From hacking your way out of a digital security system, to investigating a decrepit realm as a sentient robot warrior monk, Malaysian indie developers Ghost Machine have taken a big leap with their second title, ZHEN: Shattered Legacy.
Revealed during the Southeast Asian Games Showcase earlier this year, ZHEN: Shattered Legacy feels like a complete tone shift from their debut title. While their first game was set in a neon-soaked digital landscape, their second game bring us to a post-apocalyptic East-Asia, where humanity is nowhere to be seen and the world is taken over by sentient robots.
“Katana Rama players can expect to see a completely new side of the Ghost Machine team,” says Vie Eik, Director at Ghost Machine. “Katana Rama is a fast-paced roguelite game, while ZHEN is a calm, heavily atmospheric and narrative-centric experience with added complexity in combat as well.”
ZHEN: Shattered Legacy is a twin-stick brawler, action-adventure game where your left and right analog sticks move in perfect harmony. As the left side bobs and weaves through hordes of enemies, the right side unleashes a flurry of directional attacks with your staff. The goal is to defeat the bosses of each martial arts school to master their unique weapons and combat styles.
The game seems to draw clear inspiration from its East-Asian roots, but it also manages to mix in some unexpected inspirations with its 90’s rap soundtrack. “I’m a big fan of 90’s hip hop like the Wu-Tang Clan, Gang Starr, Mobb Deep, and more,” Vie Eik admits.
“The lyrics and themes were heavily inspired by 80s and 90s Kung Fu cinema, and as a person who also grew up with these inspirations, I feel deeply connected to the culture. Hence, the aesthetic and setting of the game took shape.”
ZHEN: Shattered Legacy has been met with great reception since its reveal, proving that the Ghost Machine team isn’t the only ones to resonate with these cultures. The game was also recently nominated at the SEA Game Awards 2025, the annual video games award show hosted by Level Up KL.
Even with these early wins, the team remains focused on bringing the best possible gameplay experience to their players, even if it takes them more time to get there. “We want to slow down and let our design breathe a bit before locking down the direction, as long as our resources allow,” Vie Eik explains.
“We want players to experience ZHEN over a longer timespan, so we need to make sure everything in the game can stand the test of age and time.”
When asked about his thoughts on the local game development scene, Vie Eik remains cautiously optimistic. “As a region, we’re still considered underground,” he says. “Hopefully with the rise of indies in the whole world, more resources and opportunities will also come to the indies here.”
He also used the opportunity to redirect the spotlight towards his former teammate at Passion Republic Games. “Another Southeast Asian game you should be playing is TCG Card Shop Simulator,” he shares. “The developer and I used to be teammates on Gigabash, and to see him succeed also gives us the confidence in our pursuit of success.”
Wishlist ZHEN: Shattered Legacy on Steam, and check out their previous game, Katana Rama on Steam.
