Exo One

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,719 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Exo One Game Cover
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In "Exo One," experience a thrilling journey through space and time as you pilot an alien craft using a unique gravity-based traversal system. Master this alien locomotion to explore desolate alien landscapes, build momentum to reach exhilarating speeds, and solve environmental puzzles. Immerse yourself in the atmospheric visuals, ambient sounds, and a captivating guitar soundtrack as you venture beyond the solar system on mankind's first interplanetary expedition.

  • Windows
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,719 reviews
story147 positive mentions
grinding15 negative mentions
  • Beautiful visuals and immersive atmosphere that create a unique experience.
  • Satisfying movement mechanics that allow for exhilarating speed and exploration.
  • Calming soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Very short gameplay, typically around 2-3 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Confusing and vague storyline that can detract from the overall experience.
  • Lack of replayability and no level select option after completing the game.
  • story643 mentions

    The game's story is often described as vague, cryptic, and difficult to follow, with many players feeling it detracts from the overall experience rather than enhancing it. While some appreciate the minimalist and atmospheric approach to storytelling, others find it confusing and lacking coherence, leading to mixed feelings about its relevance to the gameplay. Overall, the narrative serves more as a backdrop to the stunning visuals and engaging mechanics, leaving players to piece together its meaning on their own.

    • “The game's minimalist storytelling approach leaves room for interpretation and introspection, adding a layer of depth and intrigue to the overall experience.”
    • “Its seamless blend of exploration, flight mechanics, and atmospheric storytelling creates a harmonious and immersive experience that lingers in the mind long after the journey ends.”
    • “The story is vague but haunting and leaves you loving the mystery.”
    • “The story is there but it doesn't really do or add much to the game.”
    • “The story is difficult to follow.”
    • “In my opinion, if you're going to create a story, you owe it to customers to make it a coherent one, and this is probably the least coherent story I've ever seen in a video game.”
  • gameplay532 mentions

    The gameplay of "Exo One" is characterized by its simple yet satisfying mechanics centered around gliding and rolling through beautifully crafted alien landscapes. While many players appreciate the rewarding nature of mastering these mechanics, some find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, with a few levels feeling tedious or poorly designed. Overall, the game offers a unique, atmospheric experience that prioritizes exploration and relaxation over traditional gameplay challenges.

    • “The gameplay mechanics of Exo One are a delicate balance of exhilarating flight, precise maneuvering, and gravity-defying traversal that make every moment in the Exo One spacecraft a thrilling experience.”
    • “Its seamless blend of exploration, flight mechanics, and atmospheric storytelling creates a harmonious and immersive experience that lingers in the mind long after the journey ends.”
    • “The core gameplay of Exo One is very simple to understand, though it does take a while to get used to it in reality.”
    • “What I think they are going for is you simply drop in and follow some kind of path that leads to what you see in the trailers (effortlessly gliding and satisfyingly bobbing through the environment), but if you accidentally go slightly off course you end up blindly seeking out where you 'should be' but nearly zero indicators on where that is or even given mechanics to get there at all.”
    • “The gameplay itself is boring at best and frustrating at worst - nowhere is that pacing you're waiting for that you saw from the gameplay videos, never found are the spots of simple complexity or skill-based play.”
    • “The game feels great, has amazing visuals with even better atmosphere scenarios, but it is completely ruined by the repetitive and boring gameplay loop.”
  • graphics387 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning beauty and immersive quality, often described as breathtaking and reminiscent of high-end art. Players appreciate the unique visual style, atmospheric effects, and the way the graphics enhance the overall experience, despite some minor criticisms regarding texture quality and gameplay depth. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and emotional impact.

