Exoprimal may not be the Dino Crisis we wanted, but it is the one we are getting. Capcom is putting a prehistorical spin on the traditional end of the world scenario, asking players to get into their exosuits and deal with the voracious dino threat. This is a team-based shooter where humanity is swarmed by relentless dinosaur waves and must fight back using every means possible. Despite sightings of a red-haired woman resembling Regina from Dino Crisis, no ties have been confirmed between this game and the classic horror adventure.
Hungry Dinos
Set in 2040 when dinosaur outbreaks occur all over the world, it’s up to the Aibius corporation and its advanced AI Leviathan to predict where the creatures will appear and take action. Players must perform the aptitude tests and become powerful exofighters, donning their revolutionary armored suits and pushing back the invaders. Said test is nothing more than a short tutorial, which is introduced in an astute way, as your character enlists in the corporation and goes through the sign-up and character customization process, although the impact of their emotions of joy and surprise are undermined by a lack of voice and sound effects.
Creating your character is a simple affair and could do with some extra options before the official release. Currently it’s limited to male and female presets, facial features, and pilot suit color, but it felt both odd and exciting having the option to mix gender stereotypes in a flowing way, from faces to hair styles. This could either be a sign of the times or a few restrictions yet to be set in place, but it’s surely an unusual thing to see in a videogame where character customization isn’t a main bullet point – after all, during most of the time you will be covered heat to toe in your hulking exosuit, with your face reserved for cutscenes.
After dealing with the enlistment process, it’s time to step into the harsh reality of the dino invasion. The beta version only featured one game mode called Dino Survival, but it is hyped as Exoprimal’s main mode, so it should give you a good idea about the core gameplay and help set expectations.
Touted as a 5v5 PvE and PvP mode where each squad strives to complete missions faster than the opposing side, Dino Survival is a succession of dinosaur outbreaks that often culminates in a random special assignment which may pit the two teams against each other, sometimes even forcing you to begrudgingly cooperate with your rivals to take down a common foe. The Leviathan AI occasionally throws a few variables into the fights, including the option to directly control a massive T-Rex and wreak havoc among the enemy team.
There is an appreciated diversity on display in terms of end of match missions, with around a dozen planned. Data Key Security is an example among many that dabble into PvE and PvP, as both teams protect a moving asset that can be attacked and destroyed by players; Escort tasks you with defending an NPC from dinosaur hordes until they complete their investigation across various locations; Neo T-Rex asks for temporary truce as both teams put aside their rivalries and fight a colossal and mutated dinosaur. The revelation twist at the end of the standard missions is a welcome one and always gives that element of surprise to the outcome of the match, but the sudden move into PvP may come as abrupt to those who prefer the exciting nature of cooperative PvE gameplay.
Suit Up
Looking at the exosuits, it’s impossible not to think Warframe in some of the designs and animations. However, the similarities end there, as Exoprimal is all about teamwork to take down those unremitting dinosaurs, true reflections of insatiable zombies who will stop at nothing to take a bite out of your metallic legs and arms.
Exosuits are divided into three roles that speak for themselves: assault, tank, and support. Picking one suit from a class at the start of the mission isn’t going to bind you to that choice; you are free to change roles at any time during the battle to adapt to the threat at hand. It’s strange and somewhat incomprehensible that the exosuit switch isn’t immediate; you call the menu and pick the next role, but then you see an animation of your character getting out of the suit and moving around in their fragile human form, until you finally press another button to jump into your new exoskeleton. Why anyone decided that an extra step would be a good thing in the middle of the frantic action is beyond me.
This not-so on-the-fly switch may not be consensual, as it throws some interesting variables into the battle but also undermines the idea of going for a fixed role selection and a deep team-based focus with clearly defined and balanced roles, unless you are part of a squad that is actively communicating and aligning strategies, which is the optimal way to play Exoprimal anyway.
The different types of dinosaurs require varied approaches that will make your team synergy shine. Using a tank’s shield to push the velociraptors back and going guns blazing against the large ankylosaurs are regular challenges, but there are more situations where learning and adapting is crucial. The visual spectacle in some scenes can be impressive, such as when you are trapped in a valley with hundreds of dinosaurs falling from the sky and running into your direction. Exoprimal looks good, even great at times, putting Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to great use, the same that has shown its strength in Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil 4 Remake.
While it will remind players of Anthem, Warframe, and Overwatch, your enjoyment greatly depends on how excited you are about the game’s identity crisis that makes it casually shift between PvE and PvP missions in the same run. For now, Exoprimal is a beast that is worth looking into for its punchy cooperative battles and dinosaur waves, but it feels like the $59.99 asking price is too steep for an experience that desperately demands a large player base to succeed.
MP1st was given access to a preview build of Exoprimal for our hands-on session. Exoprimal is set to launch on July 14, 2023 for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S.