Scott Pilgrim EX Review
AI Summary2 min read
TL;DR
Scott Pilgrim EX is a retro beat 'em up that adds depth and replayability while reflecting on nostalgia and the evolution of the genre. It's a fun experience that appreciates the past while enjoying the present.
Scott Pilgrim EX reviewed by Will Borger on PlayStation 5, also available on Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Scott Pilgrim EX is the latest in a long line of retro revivals from Tribute Games, and like all of its previous works, the developer has done an admirable job of producing a beat ‘em up that builds on its predecessor while adding much appreciated gameplay depth and plenty of replayability. I love EX’s RPG systems (simple as they are), its world, and how there is always another interesting character to try when I get bored. But it’s also a game that grapples with the passage of time, even if it perhaps doesn’t mean to. The modern beat ‘em up exists because of the games that came before, but they were often far more limited. With the passage of time, we’ve returned to those ideas and refined them. Like Scott Pilgrim itself, those games have gone from something that was new to something that is now referenced. Nostalgia is a powerful drug, but a bittersweet one, and Scott Pilgrim EX understands that. You can go back in time, but you can’t go back to the way things were. All that’s left is to appreciate where you’ve been and enjoy what’s here now. And you know what? What’s here is pretty fun.