, combat feels like a relic. The remaster adds 60fps and smoother input lag, but it can’t redesign the core attack animation canceling—or lack thereof.
2. Grinding is Mandatory (And Not Always Fun) The level curve is steep. Around level 25, you will hit a wall where story quests are 3-4 levels above you. The remaster adds a "Hunting Board" (repeatable mini-quests) and a 2x XP booster that you earn via achievements (no real money), but you’ll still spend an hour killing the same mushroom monsters to level up once. Nostalgic for some. Tedious for others.
3. The Story is 2009 Anime Melodrama Let’s be honest: the plot of Zenonia—amnesiac hero named Regret, dead family, evil empire, ancient goddess—is pure cliché. The remaster adds full voice acting (which is surprisingly decent), but it can’t rewrite lines like "The darkness in my heart is a key to a lock I never asked for." If you need nuanced storytelling, look elsewhere. If you enjoy campy, earnest fantasy, you’ll eat it up.
4. Missing Original Side Content Oddly, the remaster cuts the "PvP Arena" and the infinite "Tower of Trials" from the original’s post-game. The developers have promised they’ll return in a free update, but at launch, endgame is just New Game+ with harder enemies. That’s a bummer for completionists.
A remaster is more than a resolution bump. If the developers (currently speculated to be a revival team under Hybrion or a new indie publisher) want to recapture the magic, they must follow this blueprint. zenonia 1 remastered
One aspect that has not been toned down is the difficulty and the grind. Zenonia was famous for requiring players to level grind to progress through its story beats. The Remastered version retains this loop. For modern players used to games that hold their hands, the difficulty spike in later chapters might come as a shock. However, for fans of the genre, this difficulty adds weight to the progression; earning a new piece of armor or unlocking a high-level skill feels genuinely rewarding.
If (or when) Zenonia 1 Remastered arrives, here is the wishlist from the dedicated fanbase:
1. The "Regret" Storyline Intact The core of Zenonia was its narrative. You played as Regret (or the female option, the fierce Lune), a young man raised by a holy knight, searching for his past. The story dealt with themes of destiny, the nature of good and evil, and the "Blood Sword." The branching storyline based on your Karma (Good vs. Evil) was revolutionary for mobile games at the time. A remaster needs to keep this writing intact—or perhaps expand it—with a fresh translation.
2. Modernized Controls The biggest barrier to entry for old-school mobile RPGs is the control scheme. We don't need a clunky D-pad anymore. A modern remaster should feature a floating joystick, optimized button sizes, and perhaps even controller support for those playing on tablets or via Bluetooth. A remaster is more than a resolution bump
3. The Art Style: Pixel Art Reborn Zenonia had a charming chibi-style aesthetic. A remaster shouldn't abandon this for generic 3D models. Instead, developers should look at titles like Octopath Traveler or Sea of Stars. Give us high-definition pixel art, dynamic lighting, and smoother animations. Keep the soul of the game, but make it pop on OLED screens.
4. Microtransactions Done Right This is the elephant in the room. The original Zenonia had a "Zen" shop, but it was largely a single-player experience. Any modern re-release needs to be careful not to ruin the balance with "Pay-to-Win" mechanics or aggressive energy systems. Give us a fair game—perhaps a premium price tag with no ads, or fair cosmetic DLC.
Com2uS already tried sequels. Zenonia 2, 3, 4, and 5 exist. But after Zenonia 3, the series took a nosedive. Zenonia 4 introduced auto-play. Zenonia 5 was buried in microtransactions. The franchise died a slow death of monetization.
A remaster of the original is different. Here’s why it makes sense: Until an official remaster arrives
8.1 Player Expectations
8.2 Community Engagement
8.3 Critical Metrics
Until an official remaster arrives, fans have resorted to drastic measures. Here is how you can currently experience the original: