Exoprimal is a new co-op shooter reminiscent of games like Left4Dead, but instead of zombies, there are dinos (PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, PS5). MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider was surprised at how good the game is. However, as a full-price title … rather in the Xbox Game Pass.
When I first saw the trailer for Exoprimal, I laughed heartily. In March 2022, that was, during a State of Play, a PlayStation show.
You saw a huge black ball between closely standing skyscrapers over a deserted street. From the ball, hundreds of raptors fall to the ground from about 50 meters. My interest was piqued. That’s my humor.
Exoprimal then presented itself as a kind of Left4Dead with dinos and suit power like in Anthem. The suits determine the class, and in different missions, we rampage through various areas and work to contain the dino population.
- Exoprimal will be released on July 14, 2023, for PC and the two current console generations, and will be available on release directly in the Xbox Game Pass.
Capcom has already let me onto the servers to take out a few hundred dinos. I’ll give you a little insight into how it plays and what I think of it.
You can also find an Exoprimal video from the GameStar colleagues on YouTube (via youtube.com) and you can watch a gameplay trailer here:
Smooth gameplay with the right amount of exaggeration
What is Exoprimal about? The story is well crafted, here is the first surprise. There are many cutscenes with cool visuals and a quirky sci-fi story.
The characters and backstory invite for some head shaking; you won’t find complexity here. But if you find it funny that hundreds of dinos fall out of a black ball that then attack you, you will be satisfied here.
So, I land as a novice exo-pilot in a dysfunctional team and have to jump into the suit right at my first mission. A crazy AI goes totally haywire and then … time travel, parallel worlds or something? Just the story!
How is the game structured? Here comes the next surprise: Exoprimal is designed as a PvEvP game. At first, there are almost only PvE battles, later pure co-op modes are added.
Basically, it’s a co-op shooter with an unusual PvP component that resembles the Gambit mode of Destiny 2.
Two teams start the same mission and race against each other in a race against time. However, at first, only the “ghosts” of the others are visible; I cannot actively attack the opponents.
Then different missions start, which you have to complete as quickly as possible. Sometimes you have to fend off a rush, sometimes you have to filet a particularly large dino into bite-sized pieces, sometimes you have to protect a payload.
In the final showdown, the PvP kicks in and you fight against each other “for the last few meters”. The team that is behind has to play aggressively to prevent the opponents’ progress and still have a chance of victory.
The further I progress in the game, the more of these small mini-missions within the missions there are. Initially, it felt a bit drawn out, as there were only a few activities available in the first few missions that I had unlocked.
Over time, the missions become more complex and difficult, I unlock more equipment, become more powerful, and can better specialize in my role. There are modes with varying levels of PvP, and the missions change because the AI in the story constantly adjusts the challenge.
How does Exoprimal play? The dino shooting has convinced me. The gameplay structure is solid, the shooter mechanics are decent, and the many different abilities of the exosuits bring variety.
Overall, the exos are the highlight of Exoprimal. In the test version, there were 10 exos available, but 3 of them I have to unlock first. The parts are divided into:
- Assault
- Tank
- Support
There is the typical assault rifle attacker, a healer, a supporter, and Reinhardt from Overwatch is also present. So … not directly Reinhardt. But one tank is a pure melee fighter and has a large energy shield that he can deploy in front of him.
The Reinhardt comparison came to mind directly while playing. Now while writing and reviewing material, I notice that there are relatively many similarities to Overwatch. And that’s not a bad thing – in terms of hero shooters, Overwatch 2 is still the standard.
The more challenging Exoprimal becomes throughout the missions, the more fun the title brings. When you suddenly realize that the 457 raptors are closing in, even though you’ve pumped your entire arsenal into the almost liquid group of dinos, pulse rates, excitement, and gameplay enjoyment rise.
Collaboration and coordination are important. The right class selection and shared strategies lead to success. You can even switch exosuits during a match.
To keep players engaged in the long term, Exoprimal relies on extensive progression systems, and here the problems unfortunately begin.
Conclusion: Definitely test it before buying in the Xbox Game Pass
After installation, I wanted to dive into a mission as quickly as possible and barely looked around in the menu. Just start right in. After the first missions, I thought – “oh cool, that was really good.”
Exoprimal has surprised me very positively. So far, for me, it’s even the surprise of the year, a really solid shooter from a new brand and much larger than I thought.
I scoured the menu a bit, found many progression systems, and searched online for the monetization model. But here’s another surprise, I almost fell off my chair.
Exoprimal costs 60 euros on PlayStation and is a full-price title.
Despite the extent, the entire structure of the game reminded me more of Free2Play titles. You can feel at every corner that there is still room for additional content, and the live service is central:
- A new brand with little background
- Incredible setting with thousands of dinos
- After each mission, it goes back to the main menu
- Live service with seasons is planned
- Shop with premium content is coming
I really thought beforehand that Exoprimal would come as a Free2Play shooter, and I had granted the dino slasher a good chance to build a loyal player base. But as a full-price title, Exoprimal will really have a hard time.
Sure, there are many story cutscenes, decent graphics, and plenty of content. But Destiny 2 offers that too, even in the Free2Play part of the shooter and even at a higher level.
At least: At release on July 14, the new co-op shooter comes into the Xbox Game Pass – so you won’t have to reach too deep into your pockets for an extended play session.
If you are a fan of co-op shooting, then definitely check it out. You get an engaging shooter with decent potential that doesn’t take itself too seriously. But it’s better to test Exoprimal beforehand or wait for a sale.
If you have any questions or opinions about the game, feel free to share them in the comments.
If you want to read another article from me, check this out: I never gave the action shooter Warframe a chance – the new, crazy expansion changes that
