Exo One

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 46 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 46
  3. Negative: 9 out of 46

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. 3t3rnal
    Dec 19, 2021
    3
    Strong beginning, falls apart throughout.

    The first couple stages of the game are amazing, the quick and simple tutorial explains all of the necessities, and armed with the knowledge of how to move about, you set off via well crafted, atmospheric environments, supported by a wonderful, fitting soundtrack, forwards to reach the resolution of the mystery that is supposed to be the main    Strong beginning, falls apart throughout.

    The first couple stages of the game are amazing, the quick and simple tutorial explains all of the necessities, and armed with the knowledge of how to move about, you set off via well crafted, atmospheric environments, supported by a wonderful, fitting soundtrack, forwards to reach the resolution of the mystery that is supposed to be the main driving force, though the story isn't anything special.

    Still, the first couple of stages feel great, the sense of movement and speed, of wonder as you roll and fly and swim through a variety of well designed (albeit upon closer inspection, a bit technically undercooked and empty-ish) environments, it simply feels amazing and I was looking forward to more.

    Oh boy, was I in for a rude awakening. After the first couple open stages with near complete freedom of movement and approaching your objectives, you are pushed into a more linear, closed in stage, forcing slower movement and requiring more precise jumps, etc. The enclosed, restricted space makes the technical shortcomings (in regards to the graphics) of the game very glaringly obvious and controlling your "probe" becomes frustrating due to the controls and camera which were good for more open spaces - and very obviously tuned for them.

    Well, this dampened my mood a bit, but hey, it's an indie, and it's just one stage so far, can't expect flawless experience and miracles, yes? Well, next stage just suckerpunched me and I just quit the game, because it was even worse - by an order of magnitude. At first glance, open space, yes! Except you are restricted to very, very, very small portion of it, and to move forward, have to do several very precise jumps which require a very specific velocity and angle, which is A) hard to determine and B) even harder to perform, due to the shape of the surface you will be moving on. After a couple attempts (and getting stuck on the last jump) I just gave up. I play games to have good experiences, not to frustrate myself due to poor design choices of the author(s). The feelings the first stages evoked were gone anyways, and there was no guarantee any of the following stages were any good.

    Also, the game is definitely not optimized all that well - considering it's full of pretty low poly geometry, blurry low-res textures, and particle effects from a decade ago, this is even worse than if it had high quality graphics. Despite running it from a near-empty nvme SSD on a pretty decent rig (R9 5900X, RX 6900 XT), the loading was a bit slow and the game would, in the first stage at least, stutter at times. It also crashed when I tried to play it with a gamepad - would freeze on the loading screen for a bit, then crash.    … Expand
  2. Cloneus
    Nov 25, 2021
    5
    This game is painfully average with controls that make you feel like you are constantly fighting the camera to see where you are going. Nothing here is new, the story is not thought provoking at all, and the worlds have the depth of a puddle. Once you get past the awe of the art style, (which is actually pretty good) you will notice that after the 3rd world which is 10 minutes in you'veThis game is painfully average with controls that make you feel like you are constantly fighting the camera to see where you are going. Nothing here is new, the story is not thought provoking at all, and the worlds have the depth of a puddle. Once you get past the awe of the art style, (which is actually pretty good) you will notice that after the 3rd world which is 10 minutes in you've already seen everything the game has to offer. This makes the rest of the game a dull slog to the finish line with some levels very uncomfortable overstaying their welcome in run-time. The developers seem to have had a great idea here, but when push came to shove, they couldn't flesh it out enough to make it work well which ended in a lot of bad design decisions. I don't think this game is worth the buy and you will probably get more enjoyment watching others play this walking sim rather than playing it yourself.… Expand
  3. strangermoon
    May 23, 2023
    7
    look more next gen then new consle games. it can be quite something using ship instead of ball. physc use of this game quite achivement. more like ps3 journey stlye with sience spice. sheldon game seems.
  4. sphirit
    Dec 1, 2021
    8
    Un juego muy bonito, con unos paisajes increibles. Muy recomendado si te gusta el rollo astronomia
  5. nitorita
    Jan 9, 2022
    6
    I wasn't expecting much from this indie game to begin with, but the clean visuals and the idea of space travel got me interested enough to give it a shot. It was free on the Xbox Game Pass, so I figured, why not?