    • “The game's visuals are a symphony of beauty and mystery, with otherworldly environments, dynamic weather effects, and surreal vistas that evoke a sense of cosmic grandeur and exploration.”
    • “Stunning visuals, immersive sound design & music - the most basic controls yet delivers the most satisfying experience any explorer of the cosmos could want.”
    • “The visuals are stunning and often abstract, lending to the otherworldly theme.”
    • “The graphics are pretty basic tech-wise but are really striking anyway, especially when you're blasting through it at lightspeed.”
    • “Some graphics are a bit rough around the edges with geometric clipping (rolling through trees with no effect) that kinda took me out of the immersion.”
    • “The textures and graphics on a lot of the later maps is just lazy and sad, the controls are heavy and frustrating at times especially around dense areas.”
  • music385 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, atmospheric quality, often described as calming and immersive, enhancing the overall experience of exploring stunning visuals. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions and create a dream-like ambiance, although some express a desire for more frequent music play throughout the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's relaxing and contemplative nature.

    • “The soundtrack is also excellent!”
    • “Beautiful atmosphere and soundtrack, but not a fan of the controls in this game.”
    • “The music is incredibly well composed and relaxing.”
    • “Music is very underwhelming; it's ambience with eerie melodies, it was not my jam.”
    • “The problem with the soundtrack is that there's not enough of it.”
    • “This game would be so much more relaxing if they played music all the time and included more relaxing music.”
  • atmosphere203 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its breathtaking visuals, immersive sound design, and relaxing ambiance, creating a captivating experience reminiscent of titles like "Journey." Players appreciate the seamless blend of exploration and atmospheric storytelling, which evokes a sense of wonder and tranquility, despite some criticism regarding repetitive gameplay and control mechanics. Overall, the game is celebrated as a beautiful, atmospheric journey that invites players to lose themselves in its stunning environments and haunting soundtrack.

    • “Its seamless blend of exploration, flight mechanics, and atmospheric storytelling creates a harmonious and immersive experience that lingers in the mind long after the journey ends.”
    • “A breathtaking yet relaxing atmosphere.”
    • “Beautiful, immersive atmospheres and sound... the movement is mesmerizing... and I particularly love that it's about discovery.”
    • “The game feels great, has amazing visuals with even better atmosphere scenarios, but it is completely ruined by the repetitive and boring gameplay loop.”
    • “The atmosphere was okay, and it was pretty, but strip all that away and you've got a pretty boring game.”
    • “Those pictures flashing in your face while you are having fun with the beautiful scenery are really breaking the mood and atmosphere.”
  • replayability73 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding it enjoyable for speedrunning and mastering controls, while others criticize its linearity and lack of additional content, leading to limited incentive for multiple playthroughs. Many agree that while the initial experience is satisfying, the short duration and absence of varied gameplay modes diminish long-term replay value. Overall, it offers decent replayability for those who appreciate the mechanics and visuals, but may not hold the interest of players seeking deeper exploration or varied experiences.

    • “However, the replay value in getting faster, more efficient times or just mastering the controls in general to fly across levels is incredibly satisfying, so if excellent visuals and good game feel are up your alley, then these criticisms won't keep you from enjoying Exo One for a few evenings.”
    • “A full playthrough is about 1.5-2 hours, took me 85 minutes on the first try, but there's plenty of replay value trying to get faster times, which is really what I'd recommend buying the game for.”
    • “This game is super replayable, very fun, and very well designed.”
    • “Zero replayability value.”
    • “Limited replayability: once you've completed the game, there's not much incentive to go back and play again, as there are no alternate paths or endings to explore.”
    • “It just isn't worth $20 and has pretty limited replayability.”
  • emotional46 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has elicited a wide range of responses, with many players expressing profound feelings of joy, sadness, and wonder despite criticisms of its controls and story coherence. The combination of a touching soundtrack, atmospheric visuals, and unique gameplay mechanics has led to deeply personal and memorable experiences, often leaving players feeling emotionally invested and reflective. Overall, while some found the narrative lacking, the emotional engagement and impact of the game were frequently highlighted as standout features.

