Scott Pilgrim EX plays like a leveled-up version of Ubisoft’s previous Scott Pilgrim beat ‘em up — and that’s no bad thing. While I’ve never been a die-hard fan of the genre, I’ve been a long-time Scott Pilgrim aficionado. I own the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels (and other comics penned by Bryan Lee O’Malley), Edgar Wright’s movie adaptation is one of my all-time favorite films, I binge-watched “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off” on Netflix, and I played Ubisoft’s original Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World 2D side-scrolling beat ‘em up to death on Xbox Live Arcade (and blasted through it again when it got ported on PS4).
Having had a chance to tear through Scott Pilgrim EX in advance of its release this week (on March 3), I’m pleased to report that this latest addition is both a ton of fun to play and a great new addition to that same universe. Granted, I’m not hugely surprised; looking at the critical response to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (we gave it 4.5 stars back in 2022), I suspected I was in for a good time, and Scott Pilgrim EX definitely feels like it’ll be a great arcade brawler for Scott Pilgrim and beat ‘em up fans alike.
Scott Pilgrim EX is a brilliant brawler with plenty of personality
Many of the things that hooked me back on the Xbox 360 are still here. Like its predecessor, Scott Pilgrim EX is brought to life with seriously impressive pixel art (that looks even better once you slap on the in-game CRT screen filter), and another earworm soundtrack from chiptune/rock band Anamanaguchi.
The dialogue and story beats are funny, and the game’s littered with references, jokes, and easter eggs, such as the riffs you’ll be playing, Ocarina of Time-style, to open up parts of the map — we’ve swapped out discreet levels for one big map you’ll unlock as you go — hidden areas you’ll uncover by blowing up an obviously-cracked wall, or enemies and regions that riff on other games, like the gothic styling (and Bloodborne-inspired boss fight) of Toronto’s Casa Loma, redressed as “Casa Vania.”
I’m not just here to hype up appearances, though: Scott Pilgrim EX comes packing fun brawling action, too, whether you’re battling through hordes of demons or going toe-to-toe with the game’s many bosses. The character roster’s packed with seven characters, each with their own moves. I settled on playing as Ramona, Scott, and Robot-01 for my first few runs, but after having a blast punching, parrying, and blasting my way through the game’s legions of enemies and bosses, I’m keen to see every character over the line.
Even on Normal difficulty, you’ll still need to string your light, heavy, and special attacks together effectively and make sure to throw in a block, parry, super attack, or make use of your assists to avoid getting KO’d. If you end up getting repeatedly beaten down, you can take the dollars you’ll be hoovering up from fallen foes and splash that cash on some stat-enhancing snacks or equipment before you head back in the fray.
All in all, I’ve had a great time playing through the Adventure Mode several times over. The quest design may be too reliant on backtracking through areas of its map to progress, and the promise of seeing new character endings may not be enough to keep everyone satisfied.
Nevertheless, I’ve put in around 10 hours or so already, and I’ve been having a great time so far, and I can imagine it’d be even better to breeze through the game with a few friends in multiplayer. If you’re a franchise fan or just in the mood for a seriously satisfying brawler, I’d definitely recommend Scott Pilgrim EX.
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