Exoborne preview [SGF] — Storm-filled shooting

While the world of FPS is chock full of great examples, the extraction shooter is still fairly new. There are several experiments out there, if you aren’t Escape from Tarkov or Gray Zone Warfare, people don’t really know you. That means there is space for the genre to grow, and Exoborne looks to bring something unique to the table. After watching a preview for the game, I’m intrigued in what developer Sharkmob AB has to offer.

The map we were shown takes place in Colton County, in a southern area in the United States that has been decimated by apocalyptic storms. There’s a huge sinkhole in the middle of it, showing just how ripped to shreds the area is. This isn’t the only map, as smaller and higher engagement maps will be a part of Exoborne. I like the idea, as battle royales such as Call of Duty: Warzone have them and they tend to add a lot to the experience.

Watching the game in action took me by surprise at first. My brain had thought this was a first-person shooter the whole time, but instead it’s a third-person viewpoint. That said, you do swap over to first-person any time you aim down sights, like the old Rainbow Six Vegas games. Given the intense moments, environmental hazards, and focus on survival, I like the choice to have a more unfettered view of my surroundings.

Speaking of environmental hazards, this place is under a lot of torrential weather. I say that because, in our gameplay demonstration, a team jumped out of their aircraft and directly towards three tornadoes in the vicinity. It’s important to note that this isn’t always a negative, and to get creative as you play Exoborne. There will also be different types of weather to…well, weather, like lightning strikes and rain.

The key goals of your operator are to prepare by gearing up, which involves choosing your weapons, picking your class of exo-rig and adding complimentary attachments, and setting your personal missions for the run. Choosing the right rig is important, as a heavy rig might help you in the middle of a tornado, or one with a plasma shield might assist in taking on a pack of enemies. Once you’re equipped, dropping in and getting a read on your surroundings, both in locating missions and additional gear and resources to grab, are important. Acquiring resources will generally have you doing on-map activities, which will involve firefights. Be careful though, as any engagement can bring the wrong attention: other players.

When you get into a fight with other players, it’s best to be able to adapt. Vehicles still exist in this world, and are a great way to get away fast, albeit while making some noise. If you’re cornered, you can also make use of the weather. The demo showed a team driving directly into a tornado, and then abandoning the vehicle at the apex, only to glide to safety via their parachutes. That’s just cool.

I’m glad to see through our presentation that Sharkmob AB is trying to make this genre more approachable. Things like mission structure are significant, and while the team isn’t going to take away the loss factor in death, your long term risk will be much less. After all, even if you lose a few guns or attachments, your exo-rig will still be intact, and a quick run or two at some bandit camps will help you get back a bit of gear.

Being able to pull off a good run is dependent on what gear set you’re working with. There aren’t any “+5 luck” RPG mechanics here; whatever you bring with you is what you have. For instance, if you think you want to use the game’s incredible verticality, you might want to bring a grappling hook (which resembles Just Cause in design). This is a high risk, high reward system, so plan carefully for possible losses if something goes wrong and you can’t extract. I do appreciate being able to instantly equip what I find however, so the best version of myself will be present as I explore.

One thing Exoborne is attempting to utilize is the verticality mentioned above. The glider is a good example of that, but using the storms to reach higher vantage points is not only possible, but a viable tactic. There are also a lot of ways to climb, such as an oil rig the weather has snatched from the sea and dropped on dry land, or the humongous cables stretching the map. The latter is for a story reason, and one I’m sure we’ll understand closer to or at launch.

Launch is something we aren’t exactly clear on as of yet. The team is hard at work, and should be around to talk more Exoborne at GamesCom, but we do know a few things for sure. It is a premium game, but will have multiple maps to engage with when it does release. I’ve been excited since watching the original trailer, and seeing it in action just has me ready to dive in. See you on the battlefield – or more likely, spinning around in a jeep inside of a tornado, shrieking the entire time. You can wishlist Exoborne on Steam now.

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