At a time when the beat ’em up genre wasn’t exactly bustling with standout entries, Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game made a significant impact. Far from simply cashing in on the hype from Edgar Wright’s film, it captured the art style of the comics and delivered excellent gameplay. Scott Pilgrim EX, which follows the 2023 Netflix series, looks to bring that same energy, and given Tribute Games’ experience with delivering some of the genre’s best entries, you would expect a well-rounded successor.
The results are a little more muddled than that, however. While Scott Pilgrim EX still packs a surprisingly deep combat system like its 2010 predecessor – not to mention the incredible aesthetic – it falls short in more than a few areas. It can still be a fun beat ’em up in its own right, but this isn’t 15+ years ago. Plenty of worthwhile alternatives exist and deliver more than their fair share of compelling gameplay experiences.
For a series that’s always been light on logic and big on heart, the story does very little to actually make sense. Space and time have somehow been ruptured, three gangs are running amok, but Scott and his friends aren’t necessarily interested. They’re busy practising for a show later, and it’s only when Metal Scott appears and kidnaps the rest of the band that Scott is spurred into action. With a little help from Ramona Flowers and some of her not-quite-so-evil-anymore exes.
"Odd as it all sounds when laid out like this, it works surprisingly well within the setting, and that’s not even accounting for Scott Pilgrim’s own ridiculous ideas (like the Vegan Police). Some of it can be eye-rolling, but if you enjoyed the overall vibe of the property, then it’s all par for the course."
If you’re confused by the addition of characters like Metal Scott, then strap in, because the entire vibe of the Scott Pilgrim universe is heavily based on pop culture. There’s the ambiguous-looking Scorpion enemy, complete with a grapple that pulls you closer to him; Lady Envy, a boss who transforms into a Poison Ivy-like towering plant during intervals by committing seppuku a la Lady Maria from Bloodborne; a POW block; and, of course, playing your bass like an ocarina to unlock a portal. But it goes even further beyond as Scott and friends can gather coins from enemies, purchase gear to upgrade their stats, and equip badges with unique passive effects. They can even summon other characters to lend a hand if their GP gauge is high enough.
Odd as it all sounds when laid out like this, it works surprisingly well within the setting, and that’s not even accounting for Scott Pilgrim’s own ridiculous ideas (like the Vegan Police). Some of it can be eye-rolling, but if you enjoyed the overall vibe of the property, then it’s all par for the course. That doesn’t make the plot any less nonsensical, though you would also think it’d go further than simply traveling through portals to different worlds/eras to retrieve items and instruments to save the band.
There’s also the world map. Unlike Scott Pilgrim vs The World, you’re traversing linearly through levels. This allows for visiting shops to gear up, heal and unlock additional color palettes or speak with some of the NPCs roaming about. A lot of back and forth between areas is involved, and even after you unlock Subspace to make travel easier, it’s far from that feeling of catharsis that revisiting an older area with a new ability would provide.
And despite carrying numerous references to the world of Scott Pilgrim, complete with familiar characters like Julie, who seems to work every single job, it barely aspires to anything more. The actual areas that you fight through aren’t that much better, often feeling overly straightforward and monotonous (with a few exceptions). But hey, at least you can visit iconic locations like Scott and Wallace’s apartment.
"The combat still feels pretty tight, though, even if the running momentum can take some getting used to. Each character is also unique in their own right, from Scott’s video-game-inspired attacks (spot the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku if you can) to Lucas Lee’s powerhouse moves."
Nevertheless, this is a beat ’em up at heart, and if you’ve played a beat ’em up, then you probably know what to expect. Light attacks and heavy attacks to start, a powerful Super Attack that can knock back foes, and a grab for those pesky unblockable foes (though it won’t always work on later enemies). Chaining strikes results in different combos, and Scott Pilgrim EX distinguishes them in unconventional ways. Light attacks are faster, but heavy attacks can build up stun status, making crowd control that much easier, which could make all the difference when swarmed by foes. Similarly, grabbing an enemy and launching them into others can be a worthwhile tactic for creating space.
As is also typical of contemporary beat ’em ups, you have a block button, which can turn into a backstep when pressed together with the jump bottom. You can also parry projectiles or melee attacks by attacking at just the right moment. All together, it’s a solid system that’s easy to embrace while offering just enough nuance for those who want to get invested.
Of course, chaos can often be the name of the game, and it’s not long before all strategy goes out the window in favor of multiple throwable items, weapons, explosives, and whatnot. I also found that equipping a badge which drains GP from enemies while attacking them can be used to constantly fuel Super Attacks. It’s a neat power fantasy on paper, but it can serve to quickly trivialize some encounters in the early to mid-game, especially boss fights when multiple minions are called in. At least the bosses themselves have interesting gimmicks, like prehistoric Roxxi using Scott’s bass to summon explosives from the sky as Vegans assail you from all sides (I can’t promise that makes any more sense when actually viewing it).
The combat still feels pretty tight, though, even if the running momentum can take some getting used to. Each character is also unique in their own right, from Scott’s video-game-inspired attacks (spot the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku if you can) to Lucas Lee’s powerhouse moves. Even the summons adds a nice little extra layer to it all, whether you’re calling in the Katayanagi Twins to heal you or Young Neil to obliterate the entire screen with a parade of other Young Neils. Enemies also have unique patterns and attacks, but they can get more obnoxious as you progress to later areas.
"Compared to some of the greats of today, like Absolum and even Tribute Games’ own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, it aspires to be simply good rather than outright incredible."
Though it can take longer than its predecessor, Scott Pilgrim EX isn’t a very long game – replayability is more the impetus, especially if you have friends who can join in (with support for up to four players, locally and online). And there is a fair amount of stuff to unlock, whether you’re trying to collect all the badges or discover every single secret. However, given all the shortcomings, it can feel like a slog at times, even if it doesn’t extend playtime by a lot.
This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.
Captures the signature look and feel of the comics, randomness and all. Solid beat 'em up mechanics which are easy to pick up and deceptively complex. Decent enemy variety and bosses have unique gimmicks.
Level design often feels flat and overtly straightforward. The world ultimately feels like set dressing and bogs down the pacing. Overtly random plot, even by Scott Pilgrim standards, that's hard to care about.
