Gunfights, hurricanes and a tactical combat system designed to give both an extra thrill. What’s more, the uglier the skies of the open scenarios are, the more Exobornethe more interesting our game becomes.
The general idea is not far from what you would expect from an extraction shooter, mind you, as players face the adversities of the environment to fill their pockets with loot. The big difference is that in Exoborne Instead of being intimidated by the apocalypse, we are asked to adapt and surf through a climatic chaos that erupts in an open, hostile and very vertical environment. Rewarding the most daring more and better. Encouraging players to go for it even if the sky falls on them.
Exoborne The game bears the signature of Sharkmob, and that is synonymous with experience. The Swedes apply the lessons learned from working previously on The Division or, already established as their own studio, launching Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt. There is a bit of both, but the formula is not repeated: in their new game, the player has been given more room to unleash chaos and destruction in a truly hostile combat terrain but, as you will see in our video, with enormous possibilities.
The truth is that there is a common denominator within the trajectory of the studio and its members: establishing themselves with a game as a service that, I can tell you in advance, will not bet on Free-To-Play. The idea is to offer players a premium experience and that, in a year full of powerful shooters and free or well-established alternatives, is a bold move. However, in the end we return to the essence of Exoborne and its own motto: big risks can bring big rewards.
A risk that, in terms of the most essential aspects, is more or less calculated: the grand plan of its creators and publisher Level Infinite is to conquer a territory that works, but remains almost niche. Or, at least, it has not yet been taken over by the general public. As you may have seen, there are aspects of Escape from Tarkov and even Call of Duty dared to respond with its DMZ, but the popularity of extraction shooters has not exploded. At least not as it has happened with Battle Royale or Hero Shooters.
The plan makes sense: on the one hand, we have a formula that works and there is no saturation of other shooting experiences. On the other hand, as a new IP Exoborne has everything to gain. Which inevitably brings us to the big question: how does it really feel to be behind the wheel?
To conquer the end of the world you only need two things: aim and an exo-rig
Believe it or not, there are two reasons why the weather is so unruly in ExoborneThe first is pretty straightforward: a mega-corporation has caused a massive natural disaster that has wiped out much of the United States. Things happen. The other reason, which is much more convenient for the controller or mouse-wielding player, is that these same extreme weather events also open up some interesting gameplay opportunities.
He dynamic climate of Exoborne and their enormous impact on the course of the game are essential when it comes to developing and taking initiatives. The action takes place in open, vertical environments that Sharkmob has located in a fictional state of North America, but they also serve to distribute objectives and make each game different from the previous one. By extension, and in combination with meteorological phenomena, it encourages us to adapt as players and as teams to the circumstances in order to survive, wipe out our enemies and fill our pockets.
It’s not that each scenario is generated at the start of the game, mind you, but its conditions evolve over the 20 or 30 minutes that each match lasts. They affect visibility, thunderstorms can knock out pieces of your equipment, and depending on how bad the weather gets, you’ll have to deal with certain areas being inaccessible.
From there, as an extraction shooter, we have to agree with our team and weigh up whether the risks we will take are worth it. If pushing until the last minute is worth it. That said, in Exoborne Battles always favor those who know how to take better advantage of the climatic chaos, And that’s where they come into play. los exo-rigs.
When it comes to locating ourselves a little more, Exoborne takes place in a not-so-distant future where everything is upside down – partly due to a frightening weather report – but we can also benefit from the technology of exoskeletons called exo-rigs that They practically turn us into superheroes. What’s more, if we need to touch down quickly we can fall vertically giving a punch like Iron Man. But the most essential thing is that the exo-rigs are highly customizable.
At the base, we will have resources and movement skills, including a very cool paraglider and the classic extendable grappling hook with which to shorten distances, take advantageous positions or simply avoid flying away. There are also other options, which are offered during the course of the game.
What’s more, where the difference will really be noticed is in implants that we add to our character’s exo-rig. Obtaining these and other upgrades is the main reason to go out again and get our hair wet in the weather.
The battles, to no one’s surprise, are usually resolved by shooting. It is in its approach where it is most noticeable that a good part of the Swedes have worked on The Division enabling battles on the map both against the environment (PvE) and against other players (PvP). Knowing that you will not only have to fight for the loot, but against the circumstances to make it back in one piece.
Because meeting objectives in Exoborne It is important, but it is even more important to get to the extraction point with a loaded backpack before we run out of time. You go in, you loot, you come back and you come back for more.
Exoborne’s challenge in the face of shooter and game-as-a-service saturation
Sharkmob will have to deal with a shooter saturation sooner or later, but when will the game be ready? It is currently in an alpha phase and, as you will have seen in our video, Exoborne It still needs some technical work and polishing, and its creators are still finalizing several of the elements that will underpin its game-as-a-service proposal and, consequently, define its long-term success.
We know that loot acquisition will follow the path of Destiny and many others with a rarity system – the same weapon can be common or epic – and even the possibility of offering open trade of items between users is being explored. Ultimately, the fact that the Free-To-Play format is being ruled out does not prevent there being elements that establish it as a game as a service.
Exoborne is fuel for fans of extraction shooters: you enter, loot, come back… and come back for more!
What is clear is the ambition of the map shown. Not only because of the weather that makes it evolve or forces us to adapt, but also because of the effort to offer battles in which the possibilities of our personalized exo-rig are complemented by vertical environments designed to deploy tactical team initiatives. Encouraging players to be constantly prepared to react.
However, despite the fact that the Swedes rely on the power of Unreal Engine 5, and this is noticeable in the finishes, according to what has been seen It’s time to speed up the flow for the next versions. A feature that is absolutely non-negotiable in a shooter. Especially when the PC and console landscape is increasingly saturated with options and, as it is a game that does not bet on Free-To-Play, if we want to play with friends who have their own copies or assume that we will fight and play the button with strangers.
What is clear to us is that Sharkmob is going to bet heavily on Exoborne and compete to enter in a big way in a subgenre of shooters in which there is still room to grow and function. However, as with games as a service, it will not be until a reasonable margin of time has passed that we will be able to take the true pulse of the initiative and its depth. As we already mentioned, the Swedes have the experience, they know how to make each game feel different and they have everything to win. And that, no matter how you look at it, it is already conquered territory.
Exoborne release date
Sharkmob has not announced the release date of ExoborneWe know that it will be released on Steam, but it has not yet been established whether it will be released this year or if it will be offered in early access. On the other hand, we also know that it will be released on PlayStation and Xbox consoles, although it has not been specified whether it will be released on all systems or only on the current generation.
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