It's been roughly nine months since Capcom's dino-eradicating PvE shooter Exoprimal hit the scene. It's been an interesting game to follow, as it's continued to find new and surprising ways to twist the "shoot a ton of dinosaurs with ?guns" formula.

Title Update 4, out today, feels like the latest evolution of that. On one end, you have activities like the Neo Triceratops Savage Gauntlet and Time Loop Rebellion, both adding some high-difficulty options for kitted-out players. Custom matches also add a nice feature, for those looking to gather a dedicated party to tackle the hardest challenges in Exoprimal.

And then you also have the Mega Man Collaboration, bringing special cosmetics and suit skins into the world of Exoprimal, as well as a boss battle against the legendary Yellow Devil, a classic foe of the Blue Bomber. Plus,? new suit variants, and plenty of other reasons to return.

So, we took the opportunity to catch up with director Takuro Hiraoka to see just how things are going for Exoprimal. We talk player response, how the Mega Man collab came to be, and even what the future may hold for this dino-fighting PvE experience. Read o?n to learn more.

How has player response to Exoprimal shaped your post-launch support plans? For example, the Time Loop Rebellion challenge adds a more-powerful Behemoth fight - is this because players seem to want further endgame-level challenge?

Takuro Hiraoka: Following Exoprimal’s launch and the release of new content with each Title Update, we’ve examined how players respond and utilized their fe?edback for reference. That said, we don’t develop new content or make changes entirely based on these requests. Instead, the development team analyzes the ro?ot causes and true meaning behind these views and consciously combine players�wishes with our own aims.

In terms of Time Loop Rebellion’s addition, we und??erstood the story’s final battle was well received by players. We were also keenly aware the community found the 10-player co-op missions and event battles enjoyable, including the initial Neo Tyrannosaurus encounter. Based on this, the development team had the desire to add content that differed from the competitive PvE components of Dino Survival and the five-player co-op content of Savage Gauntlet. After careful consideration, we decided upon the addition of Time Loop Rebellion.

Another Capcom collaboration is on the way, this time with Mega Man. What was the reason the team decided on Mega Man, over other possible Capcom franchise collaborations?

Hiraoka: We considered collaborations with various Capcom titles, but the following items were
deciding factors for why we opted to move forward with a Mega Man collaboration:

• Personally, I am a fan of the Mega Man series.
• Masakazu Eguchi, who has worked on the Mega Man Battle Network series, was part of the Exoprimal development team and understands the game well. After consulting with him, we thought we’d be able to create an interesting and enjoyable collaboration.
• The development team wanted to see what sorts of fun elements we could bring to gameplay by recreating Mega Man’s 2D action in a 3D action format.

I’ll share more information later on, but the Yellow Devil boss battle is a genuinely interesting fight. I hope that both Exofighters and Mega Man fans enjoy it!

How did you decide which cosmetics you wanted to create for the Mega Man collab? Were there any parts of Mega Man history the team wanted to highlight, in particular?

Hiraoka: When thinking about cosmetic items for Capcom collaborations, we make sure to prioritize the following thi??ngs:

• The game(s) featured in the collaboration are clear and easy to understand.
• The cosmetic items are impactful and leave an impression on players.

For the Mega Man collaboration, a variety of suggestions arose during internal discussions. After careful consideration, we decided on t?he contents that are included in Title Update 4. Personally, I wanted to create a Dr. Wily Exosuit skin, but the team wasn’t able to bring that vision to fruition on an actual Exosuit, so we scrapped the idea. That said, Dr. Wily’s presence can be found in the collaboration’s charm and stamp cosmetics. Haha!

The Rajang skin from the Monster Hunter collaboration seemed to resonate well with players and became a hot topic of conversation. We wanted to create an equally impactful cosmetic item for the Mega Man colla??boration and decided on a Yellow Devil Ex??osuit skin.

The special fight features the infamous Yellow Devil boss. Why did you opt for this fight, in particular? Was it difficult to incorporate a giant robot fight into a game where you normally fight a different kind of enemy (dinosaurs)?

Hiraoka: Based on Exoprimal’s gameplay, we thought it would be difficult to feature one of the Robot Masters that Mega Man fights (e.g., Cut Man, Fire Man, etc.) as a boss for the collaboration mission. These battles consist of ten Exofighters working together to defeat a formidable foe, so the boss would need to be large?? and powerful enough to compete with a ten-player squad.

