Zula
Zula is a free-to-play tactical shooter built around two opposing teams and quick, round-based firefights. With a large weapon lineup, multiple modes, and ranked play for both solo competitors and organized clans, it aims to keep matches competitive while still offering plenty to unlock and customize.
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Publisher: IDC Games Playerbase: Low Type: Tactical Shooter Release Date: November 26, 2016 Pros: +Ranked play supports both solo queue and clans. +Huge selection of weapons to learn. +Several modes keep the rotation from feeling stale. Cons: -Core match flow can feel familiar and not especially distinctive. |
Zula Overview
Zula drops players into fast, tactical matches split between two sides, a paramilitary force and a vigilante-style faction. Before jumping into the action you pick from more than fifteen characters, then improve their skills over time to better suit your preferred approach in combat. The gunplay is supported by a deep armory of 150+ weapons, spanning staples like assault rifles and sniper rifles, with options to upgrade and customize your loadouts for different situations and maps.
Speaking of maps, Zula features 10+ battlegrounds inspired by locations in the Middle East, including areas tied to Turkey and Iraq, which helps the arenas stand out from the typical “warehouse and street corner” settings seen in many shooters. Match variety comes from multiple modes, ranging from Team Deathmatch to objective-focused options like Capture the Flag. For players who want something more structured than casual queues, ranked play is available both for lone competitors and for clans looking to climb together.
Like many free-to-play shooters, progression and cosmetics are tied to an in-game economy. You can earn Zula money through play, while premium Zula gold can be purchased with real currency for additional items and weapons. For competitive-minded players, there is also a tournament angle, supported by an emerging eSports presence around organized play.
Zula Key Features:
- Large Weapons Arsenal – use a massive selection of 150+ weapons across multiple categories.
- Variety of Maps – fight across 10+ maps set in distinctive Middle Eastern locations.
- Competitive Matches – queue for ranked games either as a solo player or alongside your clan.
- Game Modes – switch between classic and objective-based modes, including Team Deathmatch and Free-For-All.
- Tournaments and eSports – take part in organized tournaments and follow the game’s competitive scene.
Zula Screenshots
Zula Featured Video
Zula Review
Zula positions itself in a familiar space, a free-to-play tactical shooter that prioritizes quick engagements, recognizable modes, and steady progression. The moment-to-moment experience is built around short bursts of action where positioning and aim matter, but where loadout choices and map knowledge also carry real weight. It is easy to understand on your first night, yet it still offers enough gear and ranking goals to keep competitive players chasing improvement.
One of the game’s strongest hooks is simply volume. With more than 150 weapons available, there is a lot to experiment with, whether you are settling into a reliable rifle for ranked matches or trying something new for a change of pace. Customization and upgrades give a sense of ownership over your kit, and the character selection adds another layer of progression as you improve skills over time. This combination helps keep the grind feeling purposeful, even when you are replaying the same modes.
In terms of content variety, Zula benefits from having multiple modes and a solid map pool. Rotating between deathmatch-style games and objective matches changes how teams move and how fights break out, which can make the same weapons feel different depending on the goal. The setting of the maps, drawing from Middle Eastern locations, is also a notable change from the more generic environments seen in many competitors, even if the overall structure of lanes, chokepoints, and sightlines remains comfortably standard for the genre.
Ranked play is where Zula tries hardest to stand apart within the free-to-play crowd. The option to compete as a solo player or as part of a clan gives different types of players a clear place to invest their time. If you enjoy coordinated play, clan ranking provides a long-term ladder to climb. If you prefer to test your own consistency, solo ranked offers that familiar “one more match” loop.
The biggest drawback is that, at its core, Zula rarely surprises. The fundamentals are competent and the systems are serviceable, but the overall feel can come across as conventional when compared to other tactical shooters. For some players that is not a problem, it can be comforting to have a straightforward shooter with lots to unlock. For others, especially those looking for a truly unique mechanic or a distinct identity beyond its setting and progression, it may not leave a lasting impression.
As a package, Zula is best suited for players who want a free-to-play shooter with plenty of weapons, multiple modes, and a clear competitive structure. If ranked ladders and steady unlocks are your main motivators, there is enough here to justify the download, even if the gameplay itself stays close to well-worn genre expectations.
Zula Links
Zula Official Site
Zula Steam Page
Zula Steam Greenlight Community Page [Western]
Zula Steam Greenlight Community Page [Turkish]
Zula Facebook Page [Turkish]
Zula Forums [Official]
Zula System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
CPU: CPU Pentium 4 – 2,4 Ghz, / Athlon XP 2500 +
RAM: 2 GB RAM
Video Card: Intel HD
Hard Disk Space: 1 GB available space
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 /8 /10
CPU: CPU Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz, Athlon XP 3000+
RAM: 4 GB RAM
Video Card: Intel HD 4000
Hard Disk Space: 2 GB available space
Zula Music & Soundtrack
Coming soon!
Zula Additional Information
Developer(s): Madbyte Games
Publisher(s): IDC/Games [European] & Lokum Games [Turkey]
Platform(s): PC
Game Engine: Acknex
Language(s): English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Polish
Steam Greenlight: February 9, 2016 [Turkish version]
Steam Greenlight Approved: February 29, 2016 [Turkish version]
Closed Beta: October 21, 2016 [European version]
Release Date: November 26, 2016
Development History / Background:
Zula is a free-to-play MMO shooter created by Madbyte Games, a development studio located in Istanbul, Turkey. In its home region it is published by Lokum Games, while the European release is handled by IDC/Games, a publisher associated with titles such as Metal Assault and Affected Zone Tactics. Work on Zula dates back to at least 2012, and the game was built using the German Acknex engine. The Turkish version appeared on Steam Greenlight in February 2016 and was approved later that month. After a European closed beta in October 2016, Zula officially launched in November 2016.