Exoborne: A High-Octane Extraction Shooter with Powerful Exo-Rigs
Exoborne, an upcoming extraction shooter, refines the genre's core tenets – infiltrate, loot, and escape – by introducing powerful Exo-Rigs that significantly boost strength and mobility. My hands-on experience with the game revealed a thrilling experience enhanced by dynamic weather effects and the ever-popular grappling hook. While not a completely mind-blowing experience, Exoborne shows considerable promise within the competitive extraction shooter market.
The Exo-Rigs are central to Exoborne's unique identity. Three distinct rigs are currently available:
- Kodiak: Offers a sprint shield and a powerful ground slam attack.
- Viper: Rewards aggressive play with health regeneration upon enemy kills and boasts a potent melee attack.
- Kerstrel: Prioritizes mobility with enhanced jumping and temporary hovering capabilities.
Each rig can be further customized with unique modules, enhancing their individual strengths. While the limited selection of three rigs feels restrictive, leaving room for future expansion, developer Shark Mob remains tight-lipped about future plans.
The core gameplay loop feels polished. Weapon recoil is satisfying, melee combat packs a punch, and the grappling hook provides efficient traversal, surpassing the limitations of standard movement. Unpredictable weather events, including tornadoes and rain, dynamically impact gameplay. Tornadoes offer unexpected aerial mobility, while rain renders parachutes ineffective. The inclusion of fire tornadoes adds another layer of strategic complexity and risk.
Risk and Reward: The Core Gameplay Loop
Risk versus reward is central to Exoborne's design. A 20-minute timer initiates upon deployment, triggering a location broadcast to other players after it expires. Players then have 10 minutes to extract or face immediate elimination. Early extraction yields less loot, but prolonged engagement increases the potential rewards. Loot is scattered throughout the environment, with other players representing the most valuable targets, allowing for the acquisition of their gear.
Artifacts, high-value loot boxes, are a significant prize. However, extracting with an artifact requires both the artifact itself and a corresponding key. Artifact locations are publicly displayed on the map, often leading to player conflict. Similarly, high-value loot zones are heavily guarded by challenging AI, demanding calculated risk-taking.
The game encourages teamwork. Even after being downed, players aren't immediately eliminated. Self-revives are available, and downed players can be resurrected by teammates, provided they reach the fallen player's body before the enemy intervenes.
Concerns and Future Outlook
Two key concerns emerged from my preview:
- Teamwork Dependency: Exoborne strongly favors cooperative play. While solo and random-squad options exist, the experience is significantly enhanced with a coordinated team, particularly given its non-free-to-play model.
2. Undefined Late-Game: The late-game experience remains unclear. While PVP encounters were enjoyable, the frequency felt insufficient to sustain engagement solely through player-versus-player combat.
Exoborne's PC playtest, running from February 12th to 17th, will offer further insights into its potential. The game's success will depend on addressing these concerns and delivering a compelling late-game experience.
