Exophobia

Indie games with pixelated visuals continue to rise because they are triggering old gamer nostalgia. But with the number of releases lately, enthusiasm would die down for that art style. Exophobia is proof that there's still a keen interest in old-school games. It serves up a high-octane, challenging first-person shooter that could have been released in the early 90s.

This upcoming FPS already has the allure of nostalgia, a glowing neon color palette, and the pull of some hardcore combat mechanics. It's already set in stone who Exophobia is targeted towards, but can this indie title deliver? We've been treated to a playable demo to learn something. Let's dive more into this intergalactic sci-fi world to discover more.

The Future is Retro

It's no secret what kind of gameplay Exophobia is trying to replicate. Instead of shamelessly integrating those mechanics as the core function of the game, it embraces them as an homage to old-school FPS. And you know what? It works swimmingly. The game instantly triggers the nostalgia factor if you played games like these in the early 90s.

The premise of Exophobia is that you're a lone human survivor on a spaceship that's been infested with aliens. Naturally, you'll have to transcend the multiple floors and layers of this mechanical labyrinth, facing hordes, demons, overlords, and whatever the far reaches of space have to throw at you. It all sounds samey and bare on the surface, but getting into the thick of it begins a rollercoaster of cognitive combat.

Exophobia relies on its intensity to keep players on edge, leaving them unaware of what's around every corner and where these pixelated monsters are coming from. The skill and challenge of combat retain player interest throughout the demo, where the story lacks. The exploration and upgrade mechanics also prove as an incentive to continue, with some determination to become the best retro space warrior possible.

There's a lot of potential with Exophobia if the demo says anything. We look forward to a complete release sometime this year, with hopes of a more refined storyline to add to the nostalgic, engaging FPS gameplay. The groundwork is all there for an entertaining title.

No Rest for the Exophobes

Suppose you've given the playable demo of Exophobia a whirl. You'll gather that the game is like if Doom and Dead Space had a love child in the early 90s. It's got the intense, challenging combat mechanics of the former with the story and setting of the latter. Throw in the early FPS visuals, and you've got a bang-on description of the complete package.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Polished, old-school FPS
• Combat is highly engaging and challenging
• The visuals skyrocket that nostalgia factor

Cons:

• No release date yet
• The storyline could be a bit clearer