Scott Pilgrim EX

Scott Pilgrim EX appeals to me in many ways, mostly in how it lets me reflect on my life in and out of gaming. It’s endlessly entertaining on the eyes and ears, and it has the best belt-scrolling combat this side of Streets of Rage 4. The swings it takes in terms of pushing its genre or reaching towards a new audience don’t always connect, but it’s still a quick, joyful experience I’m happy to continue playing both solo and with loved ones (and you random people online, I guess).

Whether playing solo or co-op, Scott Pilgrim EX is a positive addition to the beat'em up genre. The title shines with its diverse characters, pixel art graphics, excellent soundtrack, and gameplay which, despite being simple, is functional and fun to master. A must-have game for fans of the series and the genre, but also a great entry point for beginners.

It's great how Scott Pilgrim EX balances intuitive gameplay with its many clever mechanics to make for a diverse yet streamlined experience.

In the ever-growing landscape of modern beat 'em ups, Scott Pilgrim EX undoubtedly manages to carve out a prominent spot for itself, thanks to a structure that cleverly blends classic genre mechanics with various RPG elements. While it isn't the first side-scrolling brawler to take this path, and certain aspects still need polishing—specifically a perhaps excessive number of random encounters and a rather pronounced grinding component—the overall result is more than solid. Indeed, we are presented with an excellent combat system that is deeper than it first appears, supported by seven playable characters, all of whom are well-differentiated in their style and approach to combat. This is further bolstered by a good variety of enemies and well-crafted boss battles that succeed in keeping the challenge level high. For fans of the graphic novel (or the animated series), the witty dialogue and numerous Easter eggs provide significant added value. The collaboration with the original creator is reflected in the care given to the atmosphere, while the art and sound design convincingly capture the work's identity, showcasing the development team's passion and attention to detail.

Scott Pilgrim is back, and this time he needs to work with his enemies to save the world. Scott Pilgrim EX looks great, has a wonderful soundtrack and is a joy to play thanks to its enjoyable combat. It's just a shame it has no modes beyond its main adventure.

Scott Pilgrim EX had a lot of legacy to live up to, and it mostly honours that with excellent mechanics and gameplay overhauls alongside a brand new story.

Scott Pilgrim EX is filled with a lot of charm, depth, and ambition. While not every choice is a home run, it’s a blast more often than not, and its multiple endings and secrets will keep you playing for far after you roll credits the first time. Tribute Games continues to experiment with beat ’em ups, and this is another strong one from the studio.

Known for the excellent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022), the Canadian studio Tribute Games hits the mark once again by delivering the definitive beat 'em up for fans of the Sex Bob-omb bassist. Fun and chaotic, the experience has the potential to please both long-time fans and newcomers to the franchise.

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.

The just fine writing and exploration that doesn't add as much as I hoped mean that Scott Pilgrim EX isn't quite a genre-defining brawler like the stand-out Shredder's Revenge and Absolum. Instead, it's closer to Cosmic Invasion, a great beat 'em up that does a lot right with plenty of style and love for the source material, especially as an unabashedly biased fan. If this is as much of a sendoff to the series as it feels, then it's a worthy last hurrah.

Although the game can get frustrating if you're playing alone, Scott Pilgrim EX is definitely worth picking up if you are a fan of brawlers. It's light on the plot but its chaotic combat and fun cast of characters more than make up for it. This is definitely a game where it's definitely better to partner up for, but frustrating or not that's pretty much the case with any brawler of this nature.

Looking back once more on Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game, it's still incredible how it managed to deliver a great beat 'em up experience within the confines of its property. Scott Pilgrim EX can be fun, but it lacks that additional level of oomph that could see it stand side by side with the original, and that's without getting into all the ways it simply falls short as a video game.

It's just good fun. You can argue against some of the back-tracking and some slightly fiddly platforming, but by and large this is a solid beat-'em-up with a lot of personality.

Scott Pilgrim EX is Millennial comfort food. It's reminiscent of both actual classic games from the 1980s and the 2010 homage, it's bursting with small nods to our favorite games and movies and shows, and it just feels great to play. It's not especially daring, but it goes down smooth, and sometimes that's enough.

With superb retro visuals, OTT combat, and four player co-op, Scott Pilgrim EX is a suitable love letter to the brilliance of the original graphic novels. Sure, there’s some issues that will spoil you and your pals’ fun on occasion, but overall Scott and his friends – and enemies – are well worth your time.

Scott Pilgrim EX truly functions as a narrative continuation of a multimedia universe, which is a bit risky to do nowadays, depending on the size of the franchise. As a beat 'em up, it delivers a colorful and energetic adventure for those who want something not too complicated to enjoy with friends, but the system of repeatedly roaming the map can make the pace of progression drag, even though the game itself is quite short.

Scott Pilgrim EX breathes new life into the beat 'em up genre with a charismatic approach that, although it falls short in some respects, will for sure bring a smile to your face.

Tribute Games delivers another solid brawler with Scott Pilgrim EX, boasting great music, slick visuals, and satisfying combat. Unfortunately, a weak mission structure and a very short runtime keep it from reaching the heights of TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge. The open-world idea is fun but underused, making the €30 price tag feel a bit steep.