Sure thing, here goes nothing:
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Alright, let’s dive straight into Exo-Calibre. I mean, talk about nostalgia hitting like a freight train! This thing, from eastasiasoft and Vampixel, is like if an 80s arcade game and modern tech had a love child. It’s on PlayStation 5, but it’s got that old-school 2D shoot ’em up vibe. Which is kind of hilarious and awesome. I was fiddling with it and couldn’t help but think, “Why am I into this?” I don’t know, maybe it’s the mechs. Yeah, having a big ol’ exo-mech under your control, who doesn’t love that?
So, you get to be one of three Ex-Calibre Knights. Elite pilots or something. These dudes (or gals, possibly?) pilot these insane exo-suits and have to fend off these naughty AI drones from Exo-Tech. Little guys gone wild. Somehow, you’ve got to save the world, because why not? Each knight has their own style with shooting and melee. I mean, I like my arsenal like I like my coffee: strong and over the top.
You’ve got your Story Mode for those of us who like training wheels—more health, unlimited lives, which is kinda nice if you suck. Arcade Mode is there to humble you with less health and just a handful of lives. And there’s a Boss Rush Mode too. Because obviously, fighting one angry boss at a time wasn’t enough. Oh, let’s not forget the Time Rush Mode, where you race against, well, time. Clearly, future me is going to regret this.
Now, when you blast your way through enemies, you can grab scraps. Like literal bits of stuff left behind. You can blast these more and they, well, scrap further? But it’s for a cause! You collect these beauties for upgrades. More damage? Yes, please. More health? Absolutely, because I’m clumsy. Also, who doesn’t want extra lives? Someone, somewhere probably.
Playing the game feels like trying to juggle while your cat insists on sitting on your lap. The controls are straightforward, but who am I kidding, I still manage to mess it up. Analog stick or D-Pad to move, R2 to shoot, Square for melee stuff if anyone gets too close. L2 boosts your speed which is kind of like a cheat for running (or boosting) away from your problems. And melee attacks can even deflect bullets. That’s right, you basically play tennis with bullets.
Oh, trophies! There’s a full list, including a fancy Platinum one. The game’s Cross-Buy, so you can play on both PlayStation 4 and 5, which is neat if you’re like me and sometimes forget which console you’re using. Something about beating bosses, collecting scraps, boosting through enemies—a checklist for anyone with perfectionist tendencies.
But seriously, what’s with this deal again? Exo-Calibre is trying to bring back a simpler time and isn’t charging an arm and a leg for it! $6.99 for a trip down memory lane? That’s cheaper than my last coffee run. The nostalgia alone might be worth it for some folks. Anyway, that’s my two cents. Hope you dig it as much as my chaotic self does.
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Disclaimer: This review of Exo-Calibre was based on a PlayStation 5 copy that eastasiasoft sent over.
