 |
| The full Scott Pilgrim EX roster is here, and Tribute Games gave every one of them something worth doing. |
By Jon Scarr
I came to Scott Pilgrim backwards. The 2010 Ubisoft brawler came first, then Edgar Wright's film, then the comics. Most people went the other way. Either path brings you to the same place though, a franchise with a specific kind of energy that is hard to pin down and even harder to replicate. Tribute Games did it once with the original game. When Scott Pilgrim EX was announced with O'Malley writing the story and Anamanaguchi returning for the soundtrack, the question wasn't whether it would be good. It was whether it could match what came before. It gets very close.
Scott Pilgrim EX Details
Platform: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch 2, PC via Steam
Reviewed on: Xbox Series X
Developer: Tribute Games
Publisher: Tribute Games
Genre: Beat 'em Up / Action
Game Modes: Single-player, Local co-op, Online co-op
A Story That Almost Sticks the Landing
Toronto in Scott Pilgrim EX has completely lost the plot, and that is exactly the point. Three gangs have taken over the city: vegans, robots, and demons. Most of Sex Bob-omb has been kidnapped. Scott and Ramona are the only ones left to track everyone down. O'Malley writing the story himself makes a real difference. The humour sounds like it comes from the source rather than someone trying to imitate it. Fourth-wall breaks work. Callbacks to the film and the anime work. Running jokes pay off. I grew up with the comics. Nothing here rang false.
The former Evil Exes turning up as playable allies is the story's best move. Characters the original treated as one-note jokes get actual moments here. Lucas Lee in particular gets some genuinely funny writing. The game gives them real personality rather than just boss rush fodder, and the whole thing is better for it. Lucas Lee was always my favourite part of the original story. Seeing what they did with him here was a genuine surprise.
Where the story loses points is in what it doesn't finish. Several threads get introduced and then quietly dropped. Some of that might be deliberate, but it reads more like the campaign ran out of room before everything got resolved. For a game this short, the unfinished threads are more noticeable than they might otherwise be. The story is fun while it lasts. It just doesn't close as cleanly as everything around it does.
 |
| The new story takes you through parts of Toronto you haven't seen in a Scott Pilgrim game before. The pixel art looks great doing it. |
Seven Characters and None of Them Wasted
The roster is the strongest it has ever been in a Scott Pilgrim game. Seven characters, each one meaningfully different from the others. Scott and Ramona give you a solid place to start, versatile enough to get comfortable with the combat before things open up. The returning Evil Exes are where the roster gets genuinely interesting. Roxie is fast and covers ground with diagonal strikes that work well against grouped enemies. Matthew Patel hits wide and handles crowds differently from almost everyone else. Lucas Lee is simply larger than the other characters, which changes his hitbox and makes him a completely different kind of brawler.
Combat is built around punches, throws, and character-specific moves that string together naturally. There is enough variety to reward trying different approaches but not so much that getting started takes any real effort. Spending coins at shops to upgrade your stats gives you a reason to explore rather than just push through stages. I spent more time poking around than I expected to, and found myself going back to characters I'd written off after the first run.
Co-op is where the game gets genuinely unhinged, and that is a compliment. Up to four of you can jump in mid-stage, and when everyone is going at once the whole thing turns into beautiful, chaotic nonsense. Going through it on your own holds up too, but the later stages will punish you if you've been ignoring the shops. If you got a taste of the Steam demo before launch, co-op is where the full game really opens up.
 |
| The combat has a clean flow to it. Every character strings moves together a little differently. |
An Open Toronto With One Real Problem
Rather than a linear stage select, Scott Pilgrim EX gives you an interconnected map of Toronto to move through at your own pace. New areas open as you progress. The city branches in ways that make exploring worthwhile rather than obligatory. It is a genuinely interesting structural decision that keeps things from feeling predictable start to finish.
The tradeoff is that you will see a lot of the same streets. The map moves quickly so it never stops the game dead, but crossing the same stretch of Toronto for the third time does start to get old. Know that going in and it is much easier to deal with. It didn't stop me from wanting to keep going. It just made me wish the map had a few more surprises tucked into the repeat stretches.
 |
| The backgrounds are packed with detail and Easter eggs. The Happy Avocado alone is worth stopping for. |
The Pixel Art and the Soundtrack Both Deliver
Tribute Games clearly put real care into how this game looks. Every character has personality baked into their animations before a single punch gets thrown. The version of Toronto here is loud and colourful and a little surreal, which is exactly right for this franchise. The environments pull you through different time periods and dimensions as you go, and nothing ever starts repeating visually even though the campaign is on the shorter side.
The Easter eggs in the backgrounds are worth slowing down for. Nods to other games are tucked into almost every stage, and the better ones are genuinely clever rather than surface-level references. They sit quietly in the backgrounds rather than demanding your attention.
The Xbox Series X version never gave me a reason to think about performance, which is exactly how it should be. Four-player co-op with a full screen of enemies, active environmental effects, and everyone throwing specials at once, none of it caused a problem. Solid throughout. On a game this busy in co-op, that is worth more than it sounds.
The Anamanaguchi soundtrack is one of the best parts of the whole package. Every area gets its own tracks rather than cycling through the same rotation, which means the music stays present the entire way through instead of fading into the background. The sound design ties everything together too. Hits, crowd reactions, environmental audio, it all hits where it should.
 |
| Every boss encounter gets its own stage framing. The pixel art does a lot of work setting up the moment before the fight even starts. |
Scott Pilgrim EX Is Worth Every Minute You Put Into It
Nobody had to make this game. The 2010 brawler had already done its job and found its audience. Tribute Games made it anyway, and made it well. The open map swings big and mostly sticks it. The backtracking is a real annoyance. The story starts stronger than it finishes.
But the combat is sharp, the roster has never been better, and the whole thing looks and sounds like a project that mattered to the people who built it. Scott Pilgrim EX is a short game. You will want more of it when it ends. Coming from a franchise sequel, that is about the best thing you can say.
Scott Pilgrim EX Review Summary
Liked
- O'Malley writing the story — the humour sounds like the real thing
- Former Evil Exes as playable allies with actual personality
- Seven characters, each genuinely different to play
- Co-op is unhinged fun from start to finish
- Open Toronto map adds real variety to the structure
- Anamanaguchi soundtrack stays with you the whole way through
- Presentation and Xbox Series X performance both excellent
Didn't Like
- Several story threads get dropped without resolution
- Backtracking the same streets gets old by hour three
- Campaign ends before you're ready for it to
Overall Assessment of Scott Pilgrim EX
Gameplay: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4 / 5)
Presentation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 / 5)
Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 / 5)
Story / Narrative: ⭐⭐⭐✨☆ (3.5 / 5)
Fun Factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 / 5)
Overall Value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4 / 5)
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. Please stay respectful and on topic.