Exile Squadron

About

Exile Squadron is a single player survival shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by One Bit Studio and was released on November 11, 2019. It received very positive reviews from players.

In this sidescrolling shoot ‘em up, you are the top pilot of the Exile Squadron. Using a variety of weapons, you will have to stop the forces of the Colonies, who are hell-bent on destroying Earth. Upgrade your equipment, survive action-packed levels, and climb the online leaderboards.

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 14 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

The game offers a nostalgic pixel art style and retro shoot'em up gameplay that appeals to fans of classic sci-fi shooters.
The upgrade system and weapon customization add strategic depth, requiring players to adapt their loadouts for different levels and challenges.
Controls are tight and work well with both keyboard and controller, complemented by a cool soundtrack and solid writing that enhance immersion.

The upgrade and progression system is frustrating, as crystals are only earned upon successful mission completion with no way to replay levels or recover from poor upgrade choices, potentially locking players out of progression.
The game is quite challenging even on normal difficulty, with limited lives and large hitboxes, which can lead to repeated restarts and frustration, especially for newer players.
Visuals can be cluttered or unclear at times, with distracting background elements and sometimes hard to distinguish enemy projectiles or obstacles, making navigation and survival more difficult.

story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The story is praised for its engaging theme and well-crafted mission briefings that enhance the overall experience, though the game is relatively short with only six missions. Players appreciate the currency and upgrade system but note the challenge of needing specific weapons for certain missions, which can hinder progress if not properly prepared. Replay options are limited due to a single save slot and unclear bonus mission explanations, impacting how players approach mission completion.
- “The theme and story are my favorite part of the game.”
- “Story screens between missions build the theme even more.”
- “I see the developer's dedication to crafting the story and I love it.”
- “To beat some missions, you need to have a specific kind of weapon (ground, bomb, homing, etc.), so if you haven't invested into them, you screw up your whole game and save file.”
- “Many times, I'd go into a level, realize what I have equipped won't work to fulfill the side missions' requirements, then pause, exit back to the command center, and re-equip.”
- “If you complete a level without doing the bonus mission, there's no way to go back unless you a) complete the game and it loops back to the beginning and progress through each level, or b) overwrite your saved game and start a new one (there's only one save slot).”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game features crisp, retro-style pixel graphics that suit its shoot 'em up genre, offering a decent visual experience without modern 3D effects. Background elements add some depth, though their placement can make them hard to distinguish. Overall, the graphics complement the gameplay and sound well, providing enjoyable aesthetics despite the simple style.
- “The game is what it seems: a retro styled shoot 'em up, with decent graphics and nice sound effects.”
- “Graphics are crisp and not disturbing.”
- “Some of the background graphics have ships flying around, which is nice, but it's also hard to tell they're actually in the background.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The gameplay is generally exciting and features interesting upgrade mechanics, though combat feels clunky and some elements, like bonus missions and ship attachments, could benefit from clearer explanations.
- “I liked the gameplay; it is quite exciting, although the bonus missions should have been better explained.”
- “Combat is clunky, but there are some nice upgrade mechanics.”
- “A confusing but cool mechanic is ship attachments.”
- “Combat is clunky but there are some nice upgrade mechanics.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is well-received, featuring a cool soundtrack that complements the pixel art style and enhances the overall experience.
- “A cool pixel 2D game with a cool soundtrack.”
- “Pixel art and music are good; controls are well done and the briefings between each mission are nicely presented.”