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.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Exophobia offers a refreshing blend of Metroidvania and FPS mechanics, providing engaging exploration and combat experiences.
- The game features a unique art style and solid sound design, enhancing the overall atmosphere and enjoyment.
- Boss fights are challenging and creative, requiring players to strategize and adapt to different enemy patterns.
- The level design can be confusing, with unclear navigation and frustrating one-way doors that hinder backtracking.
- Some players have reported issues with the map system, particularly the battery mechanic that limits its usability.
- There are instances of trial and error gameplay, with certain puzzles and boss fights feeling overly punishing or unclear in their requirements.
- graphics20 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant and charming art style, which effectively combines retro pixel graphics with modern design elements. Reviewers appreciate the clean and readable visuals, unique enemy designs, and well-executed level themes that enhance gameplay. Overall, the aesthetic is described as both nostalgic and fresh, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyable combat and exploration experience.
“But overall, I had a great time, fantastic graphics and a good amount of fun all throughout Exophobia!”
“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.”
“Great game which has had a lot of work post-launch to make it even better, FPS metroidvania with incredible graphics.”
“While the graphics are very 'retro', there have been some definite choices made regarding the color theme.”
“From its unique art style with its pulpy retro colors and gruesomely grotesque sprites of blood.”
“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.”
- gameplay19 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its fluidity, fast-paced action, and innovative blend of retro FPS and Metroidvania elements, offering a fresh experience with challenging bosses and engaging mechanics like crouch sliding. While some players find certain mechanics, such as the map battery system, tedious, the overall design and attention to detail are highly appreciated, making it a rewarding experience that encourages strategic planning and exploration. Despite minor criticisms regarding writing and specific boss mechanics, the game is celebrated for its tight gameplay and enjoyable puzzles.
“The gameplay is super tight and crouch slides are always a good game mechanic.”
“With an astounding attention to detail as well as a fantastic stylized art direction, Exophobia combines the retro FPS elements we all love alongside some surprising Metroidvania mechanics, creating some fantastic, fresh gameplay.”
“Gameplay is smooth as hell and it's an experience where you actually have to think for yourself with no real hand-holding.”
“I don't like the map battery mechanic; it makes exploration very tedious as you need to go to a save point in order to just recharge the map.”
“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.”
“It can be a frustrating mechanic, but it makes you plan the game more accordingly.”
- music11 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its fantastic composition and sound design, contributing significantly to the overall aesthetic and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, enhancing the game's atmosphere and complementing its unique art style. Despite some gameplay criticisms, the music remains a consistent point of admiration among players.
“The soundtrack and sounds are amazing.”
“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.”
“The sound and music direction feels well thought out, and generally well done.”
“A feast for the eyes as well as the ears, the musical composition and sound design is phenomenal.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The story is described as simple and easy to follow, with a decent plot and engaging lore presented through collectible logs that add humor and depth. While the main 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 collectibles.
“The logs are really fun to go through; they explain the story and the lore, and they tend to be really funny at times.”
“I am finally updating this after completing the main story.”
“Bosses are fun, and the story disks are intriguing; I'm looking forward to the rest.”
“The story is pretty simple and easy to follow.”
“The story ones, 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.”
“For the low asking price, I can safely recommend it if you want a very basic open world shooter with a decent plot device.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to slow weapon projectiles and clunky movement mechanics, which hinder mid to long-range combat. The necessity to revisit cleared areas for map progress adds to the frustration, while the map's unclear navigation and battery mechanic further complicate exploration, making it feel laborious. Overall, the grinding experience detracts from the otherwise enjoyable combat.
“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.”
“I don't like the map battery mechanic; it makes exploration very tedious as you need to go to a save point in order to just recharge the map.”
“They feel clunky, simple, and just kinda tedious compared to the excellent combat.”
- 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 lack of polish and attention to stability issues has left players feeling disappointed.
“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 navigate a vast, multi-floored building, with each level offering a distinct ambiance that enhances the overall experience of exploration and survival.
“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 throughout the game.”
“Every corner of the environment is filled with intricate details that enhance the overall mood, making exploration feel both thrilling and eerie.”
“The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it difficult to immerse myself in the environment.”
“While the setting is intriguing, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
“I expected a haunting ambiance, but instead, the atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion.”
