Scott Pilgrim EX

In Scott Pilgrim EX, you can truly feel the care that the developers at Tribute Games poured into every character, scenario, enemy, and boss. It is a sequel that respects its roots while remaining unafraid to evolve, representing a massive leap forward compared to the first title. It perfectly blends everything a high-quality beat ‘em up needs with the franchise’s signature nerdy humor. It is an unexpected and extremely fun way to expand Bryan Lee O’Malley’s universe, being literally impossible not to laugh throughout the journey or to have a blast with its nonsensical plots and over-the-top bosses. Ultimately, it is the perfect kind of beat ‘em up for a pizza night with friends – and this one even comes with a bit of extra spice to make things even more interesting. The only major downside is that its main story is too short, and I finished it wanting even more.

Scott Pilgrim EX takes the beloved franchise into new pixelated heights, offering fans of the 2010 original a worthy sequel to jump into, Mario-style.

The switch to an “open world” does bring with it some hiccups, but Scott Pilgrim EX is still a great beat 'em up in the tradition of its predecessor. It’s an assault on the senses in all the right ways, and having Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley on board as a writer (along with Scott Pilgrim Takes Off co-creator BenDavid Grabinski) ensures that this universe is handled with all the care and love that fans hope. At $30, some might call it short, but when you see how much variety is packed into the design, you understand that Tribute Games pushed itself as much as possible.

Scott Pilgrim EX is a palatable fresh helping of retro beatdown goodness, but it's too brief and easygoing to deliver more fun than its inspirations or its best contemporaries.

Scott Pilgrim EX is just a really dumb, fun adventure through the streets of Toronto. Though it has some hiccups, you fall in lesbians with its combat, art direction, and writing.