    Sadly, the gameplay is rather monotonous and there is not much you do besides going from Point A to Point B. The planetary environments become repetitive quickly, and contrary    I wasn't expecting much from this indie game to begin with, but the clean visuals and the idea of space travel got me interested enough to give it a shot. It was free on the Xbox Game Pass, so I figured, why not?

    Sadly, the gameplay is rather monotonous and there is not much you do besides going from Point A to Point B. The planetary environments become repetitive quickly, and contrary to what you are led to believe, the gameplay isn't designed with a zen mode in mind—you have to perform physics-based movements in order to travel, which requires a bit of finesse.

    Sadly, the nail in the coffin that ultimately caused me to abandon this game was when I later encountered one particular object floating in the air that I simply could not reach no matter how much I tried. I'm sure there is a proper solution, but by that point in time, I was already teetering on the brink of moving on, so I simply did not care anymore.

    In any case, if this game is your cup of tea, then that is great, but otherwise, it is not a game to lose your sleep over. It's an interesting proof of concept, but that's about all it is. A student's class project.    … Expand
  6. CallOfTheVoid88
    Nov 27, 2021
    9
    Exo One is as calming as it is intense, as perplexing as that may sound. Its exploration of the strange and deep realms of space, paired with its brilliantly orchestrated soundtrack, produces a unique sci-fi experience that aficionados of the genre should absolutely check out. This is Exbleative's first title, but it's a doozy
  7. Kelen
    Aug 7, 2023
    3
    [PL]
    3/10 - Słaba
    (po graniu 2,5h i ukończeniu) Lecenie kulo-plackiem w stronę słupów światła. Na początku przyjemna i relaksująca, ale z czasem męczy, nudzi i rozczarowuje. Nie warta uwagi. Fabuła jakaś jest i początkowo kusi byciem tajemniczą, ale jest ostatecznie bardzo prosta i niespecjalnie ciekawa. Cała narracja to od czasu co czasu mignięcie jakiegoś obrazka i kilka    [PL]
    3/10 - Słaba
    (po graniu 2,5h i ukończeniu)
    Lecenie kulo-plackiem w stronę słupów światła.

    Na początku przyjemna i relaksująca, ale z czasem męczy, nudzi i rozczarowuje.
    Nie warta uwagi.

    Fabuła jakaś jest i początkowo kusi byciem tajemniczą, ale jest ostatecznie bardzo prosta i niespecjalnie ciekawa.
    Cała narracja to od czasu co czasu mignięcie jakiegoś obrazka i kilka napisów raz na długi czas, towarzyszących niewyraźnemu gadaniu.

    Mechanika latania i turlania całkiem ciekawa - do przyspieszania wykorzystujemy grawitację, kształt terenu i ogólnie otoczenie.
    Poruszanie się przyjemne, dynamiczne. Całkiem niezłe poczucie prędkości.

    Czasem ujęcia znad chmur bywają ładne, ale ogólnie grafika przeciętna.

    Bywa zbugowana.
    W 6-tym etapie przeleciałem gdzieś nad górami i ominąłem przepadkiem prawie cały etap, co odkryłem oglądając "walkthrough", a najwidoczniej był to jeden z tych ciekawszych... choć za mało ciekawy, bym zaczynał całą grę od początku.
    Potem już do końca gry miałem wątpliwości, czy nie lecę gdzieś, gdzie nie powinienem...

    Dawno nie grałem w nic aż tak słabego.    … Expand
  8. GVB
    Jun 23, 2022
    1
    No story, no relaxing, no fun. A few pretty wallpapers (not outstanding, just "pretty"), one after the other.
  9. amazedbyexoone
    Nov 23, 2021
    10
    This game is something that everyone should experience, it is something that will stay in your memory forever, sorry if this review is short with constructive explanations and more of my emotional feelings, but what are the games suppose to do at the end of the day ? I think to leave a something that i cant explain, its just a mystery. I RATE THIS GAME AS A PEACE OF ART of 2021 !
  10. Sinhwaui
    Nov 24, 2021
    8
    A not so new experience but well crafted.

