Exophobia
- July 22, 2024
- Zarc Attack
Exophobia is a Metroidvania styled first person Boomer Shooter that envelopes the crux of its gameplay and design beautifully with its mechanics creating an entangling interplanetary voyage you won't forget.
Get on Steam"Exophobia" is a single-player fantasy shooter game with a striking retro-inspired sci-fi aesthetic. As a lone human in a spaceship overrun by hostile aliens, you must fight and explore your way to safety while uncovering the crew's backstory. The game features intense FPS combat, unique metroidvania progression, and a range of environments to discover, each with distinct challenges and enemies to overcome.
Reviews
- Exophobia successfully blends retro FPS mechanics with Metroidvania elements, offering a unique gameplay experience that keeps players engaged.
- The game features a vibrant art style, impressive sound design, and a variety of fun enemies and challenging bosses that enhance the overall enjoyment.
- Exploration is rewarding, with numerous secrets and collectibles to discover, making backtracking feel purposeful and engaging.
- The level design can be confusing, with frustrating one-way doors and a map system that limits navigation, leading to instances of getting lost.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as the bullet teleport and certain puzzles, can feel clunky and detract from the overall experience.
- There are occasional bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, although the developers are responsive in addressing these issues.
- graphics15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback for their charming pixel art style, vibrant color palette, and clean readability, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Reviewers appreciate the unique art direction and level design, which contribute to a visually engaging environment reminiscent of classic retro games. While some critiques mention issues with combat mechanics, the overall aesthetic and sound design are highlighted as strong points that elevate the game's appeal.
“I love everything so far, the graphics are great and easy to read even in the middle of a fight, the game is a joy to control (the slide is super satisfying) and it is pretty much a metroid-like as an FPS.”
“Great game which has had a lot of work post-launch to make it even better, FPS metroidvania with incredible graphics.”
“The artwork is beautiful and charming, the combat and exploration is fun.”
“Like the aesthetic, tone, and music of the game, but it suffers from the same issue Project Warlock had: it's a Wolfenstein 3D-style 'boomer shooter' that has terrible circle strafing and too-slow default weapon projectiles, which makes most mid to long-range combat tedious.”
“I was drawn to this game because of the pixel art style, which we don’t see enough of in non-sidescroller games.”
“From its unique art style with its pulpy retro colors and gruesomely grotesque sprites of blood.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its fluidity and fast-paced action, effectively blending FPS and Metroidvania elements with engaging mechanics and exploration. While some players found certain mechanics frustrating and the writing lacking, the overall experience is enhanced by challenging boss fights and a nostalgic yet modern design. Many reviewers express a strong appreciation for the game's depth and the effort put into its mechanics, making it a standout in its genre.
“The bosses were challenging, the gameplay mechanics were great; you can feel the love that went into this game, and I am glad I waited over a year for it. It was very much worth it.”
“The gameplay is super tight, and crouch slides are always a good game mechanic.”
“I thought this game was not for me, but after some friends recommended it to me, I gave it a shot and it's pretty great. I'm a few hours in, and its action gameplay is top-notch, and the puzzles are very nice to pull off.”
“It can be a frustrating mechanic, but makes you plan the game more accordingly.”
“I did find the writing a little unsatisfying (the game gives you a number of terminal logs to read, the prose is not great and the hints they contain are usually unnecessary), and I think the boss fights suffer from attempts to make the player utilize particular mechanics, but those are small gripes about an otherwise excellent game.”
“Pretty solid take on FPS/Metroidvania mechanics.”
- music7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality, enhancing the overall aesthetic and tone, with many reviewers highlighting the incredible soundtrack and sound design. While the gameplay has some issues, the music remains a standout feature, contributing positively to the game's unique atmosphere and experience.
“The soundtrack and sounds are amazing.”
“Furthermore, music and design are on point, giving the game a solid look and feel.”
“The game has a unique art style, incredible music, good sound design, and great level design for a metroidvania.”
“I like the aesthetic, tone, and music of the game, but it suffers from the same issue Project Warlock had: it's a Wolfenstein 3D-style 'boomer shooter' that has terrible circle strafing and too-slow default weapon projectiles, making most mid to long-range combat tedious.”
“The music is forgettable and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience at all.”
“While the soundtrack has potential, it often feels repetitive and fails to match the intensity of the action on screen.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story is described as simple and easy to follow, with a decent plot and engaging lore presented through collectible logs that can be humorous. While the narrative is not very lengthy and some story elements may feel tedious to read, the overall experience is enjoyable, particularly with fun boss encounters and intriguing story disks.
“The logs are really fun to go through; they explain the story and the lore, and they tend to be really funny at times.”
“Bosses are fun, and the story disks are intriguing; I'm looking forward to the rest.”
“For the low asking price, I can safely recommend it if you want a very basic open-world shooter with a decent plot device.”
“The story is pretty simple and easy to follow.”
“The story segments, on the other hand, are a bit too long to read with an interface that shows about 15 words at a time, with not very much payoff.”
“The combat isn't anything crazy, the bosses are pretty fun, the story isn't super long, and the collectibles are fun to get!”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to slow weapon projectiles and clunky movement mechanics that hinder mid to long-range combat. The need to revisit cleared areas for map progress further exacerbates the monotony, detracting from the otherwise enjoyable combat experience.
“It is only when all enemies in an area are killed that one requires the map, therefore making the already boring act of trudging through cleared areas in a desperate search for progress even more tedious as you stop every couple of minutes to reload the map.”
“They feel clunky, simple, and just kind of tedious compared to the excellent combat.”
“Like the aesthetic, tone, and music of the game, but it suffers from the same thing Project Warlock suffered from: it's a Wolf3D-style 'boomer shooter' that has terrible circle strafing and too-slow default weapon projectiles, which makes most mid to long-range combat tedious.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through the entertaining logs that provide both story and lore, often delivering comedic moments amidst the stress and drama of the narrative.
“The logs are really fun to go through; they explain the story and the lore, and they tend to be really funny at times.”
“Funny at times, stressful and dramatic at others.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of Exophobia has been criticized due to numerous game-breaking glitches, softlocks, and crashes, which significantly detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the game appears to lack the necessary polish and support to ensure a smooth gameplay experience.
“I feel bad for Exophobia, not because it's a buggy mess or too hard, but because of how little love it has received.”
“However, I encountered a plethora of game-breaking glitches, soft locks, and crashes that dampened the experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a sense of isolation, as players begin alone in a vast, multi-floored building, each level offering a distinct ambiance that enhances the exploration experience.
“You start the game all by yourself, in the middle of a huge building with multiple floors, each with its own unique atmosphere, and it's up to you to find your way out.”
“The haunting sound design and dim lighting create an immersive experience that keeps you on edge.”
“Every corner of the environment is filled with intricate details that enhance the overall mood and draw you deeper into the game's world.”
“The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it difficult to immerse myself in the environment.”
“Despite the interesting setting, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, failing to evoke any real emotion.”
“The lighting and sound design are underwhelming, which detracts from the overall atmosphere of the game.”
