Exoborne: A High-Octane Extraction Shooter with Powerful Exo-Rigs
Exoborne, an upcoming extraction shooter, refines the core loop of "get in, get the loot, get out" with amplified action. Powered exosuits, dynamic weather effects, and grappling hooks elevate the gameplay experience. After a recent 4-5 hour preview, Exoborne shows strong potential within the genre.
The Exo-Rigs are central to Exoborne's identity. Three distinct suits are available:
- Kodiak: Offers a sprint shield and a powerful ground slam attack.
- Viper: Rewards aggressive play with health regeneration upon kills and boasts a strong melee attack.
- Kerstrel: Prioritizes mobility with enhanced jumping and temporary hover capabilities.
Each suit can be customized with unique modules, further enhancing their abilities. While the limited number of suits feels restrictive, the developer, Shark Mob, remains tight-lipped about future additions.
The shooting mechanics are satisfying, with weighty firearms and impactful melee combat. The grappling hook adds a dynamic traversal element, surpassing standard movement. Unpredictable weather events, including tornadoes and torrential rain, significantly impact mobility and parachute deployment, adding a layer of strategic depth. Fire tornadoes offer a risky but potentially rewarding shortcut.
Risk and Reward:
Exoborne's core gameplay loop revolves around risk versus reward. A 20-minute timer triggers a location broadcast to other players, initiating a 10-minute extraction window. Extracting earlier yields less loot, while staying longer increases potential rewards but also risk. Loot is scattered throughout the environment, with player elimination offering the most significant gains.
Artifacts, high-value loot boxes requiring keys, are marked on the map, creating potential conflict points. Heavily guarded high-value areas offer substantial rewards for those brave enough to tackle them.
The game encourages teamwork, offering self-revives and teammate revives even after being downed. However, successful revives require careful timing and positioning.
Concerns:
Two key concerns emerged from the preview:
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Squad Dependency: Exoborne heavily favors coordinated squads. While solo play and matchmaking are possible, they are less than ideal, potentially hindering casual players. This is exacerbated by the game's non-free-to-play model.
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Unclear Late Game: Details on the late-game experience remain scarce, with PVP mentioned as a central element. However, the preview lacked sufficient late-game content to assess its long-term appeal.
Exoborne's PC playtest runs from February 12th to 17th, offering a chance to experience this high-octane extraction shooter firsthand.
