Tencent’s upcomingExoborneis perhaps one of the most brutally generic extraction shooters yet. The game, which is slated for a release this spring on all platforms but Nintendo Switch, borrows quite a bit from thelikes ofMaraudersandEscape from Tarkov, but it unfortunately doesn’t do much to differentiate itself.
Exoborneis set in the not-too-distant future, wherein Earth has been ravaged by extreme weather events courtesy of aggressive climate change, and an evil corporation known as Rebirth has seized power over the ashes. That’s about all thatExoborneoffers in terms of narrative thus far, and this premise seems designed more to justify its unique weather systems and post-apocalyptic backdrop than to weave an enthralling tale. Nevertheless, it is upon this narrative foundation thatExoborne’s gameplay is built, and while it’s good for a bit of paint-by-numbers multiplayer action, it never quite goes beyond that.
After several hours withExoborne, I can’t bring myself to get past how frightfully bland it is. Just about every element of the experience feels like a who’s who of contemporary AAA game design tropes, from the gunplay and exploration, to the lore and music, to even the game’s very title, which comes across like a marriage of soft sci-fi aesthetics and AI-generated babble. The result of this uninspired design left me feeling dispirited and worn out byExobornelong before I should have been, making it hard to look forward to its full release.
What Exoborne Is Bringing to the Extraction Shooter Banquet
Like any gold rush video game genre, the extraction shooter space is characterized by games that attempt to break through the noise via key points of difference.In the case ofHunt: Showdown, this manifests in a unique Americana-infused, turn-of-the-century dark fantasy setting, whileEscape from Tarkovstands out for its quasi-simulation mechanics and attention to detail. One can debate the merits of any of these games, but the crowded market in which they exist demands originality and ingenuity.
Exoborne’s ostensible point of difference is its bevy of dynamic weather effects which, to the game’s credit, can wind up having a fairly significant impact on a given run. Destructive tornadoes, rainstorms, and firestorms can change how the player engages with the game, redirecting them away from certain areas, flinging them high into the air, or muffling their footsteps so that they can get the drop on enemies. Whether these environmental hazards help or hinder you will depend on how well you can adapt, which lendsExobornea much-needed sense of unpredictability.
Exobornegives players a parachute that they can use to ride the winds of certain storms, allowing for rapid and chaotic traversal. This speedy flight system, coupled with a rechargeable grapple hook, forms the backbone of the game’s surprisingly satisfying movement mechanics.
Having said that, one should probably not expect too much fromExoborne’s dynamic weather effects, as the game is no innovator in this respect. While it’s nice that something like a massive tornado can shake up a gameplay session, the ways that players actually engage with such emergent factors is rather shallow. Yes, a tornado can fling you into the air, and fog will make it harder for you to see, but these are hardly transformative effects, and they essentially have the same effect as similar meteorological variables in other open-world games likeBreath of the Wild. More often than not, the impact that inclement weather has is short-term or unsubstantial, and with this feature being particularly visible inExoborne’s marketing, it was disappointing to see how limited it actually is, at least in this preview build.
Exoborne Nails Its Genre Fundamentals, but That May Not Be Enough
Exoborne’s gameplay loop is standard for the extraction shooter genre: players deploy into the massive map of Colton County, complete objectives, and gather as much loot as possible before exfiltrating. You can playExobornesolo or with up to two other players, but you will inevitably run into both hostile bots and other, player-controlled squads, all of whom are hungry for your loot. Whatever you bring with you in a given session will be lost upon defeat, so creating a loadout is about measuring risk versus reward—aninterplay that defines much of theExoborneexperience.
ThePvPvE structure of theExoborneis informed by areas of low, medium, and high risk, with high-risk areas, naturally, being more dangerous while providing higher-quality loot. Even if you’re not the first to reach one of these loot hotspots, you can let another player do the heavy lifting before taking them out and stealing what they’ve collected, which provides a strong incentive to keep seeking out conflict. It’s a tried-and-true gameplay formula, and just like in every other well-designed, functional extraction shooter, it can be quite a bit of fun, at least for a while.
The real proving ground forExobornewill be how it continues to develop its loot-progression connection. Right now, gathering loot and earning valuable in-game resources is only rewarding in the short-term, since playing around with different character builds is a bit underbaked and, in accordance with the rest of the game, very bland. you’re able to unlock new Exosuits with unique stats and abilities, but these mostly boil down to special moves like an area-of-effect ground slam or a crowd-control force burst. These abilities don’t lend themselves much to experimentation, nor do they have a significant or unexpected impact on moment-to-moment gameplay.
It’s a similar story with guns: unlocking new ones and upgrading what you have is useful, but it doesn’t meaningfully change how the game is played. Ultimately, gathering loot feels underwhelming after the first few matches, as it doesn’t lead to interesting rewards; repeated runs start to feel repetitive remarkably quickly.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, the most concerning aspect ofExoborneis that it feels like a game for no one. If you’ve struggled to get into the extraction shooter genre before, then this game is very unlikely to be the one that converts you, as it is among the most milquetoast of the bunch. Alternatively, if you’re knee-deep in the extraction shooter space, you might be better off waiting for new content for your regular haunts, especially sinceExoborneis planned to be a premium release.
If you are really itching for something new to play, thenExobornecould provide you with a few hours of no-frills action—it’s not unplayable or frustrating by any means. But it is a boring and derivative project at this stage, and while I tried repeatedly to see past its unimaginative aesthetic wrapping, its core gameplay and early progression systems never did enough to evoke more than a passing interest. Sadly, it is remarkably unremarkable, and hard to feel enthusiastic about.
Exoborne
WHERE TO PLAY
Exoborne is an open-world, tactical extraction shooter set in a world torn apart by extreme forces of nature. Customize powerful exo-rigs to gain strategic advantage in ever-changing weather conditions. Face hostile factions, enemy players, and Mother Nature herself in intense high-stakes sessions.FIGHT BACKRebirth promised to save humanity from the looming cataclysm, but it was a lie. Betrayed, we rallied behind Tar, the leader of the Reborn rebellion. In its aftermath the fury of Mother Nature was unleashed and our society collapsed. Now Tar calls us to uncover the truth and finish the fight. But beware - not everyone can be trusted.SURVIVE A BROKEN WORLDSince the collapse, the world has been turned to ruin with scarce resources and enemies lurking everywhere. Explore the vast open land of Colton County, scavenging for valuable loot essential for your survival in this hostile environment overtaken by warring factions, enemy players, and extreme forces of nature.HARNESS FORCES OF NATUREEarth has changed into an emergent battleground where rules are set by a dynamic weather condition system. Prepare to take on unpredictable tornadoes, lightning strikes, apocalyptic storms and other hazards that will significantly impact your gameplay experience, resulting in no two sessions ever feeling the same.SYNERGIZE YOUR EXO-RIGExo-rigs are the ultimate platform of survival. Customize your loadout, use and combine their unique abilities to fit your playstyle and team strategy. As you progress, you’ll expand your tactical toolbox with new mods, allowing additional synergies with forces of nature and using them to your advantage. Scavenge, craft, or loot them from enemy players if needed.
