When it comes to new, ambitious online shooters, our colleague Phil Elsner from GameStar is always critical. However, Exoborne has the potential to be really good: Phil has already been able to play the game at the developers and is more convinced than he has been in a long time. He explains this in an 18-minute video as part of “Find Your Next Game: Premiere”.
Find Your Next Game: Premiere is our format for exclusives, and in this issue exclusive gameplay footage from Exoborne was shown for the first time. “This series ‘FYNG Premiere’ offers our interested players the chance to get a first look at new games that are soon to hit the market.
Exoborne is an extraction shooter based on Unreal Engine 5 and aims to bring the genre into the mainstream. How exactly they plan to do this, aside from in-game tornadoes, you can see in our Find-Your-Next-Game video :
Who is behind Exoborne
The Swedish studio Sharkmob was founded in 2017 in Malmö by the leading minds behind The Division, Martin Hultberg and Petter Mannerfelt. Since then, the studio has grown to over 400 employees and has opened a branch in London, where a third title is being worked on. After the battle royale shooter Vampire: Bloodhunt, Sharkmob continues its ambitious projects.
Exciting gameplay in small doses
What makes the game special? Exoborne aims to make the appeal of hardcore shooters like Escape from Tarkov accessible to a broader audience without adopting the frustrating aspects of these games. The focus is therefore on shorter but engaging rounds lasting 20 to 30 minutes, which should not deter newcomers from jumping into the next match.
At the center of the game are powerful exoskeleton combat suits, known as Exo Rigs, and an apocalyptic world that is plagued by extreme weather phenomena. Players parachute onto a map with their squad and fight against both AI opponents and other teams for valuable loot, which they must try to escape with alive.
According to Phil, Exoborne is characterized by its dynamic gameplay, where weather effects and strategic teamwork play a central role. The successful interplay between Exo Rig abilities and tactical maneuvers can make the difference between victory and defeat.
Despite the intense action, the game’s pace remains pleasantly grounded and tactical, without drifting into frantic arena shooter mechanics. Graphically, Exoborne impresses with Unreal Engine 5 and a richly detailed, dystopian game world.
While there are still some challenges to overcome, such as balancing and long-term live service, the early version of the game already shows great potential. So Exoborne could indeed bring fresh winds to the shooter genre.
Further insights from the gameplay test can be found in the conclusion from GameStar: Exoborne promises not just fresh wind in the shooter genre, but a whole tornado.
