Fighting is an intimate endeavor. The Zeno Clash series understood this from the start, showcasing relentless free-flowing smackdowns in a first-person perspective. Clash: Artifacts of Chaos, the latest from developer ACE Team, bluntly challenges this past tradition—until a clever mechanic pays homage to the studio's legacy, not as a gimmick but as an impactful callback.

A third-person action-adventure game, Clash: Artifacts of Chaos takes you once more to the land of Zenozoik, a surreal location that abides by its own rules when it comes to style and substance. It's easy to get lost exploring its dreamlike vistas, but the peculiarly designed characters that inhabit Zenozoik have a different idea of what it means to  welcome visitors with open arms.

You control martial arts expert Pseudo, protecting a companion from harm during a long expedition—but plenty of bystanders will try to stop you before you reach your destination. While there are melee weapons, the main focus is on hand-to-hand clashes, combining directional movement with punches and kicks. In every battle, flow and reaction take the reins. Enemies unleash their aggression upon you from all sides. Pseudo's body swings forward and backward with each hit you land, quickly dodging away from danger if you time the evasion right after an attack.

Fistfights in Clash aren't as rigid as other first-person brawlers, such as Condemned or Breakdown. Thanks to the influence of martial arts, as well as the option to mix and match different combat stances and special attacks, brawling in Clash is as much about self-expression as it is a means to stand your ground.

But these elements were already present in Zeno Clash, in some shape or form. Refinement alone wouldn't be enough to differentiate Clash: Artifacts of Chaos. It's the third-person camera that fundamentally changes the way you engage in combat. I was skeptical at first, worried that this shift would diminish the impact of Zeno Clash's memorable close-quarters encounters. After all, the wider camera makes it easier to flee from impacts, and gives you a better understanding of where enemies might be trying to flank you. 

It wasn't until I filled my attack bar that I understood the intent behind this perspective shift. Once you've punched enemies enough times, the attack bar lets you engage against a single foe in first-person. The mesmerizing vistas of Zenozoik shrink to become a temporary ring, presenting a clash of titans orchestrated by tradition. The camera swiftly changes and your fists take the starring role. You still have access to your usual attacks and movements, but all other characters step aside, allowing the encounter to become a brief one-on-one duel. On a successful hit, the game reacts with musical notes that get louder with each subsequent strike. All of a sudden, you're part of a crescendo of bloody knuckles and broken bones.

These duels aren't just for show. Pseudo's attack power is increased and, if unharmed, he can perform a devastating finisher move.  But more importantly, they act as an homage—not just to ACE Team's past works, but to the intimacy of the fight.