EXOME
- December 16, 2022
- RudeFrog Studios
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"EXOME is a horror open-world game that offers both single-player and multiplayer modes for up to 4 players in a cooperative setting. Armed with a dynamic difficulty system and weapon progression, players must explore the non-linear world to find a missing research team while battling unimaginable predators. Featuring beautiful visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5, EXOME offers a fully customizable character and an in-game feedback form to enhance the overall gaming experience."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a great atmosphere and is visually appealing, especially at night.
- Co-op gameplay enhances the experience, making it more enjoyable with friends.
- The game shows a lot of potential for future updates and improvements, especially given that it is developed by a solo developer.
- The combat is unbalanced, with enemies being too difficult to defeat, especially in solo play.
- The game lacks a clear narrative and can feel repetitive, with limited enemy variety and objectives.
- Performance issues and optimization problems can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- gameplay84 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging co-op mechanics and immersive elements, while others criticize the stiff movement, unclear objectives, and unbalanced combat. Players appreciate the tension created by certain mechanics, but many feel the game lacks depth and variety, suggesting it could benefit from additional content and refinement as it continues to develop. Overall, while the concept is intriguing, the execution leaves room for improvement.
“Honestly made me a lot more tense than I thought it would, especially since I'm only just over an hour into the game. Great visual graphics and overall gameplay 10/10.”
“Great concept, great atmosphere, great graphics, and awesome gameplay for its early state.”
“Among the newest entries into this thrilling genre is 'Exome,' a title that stands out for its gripping co-operative gameplay, intricate weapon progression system, and an AI that promises to keep even the most seasoned gamers on their toes.”
“The movement and mechanics were not good, the graphics were not good, the goals and objectives were unknown.”
“I get this is an indie title, but when a game has walking simulator mechanics, they need to be fluid.”
“The game is too simple to actually be enjoyable; it could have a future if they keep adding content, but for now, it is too simple and underwhelming when it comes down to content and gameplay.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising their quality, smooth performance, and immersive atmosphere. Reviewers noted the visuals as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's tension and overall experience, despite some criticism regarding gameplay mechanics and objectives. Overall, the graphics are described as phenomenal, especially for an early access title, showcasing great potential for future development.
“Great concept, great atmosphere, great graphics, and awesome gameplay for its early state.”
“Graphics are phenomenal...the nights walking through the forest without the light on hugging the hip of my duo was a great time with the skirmishes throughout the game.”
“Excellent graphics and I personally had zero bugs, I'm pretty impressed.”
“The movement and mechanics were not good, the graphics were not good, the goals and objectives were unknown.”
“For the story elements, they are primarily on data pads; there should be voice acting and visuals, this should also include the introduction.”
“---{ graphics }---”
- story44 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being underdeveloped and lacking engagement, with players feeling that it consists mainly of side missions and scattered lore found on data pads. Many express disappointment over the absence of a compelling narrative, particularly after lengthy gameplay sessions that culminate in unsatisfying cutscenes instead of climactic battles. There is a desire for a more defined storyline and immersive elements to enhance the overall experience.
“Really looking forward to continuing to play this game as it gets expanded and the story gets more developed.”
“- more story; I loved the hell out of figuring out what was going on.”
“To make the experience more engaging, it needs a well-defined storyline.”
“What Exome boils down to is what feels like a side mission to a main game that doesn't exist yet.”
“The story is non-existent minus random tablets you find scattered around a large map of basically empty forest.”
“No real storyline beyond the intro and footnotes of the 'missing' scientists.”
- atmosphere32 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its intense and creepy elements, effective use of sound, and strong visuals that enhance the horror experience. However, some players find it underwhelming due to a lack of dynamic elements like alien invaders. Overall, while the atmosphere is generally well-received, there are suggestions for improvement to fully realize its potential.
“Very good game, pretty creepy atmosphere and those deer NPCs are actually skin walkers.”
“Amazing little game that one of my mates found, the atmosphere of the game is intense that even when twigs break you start doing 180s to try to find what made that noise.”
“It sets its atmosphere very well and doesn't do anything cheesy with its horror.”
“The overall atmosphere is underwhelming as there are no random alien invaders rolling around and no UFOs overhead.”
“Atmosphere is key in a game like this, and I think it's off to an okay start.”
“I was able to solo 100% it with decent difficulty, and the atmosphere never faded from before my first platform activation to when enemies actually started spawning in between objectives.”
- optimization28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, especially during large enemy waves that lead to frame drops and visual glitches. While some praise the game's smooth performance and graphics for a single-developer project, the consensus is that further optimization is needed to enhance the overall experience.
“It's nothing about any problems with the game; it's very optimized, especially when developed by a single person.”
“Otherwise, it's a fun game with very nice gun sounds (assault rifle and shotgun) with the graphic fidelity and performance running smooth without any real loading or stuttering issues.”
“10/10 game was very optimized.”
“Performance could be improved; later on, the hoards are so big that frame drops are bound to happen.”
“During a wave, there was a monster that would glitch into the nearby post, causing a severe strain on performance.”
“The game is currently having optimization issues.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere and key moments, with specific highlights on the effective use of soundtracks during platform activations and the ending cinematic. However, some players feel that the overall soundtrack is lacking, suggesting that additional creepy music could improve the horror elements, particularly during nighttime exploration. Overall, while the music contributes positively to immersion, there is a desire for more variety and catchiness in the soundtrack.
“The atmosphere and soundtrack are done perfectly.”
“Music is good and adds to big moments without ruining the immersion.”
“The music when you activate platforms and the ending cinematic have really good music.”
“Pretty basic; there’s pretty much no soundtrack.”
“There is no reason that the introduction shouldn't be catchy and build up the suspense with music and possibly change it to add a broken communication received from a progress report by the advanced team.”
“Just adding some creepy music would make moving around at night better from the 'horror' perspective.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Current reviews indicate that the game lacks significant replayability, though there is potential for improvement over time. Players suggest that the addition of certain systems could enhance depth and encourage experimentation, ultimately increasing replay value.
“Not the most replayable currently, but with time it definitely could.”
“This system not only adds depth to the gameplay but also encourages experimentation and replayability.”
“Developer should add replay value to the game.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the reliance on gathering quests that delay access to more enjoyable content. While the atmosphere is appreciated, the overall experience can feel overly repetitive and time-consuming.
“I understand the pacing of this game, but it holds out on the fun parts until players do tedious gathering quests.”
“You'll need a second (and possibly third) life for grinding.”
“Exploration feels a bit grinding, but the atmosphere is enjoyable.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its instability, with players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as enemies behaving erratically and the need to exploit these issues to progress through certain levels.
“I had to use exploits and glitches to clear the last two platforms.”
“- Buggy: I started shooting at a boar and it began to swiftly glide away from me in the opposite direction.”
