Exoborne: A High-Octane Extraction Shooter Preview

Exoborne, an upcoming extraction shooter, refines the genre's core tenets – get in, grab the loot, and escape – by introducing powerful Exo-Rigs, dynamic weather effects, and grappling hooks. After a recent 4-5 hour preview, Exoborne shows strong potential to make a significant impact.

The Exo-Rigs are central to Exoborne's unique identity. Three distinct rigs are currently available:

• Kodiak: Offers a sprint shield and a powerful ground slam attack.
• Viper: Rewards aggressive play with health regeneration on kills and a strong melee attack.
• Kestrel: Prioritizes mobility with enhanced jumping and temporary hover capabilities.

Each rig can be customized with unique modules, further enhancing their abilities. While the limited selection of three rigs feels restrictive, developer Shark Mob remains tight-lipped about future additions.

Gameplay is satisfying, with weighty gunplay, impactful melee combat, and the grappling hook adding a dynamic traversal element. Random weather events, including tornadoes (boosting aerial mobility) and rain (rendering parachutes ineffective), add an unpredictable layer to navigation. Fire tornadoes offer a risky but rewarding traversal option.

Risk and Reward: The Core Loop

Exoborne's design revolves around risk versus reward. A 20-minute timer triggers a location broadcast to all players, initiating a 10-minute extraction window. Extracting earlier yields less loot, but staying longer increases the potential rewards. Loot is scattered throughout the environment, with the most valuable prizes being other players' possessions and artifacts. Artifacts, containing valuable loot, require keys and are contested locations, encouraging player interaction. Highly defended areas offer the best loot but demand significant risk.

Even when downed, players aren't immediately eliminated. Self-revives and teammate revives offer a chance for comeback, although this requires careful coordination and timing.

Concerns:

Two key concerns emerged from the preview:

1. Squad Dependency: Exoborne strongly favors coordinated squads. While solo and random matchmaking are possible, the experience is significantly less optimal, especially considering the game's non-free-to-play model.
2. Unclear Late-Game: The late-game focus on PvP, while enjoyable in short bursts, lacks sufficient depth to sustain engagement between skirmishes.

Exoborne's PC playtest (February 12-17) will be crucial in addressing these issues and shaping the final product. The game's core mechanics are exciting, but its success hinges on addressing the squad dependency and defining a compelling late-game experience.