    Exo One it's about exploring the unknown in a sphere-like alien spacecraft that uses the environment's energy and gravity to progress in this journey. The graphics are pretty much spot-on. A simplistic but clean weather system, flora, and these kinds of monuments/relics all around. Sound like it is pleasant to the ear, the sound of the    A not so new experience but well crafted.

    Exo One it's about exploring the unknown in a sphere-like alien spacecraft that uses the environment's energy and gravity to progress in this journey.

    The graphics are pretty much spot-on. A simplistic but clean weather system, flora, and these kinds of monuments/relics all around.

    Sound like it is pleasant to the ear, the sound of the rain touching the ground, the sound of the craft gliding through the wind currents and diving inside the vast open oceans.

    As for bugs, it has very few when it comes to gameplay, especially playing a specific level around mid-game where you need to do the slingshot effect to exit an asteroid's orbit. This level is pretty fast to complete, but sometimes you might be stuck because of the other asteroid's gravitational field pulling you more than it should from overly long distances. I haven't encountered anything more.

    Load times are only present when switching between levels and hidden by an animation which can be problematic for people with schizophrenia.

    The game is about 2-4 hours. It all comes down to if you're enjoying your surroundings and exploring or just rushing it.

    Story-wise you will have some dialogue and pictures thrown at the screen. The voices sound distant and fictional-like.

    The controls are basic and intuitive. I recommend playing with a controller for more chill and immersive gameplay while sitting back on your chair/couch/bed.

    Summarizing looks beautiful from start to finish. You will immerse yourself into it by how good it looks and sounds. Delivered the concept it was supposed to transmit, spectacular addition to the genre.

    Maybe they could do more, but for now, it is a solid game.

    8/10

    Follow me on Twitch Sinhwaui for real-time gameplay and opinions.    … Expand
  11. crazybutter1
    Dec 1, 2021
    8
    Exo One is not at all the game to play if you're looking for thrill or a long term experience. However, this is a brilliant game to relax to and sit back to; you solve simple puzzles as a sphere/disc accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack at points and brilliant graphics.
    The story is short and sweet. Everything about this game is short and sweet.
    Kick back, relax and enjoy this absolute    Exo One is not at all the game to play if you're looking for thrill or a long term experience. However, this is a brilliant game to relax to and sit back to; you solve simple puzzles as a sphere/disc accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack at points and brilliant graphics.
    The story is short and sweet. Everything about this game is short and sweet.
    Kick back, relax and enjoy this absolute spectacle of a game.    … Expand
  12. Telemees
    Feb 8, 2022
    9
    I loved the game. Super relaxing and fun. Game could be longer, I hope the game will be playable on console
  13. semaqod
    Feb 25, 2022
    0
    Чистое наслаждение от музыки, ненапряжный геймплей, идеальная игра чтобы отдохнуть после работы либо же просто трипануть
  14. adamflame7
    Jun 11, 2023
    9
    A simple, yet exceedingly enjoyable experience. Roll and soar through vast landscapes that can both look frightening and beautiful. Not much to it, just a nice and short game to relax the nerves.

Awards & Rankings

75
#75 Best PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. TheSixthAxis
    Jan 5, 2022
    80
    Exo One is an enjoyable other-world experience that challenges players with the mastery of an alien spacecraft. Tight controls and great physics more than make up for the odd repetitive spot, making Exo One an absolute must for anyone with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. Even without one, I’d still recommend picking it up.
    Read full review
  2. Meristation
    Dec 29, 2021
    78
    Visually with some breathtakings moments of space beauty, Exo One is like a No Man’s Sky made by Thatgamecompany, a journey trough beautiful alien planets where you cannot die nor lose. Where is the challenge, then? In the journey itself, a contemplating and at the same time interactive journey with a simple and accessible gameplay where gain momentum is the key to all. The story is not very well narrated and the game is simply too short, but jumping trough asteroids fields and sea worlds is definitely something.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    Dec 29, 2021
    82
    Exo One delights with innovation and an immersive atmosphere - if you let it.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »