Exoprimal, Capcom’s new entry in the world of PvPvE games, delivers a thrilling action-packed experience that revolves around a premise that’s an easy sell – humanity’s cutting-edge exosuit technology battling hordes of mutated dinosaurs. As you take on the role of an Exofighter, piloting various specialized exosuits, you find yourself caught in a chaotic war against the deadly dino swarms, under the control of the enigmatic AI, Leviathan. While Exoprimal makes its mark with its interesting premise and impressive visuals, it falls short in certain aspects, leaving room for improvement and future development.
Exoprimal’s premise is undoubtedly captivating, featuring an imaginative blend of time-travel, interdimensional conflict, and a survivalist battle against mutated dinosaurs. The year is 2040, and the world is grappling with sudden dinosaur outbreaks that threaten the very existence of humanity. Aibius, the corporation behind the hyper-advanced AI Leviathan, offers hope by equipping exosuit pilots (Exofighters) with powerful suits to fight back against the ferocious Neosaurs. The story unfolds through captivating cutscenes and exposition files, adding a layer of intrigue to the chaotic online gameplay. While the narrative is somewhat campy and B-movie-like, it succeeds in keeping players invested in uncovering the mysteries behind the island, dinosaurs, and Leviathan.
Exoprimal’s gameplay centers primarily around the Dino Survival mode, where two squads of five players compete to complete objectives and defeat waves of dinosaurs. Players can choose from a diverse roster of ten Exosuits, each categorized into damage, tank, or support roles. This variety encourages strategic team compositions and tactical gameplay. The ability to switch Exosuits during battle adds a dynamic element to the action, allowing players to adapt to changing scenarios on the fly.
However, despite the engaging variety in suits and abilities, Exoprimal’s core PvE gameplay can feel repetitive and lackluster. The combat against waves of dinosaurs, while initially cool and awe-inspiring, may become monotonous, with bullets feeling ineffective and lacking significant impact. Additionally, the missions tend to feel similar, leading to a feeling of busywork rather than exciting gameplay. The PvP component, while an interesting twist, suffers from balance issues, making it challenging for losing teams to stage a comeback – and thus losing interest halfway through a battle.
Where Exoprimal does shine is in its visual and audio presentation. The game runs smoothly even amidst the chaos of battles with hundreds of raptors and other dinosaurs. The graphics and effects are stunning, with flashy and satisfying combat animations that add to the immersive experience. The enemy designs, from basic dinosaurs to the more menacing Neosaurs, are visually outstanding, providing a sense of wonder and challenge. The audio complements the visual spectacle, with dynamic sound effects capturing the intensity of combat, explosions, and dinosaurs roaring. The game’s soundtrack heightens the excitement, creating an adrenaline-fueled atmosphere that matches the action-packed gameplay.
Exoprimal’s content offering, while entertaining, leaves something to be desired. The game relies heavily on the Dino Survival mode, which can become repetitive over time. Unlocking new dinosaurs, maps, and scenarios takes significant progression, and the lack of diverse game modes may limit long-term player engagement. The progression system is grindy as well, making it time-consuming to level up Exosuits and overall player profiles. The battlepass system, while offering cosmetics, might not justify its presence in a title that lacks diverse content at launch.
Having said that, the class system and the combat mechanics succeed in delivering a fun and engaging experience for a while. Piloting exosuits while battling mutated dinosaurs is fun, and the game’s intriguing premise and captivating visuals add further appeal to this thrilling dino-slaying extravaganza. However, Exoprimal is not without its flaws, including a lackluster story that doesn’t fully live up to the premise, limited game modes, and some balance issues in PvP. The content offering could benefit from more variety and longevity to retain a dedicated player base – or offer more single player appeal through a campaign.
In the end, Exoprimal may not be what people were hoping for, but it carves its own niche as an action-packed multiplayer experience. It’s a game that appeals to players seeking immediate fun and chaos, willing to overlook certain drawbacks in favor of blasting prehistoric creatures into oblivion. While it may not be perfect, Exoprimal still provides an entertaining and adrenaline-fueled ride with its futuristic dinosaur-infested mayhem.
Score: 6.7/10
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