Exoprimal Review: Capcom’s Bold New Dinosaur-Infused Venture

Amidst the Cretaceous cacophony of the gaming world, Capcom’s Exoprimal stands out as an anomaly, a bittersweet symphony of prehistoric carnage and high-tech warfare. Serving as an unorthodox entrée in the dinosaur gaming genre, Exoprimal blends in elements of co-op team shooting, compelling albeit cheesy narratives and other game elements bound to leave players both intrigued and exasperated.

Exoprimal deviates from the beaten path of dinosaur games, thrusting players into the futuristic exosuits of warriors dubbed exo pilots. Under the watchful eyes of an AI overlord, Leviathan, you’re enlisted in a relentless battle against relentless waves of dinosaurs, all in the name of data collection. Despite its simplistic plot, the story unfolds with enough twists and turns to pique player curiosity while lending a larger purpose to the ceaseless dino-hunts.

The game is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of content. Capcom’s selection of varied exo suits takes center stage, each offering distinct abilities and playstyles. The exo suits act as your character class, aligning to support, tank, or offense roles. This diversity of abilities within each archetype infuses an extra layer of strategic depth, propelling Exoprimal beyond the conventional dinosaur brawler.

Unfortunately, this vibrancy in exo suit design is marred by a lack of game modes and varied objectives at launch. The two modes primarily rely on time trials, painting a potentially monotonous picture for long-term engagement. To its credit, Exoprimal counteracts this with visually stunning and intuitively designed gameplay. Each round with an exo suit feels smooth and gratifying, showcasing Capcom’s commitment to a refined core gameplay experience.

Where Exoprimal falters, however, is in its Player versus Player (PvP) experience. The gameplay that feels well-balanced and enjoyable in a Player versus Environment (PvE) context rapidly spirals into chaos once the PvP element is introduced. The once seamless cooperation against AI opponents gives way to unbalanced skirmishes, resulting in an often frustrating experience.

Despite its shortcomings, Exoprimal is a sound addition to any GamePass roster. Its variety in exo suits, refined core gameplay, and compelling narrative give it enough substance to warrant repeated plays. Additionally, the game’s progression system, while a bit grindy, incentivizes consistent engagement, making it a perfect fit for the subscription service model.

Exoprimal’s direct competition lies in games like Ark: Survival Evolved and the Dino Crisis series. Exoprimal takes a unique turn in its fusion of dinosaur combat with team-based shooting mechanics, diverging from Ark’s survival focus or Dino Crisis’s more classic horror-thriller roots. While Exoprimal may lack the depth and variety these rivals offer, it carves its niche with its unique gameplay blend and narrative-driven progression.

Exoprimal is a prime example of a game whose brilliance is somewhat obscured by its flaws. It boasts a compelling mix of story and gameplay, tied together with remarkable exo-suit designs. However, it’s held back by a lack of content and an unbalanced PvP experience. If Capcom refines these rough edges and continues to capitalize on what works, Exoprimal could emerge as a dominant species in the gaming ecosystem.

In its current state, Exoprimal is an ambitious and innovative experiment with a fair share of highs and lows. The anticipation of what it could evolve into makes it a thrilling prospect for the patient gamer.

RATING: 3.0 out of 5

Exoprimal is now available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series S/X

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