    • “Overall, it made me feel something... something profound and beautiful.”
    • “This game was an emotional roller coaster that changed the meaning of life for me.”
    • “I cried not only from the story, but from the fact that it was over.”
    • “Garbage controls, clunky movement, boring story, and ridiculously bad voice acting.”
    • “Forces a boring story down your throat.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many levels lacking engaging design and purpose. While some stages offer distinct experiences, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding can quickly become frustrating and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding is not fun at all in a game like this; in the end, I felt mostly frustrated and annoyed.”
    • “Besides the first two levels, everything felt tedious, and I decided I couldn't play anymore realizing that I wasn't getting paid to play this.”
  • optimization9 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on lower-end devices, while others report smooth and responsive gameplay on higher-end systems. Many users noted low frame rates and stuttering, especially during loading, suggesting that optimization is lacking overall.

    • “Apart from that, the game is very well made, runs smoothly and is very responsive.”
    • “Pc performance 60fps (my rig: ryzen 5800h | rtx 3060 mobile (6gb) | 16gb ram”
    • “Performance/fun: 9/10”
    • “The optimization is simply nonexistent; this game gets 63 fps on medium-high settings with my 3060 Ti and it looks like a default Unity game.”
    • “There is low performance on low-end devices, which is to be expected, to be honest.”
    • “There are lots of stuttering issues when loading LOD.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting smooth performance and no significant glitches. However, some users have experienced occasional bugs, such as flying out into space or control issues during challenging sections. Despite these minor setbacks, the majority find the game enjoyable and well-optimized, particularly on high-end systems and the Steam Deck.

    • “Encountered no glitches to speak of; it works fine.”
    • “And for anyone wondering, this game runs great on Steam Deck despite the warnings.”
    • “Runs great at 4K on my 1080 Ti.”
    • “However, I have run into a couple of glitches where I fly out into space and can never come down, having to reset, but the game is so satisfying that I don't mind restarting the level at all.”
    • “There are, of course, bug-out-your-ship glitches.”
    • “You'd think in a game that's only control scheme is based on going fast and smooth movement, the game wouldn't then decide to throw entire mazes at you that force you to slow down, push you around with hard wind that's also super buggy and limits your ability to move and go fast, and at one point literally takes away your controls and says 'fu' to the player.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and whimsical elements, such as the amusing antics of a "funny little ball" and the exaggerated emotional storytelling that often veers into absurdity. Players find joy in the game's playful mechanics and unexpected moments, leading to a blend of laughter and emotional engagement. Overall, the humor effectively enhances the gaming experience, making it both entertaining and relatable.

    • “Funny ball fall down, literally nothing to dislike.”
    • “Very fun! I clap my feet in enjoyment whilst playing this funny little ball game. I go 'wheeee!' every time I go fast, but one time I went too fast and I got scared because I thought I would never slow down.”
    • “The story was 100% far too in your face, especially with the overdone looping reversed voices to accompany every line of 'dialogue' to the extent it got funny.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is generally viewed positively, as it offers a fully playable experience without the burden of excessive microtransactions or high upfront costs, contrasting favorably with other titles that impose significant in-app purchases and restrictive DRM. Players appreciate the game's quality content and straightforward controls, highlighting its value in a market often criticized for aggressive monetization strategies.

    • “The market is inundated with microtransactions and money grabs, but this game offers a fully playable experience with a good number of hours of content, high-quality graphics, impressive effects, and a simple control scheme.”
    • “This isn't Battlefield 2042; it doesn't have a £50 price tag with in-app purchases or a lengthy EULA you have to sign up for, nor does it include DRM that does who knows what to your PC.”
    • “The market is inundated with microtransactions and money grabs. It's a fully playable game with a good couple of hours of content, high visual graphics, effects, and a simple control scheme.”
    • “This isn't Battlefield 2042; it doesn't have a £50 price tag with in-app purchases and a 20-page long EULA you have to sign up for, or DRM that does goodness knows what to your PC.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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