Ex Vitro
- January 31, 2024
- Evolver Dynamics
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamFEATURES: A retro love letter to the Metroid series, with a few quality of life adjustments, such as teleporters, rechargeable ammo, item collection tracking by area, and more Discover journal entries hidden throughout the facility, explaining the grim fate of humanity and its war against the galaxy Uncover the nature of the main character and their role in the conflict Collect and upgrade po…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Ex Vitro is a fantastic homage to the Metroid series, featuring addictive gameplay, excellent level design, and a compelling story that immerses players in its dark narrative.
- The game is free, making it an incredible value for the quality of content provided, with a playtime of around 2-3 hours that keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
- Players appreciate the unique enemy mechanics, multiple boss phases, and the overall atmosphere, which combines retro visuals with modern gameplay elements.
- The controls can feel clunky and imprecise at times, particularly with crouching and jumping mechanics, which can hinder platforming sections.
- Some players found the game to be too easy, especially on normal difficulty, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement during gameplay.
- Visuals and sound design have been criticized for feeling outdated or lacking polish, which may detract from the overall immersion and experience.
- graphics18 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic, retro aesthetic reminiscent of late 90s and early 2000s PC games, which some players find charming while others consider outdated. While the visuals may initially seem cheap, they grow on players as they engage with the game's atmospheric storytelling and level design, particularly in the final sector, which is praised for its unique horror vibe. Overall, the graphics are a mixed bag, appealing to fans of old-school styles but potentially off-putting to those seeking modern visuals.
“The last sector looks awesome with a horror vibe that feels pretty unique.”
“The other sectors are fine once you get accustomed to the visuals, but the last one is perfect with excellent environmental storytelling, starting dark and moody and then slowly going all creepy with your mini-map crashing and haunting echoes around every corner.”
“The visuals and sound effects are really well utilized to create a very atmospheric experience.”
“I didn’t like the game much when I first started it up due to its visuals that reminded me of cheap PC games of the period from 1995 to 2000 when some developers discovered rendered graphics for the first time.”
“The HUD visuals are very dated, resembling free 2000s flash games, and not just because the game is in a 4:3 aspect ratio; there are some bugs like misplaced loading zones and weird hitbox interactions with some walls and enemies.”
“I will say the controls need some work, the visuals are outdated, but the story and log entries are quite nice to read.”
- story16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The story in the game is noted for its depth and immersive worldbuilding, featuring a grim narrative centered on humanity's role in a galactic genocide and the subsequent rebellion of alien races. While some players found the exposition overwhelming, the environmental storytelling and data logs effectively enhance the experience, making it engaging and well-written. Overall, the story is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to its atmosphere and player experience.
“This isn’t a happy story; it’s as grim as it gets with humanity as the perpetrator of a galactic genocide for their own benefit until the alien races united and fought back.”
“Immersive storytelling and worldbuilding (data logs paired with the environment is fantastic. The developer really knows how to write and create an intriguing and fascinating world).”
“The story is interesting and well written; the visuals feel very '2000s freeware' in a good way (reminds me of The Desolate Hope), and the level design is better than many indie metroidvanias I've played.”
“I personally think the story would have been much more effective without the exposition dump on the main menu.”
“This isn’t a happy story; it’s as grim as it gets, with humanity as the perpetrator of a galactic genocide for their own benefit until the alien races united and fought back.”
“It takes the fast-paced gameplay and indirect storytelling from the Metroid franchise, making the game atmosphere pretty interesting, although it may be an exaggerated amount of text for some players.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a classic metroidvania style, featuring smooth mechanics, interesting level design, and a well-balanced difficulty curve that keeps the experience engaging without overstaying its welcome. Players appreciate the addictive gameplay loop and the variety of biomes, each introducing new challenges and mechanics, while the overall atmosphere enhances the experience. Overall, the game is praised for its solid execution and artistic design.
“It's a classic metroidvania game that does everything pretty well, from the visuals to the gameplay mechanics with interesting level design choices and a pretty approachable difficulty curve.”
“The addictive gameplay loop, combined with its main gameplay mechanics, makes the game feel smooth and easy to get into.”
“Gameplay-wise, this is very much the usual.”
“There are different biomes with their own enemies, and each new biome is progressively deadlier with a couple of new mechanics.”
“It takes the fast-paced gameplay and indirect storytelling from the Metroid franchise, making the game atmosphere pretty interesting (although it may be an exaggerated amount of text for some players).”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, immersive qualities, enhanced by excellent music, ambient sounds, and visual design that evoke a sense of exploration and tension reminiscent of classic Metroid titles. Players appreciate the depth of lore and the overall creepy vibe, although some find the amount of text overwhelming. Overall, the atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's engaging experience.
“It's a very decent metroid-like with solid exploration, good enemy variety, interesting boss fights, and amazing atmosphere.”
“I have played through it multiple times; it has such a dark and immersive atmosphere I couldn't help but read all the lore as I played.”
“The visuals and sound effects are really well utilized in this to create a very atmospheric experience.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for creating an amazing atmosphere, with a polished and fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some tracks are described as generic, the majority are well-received, reminiscent of classic titles like Super Metroid. However, players have noted the absence of a volume slider for music and sound.
“The music creates an amazing atmosphere; the ambient sounds and overall design are just *chef's kiss*.”
“The music is fitting to the game, and the experience is highly polished.”
“The music is great, and I love the atmosphere; it feels like Super Metroid all over again.”
“Music ranges from atmospheric to generic elevator muzak, with only one or two good and fitting tracks.”
“A volume slider for music and sound would be appreciated; there are none at this time.”
“The music is fitting to the game, but it lacks variety and depth.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its impactful storytelling that evokes tears, albeit lamenting its brevity.
“The only downside is that this game made me cry because it was too short.”
“This game took me on an emotional rollercoaster that I didn't want to end.”
“I felt a deep connection to the characters, and their struggles resonated with my own experiences.”