We selected Yellow Devil as a boss-type entity that would be able to meet these challenging conditions. Yellow Devil??’s size aligned perfectly with our needs, and we felt its well-known “block movement�attack �where it dematerializes and shoots its body parts at you block by block �would give it a fighting chance against teams of ten Exofighters. Another factor that influenced ??our decision was the excitement the development team felt when imagining the possibilities for Yellow Devil’s “block movement�attack in a 3D action format.

It’s been about nine months since Exoprimal first launched. How has the team felt about its reception since then? What has been the biggest surprise for you?

Hiraoka: The development team is incredibly happy and grateful that so many people have played Exoprimal despite it being a brand-new IP. As a new IP with an unconventional “competitive PvE�mode as its main feature, I feel there have been some challenges, but I also feel that Exoprimal has gained a solid fan base and is well received among players. Thank you for your ??continued support.

We are also appreciative of the game’s supportive and active community, including veteran Exofighters who are steppin??g up to support newer, less experienced players. I am amazed by how much players�skil??ls have improved and matured since launch. The development team is also extremely impressed by how quickly teams are able to complete Savage Gauntlet trials each week. Well done!

What does the road ahead for Exoprimal look like? Are further Title Updates to be expected, or has the team considered any larger content drops like expansions?

Please?? stay tuned for announcements at a later date.

Are there any remaining Capcom franchises that you’d still really like to work with inside of Exoprimal?

Hiraoka: Since Leviathan utilizes a ??variety of tactics to?? generate robust combat data, I think collaborations with other Capcom titles would be near-perfect combat tests for aspiring Exofighters. Haha!

Putting aside the possibility of execution, I think it would be a lot of fun to fight one of the fantasy monsters that appear in Dragon’s Dogma. It could also be exciting to go head-to-head with a massive horde of zombies from the Dead Rising universe.

Exoprimal Title Update 4 is now live on PlayStation, Xbox, ??and PC.

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Much like with Street Fighter 6 in Season 2, one of the big selling points of Exoprimal Season 3 is the Monster Hunter collaboration that Capcom has been promoting. The new season launches today, and it incorporates?? a pr??etty meaty amount of content.

Ryozo Tsujimoto, series producer of both Exoprimal and Monster Hunter, released a developer commentary video breaking down the collaboratio??n of the two beast-battling titles.

The highlight of the new content for most is likely the inclusion of Rathalos. The wyvern is sort of the Monster Hunter mascot at this point. The monster has been in every game of the series and was even featured as a boss and assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Exoprimal p?layers who gather enough monster tracks can trigger a special mission that brings the iconic creature into the game for battle. The flying wyvern will have an exosuit designed after it too.

"So, we designed the Rathalos boss fight in a way that maintains the King of the Skies�characteristic behaviors while also empowering it with the fortitude to take on 10 Exofighters," Exoprimal director Takuro Hiraoka told us in an interview about bringing Rathalos to Exoprimal.

Other than Rathalos, players can also obtain more of the usual in Monster Hunter style; skins, decals, emotes, charms, and stamps. One of the exosuits being introduced is an homage to another iconic Monster Hunter beast, Rajang. Th?ere will be exosuits of ?Kirin and Nergigante too.

The Exoprimal x Monster Hunter collab is only available for a limited window. You'll have to gob?ble up everything you can prior to the event ending on February 12. But there is more than just the cross-Capcom content to look forward to.

What else is in Exoprimal Season 3?

Season 3 is broken down in detail on the Exporimal site, but high??lights include a new 10-person co-op Final Mission against a new Neosaur: the Neo Triceratops. As well as four new beta variant exosuits to try out.

Also in Season 3 is a new Jungle field location that can be found deep within Bikitoa Island. A new stealth rig is being introduced too which turns players invisible for a limited time. There are a pair of new campaigns on the way this season to be excited for. The Lunar Campaign runs January 31 thro??ugh February 12 and the Chocolate Campaign will span February 13 through February 29.

Enjoy the new c??ontent while you can. Season 3 as a whole will conclud??e on April 17.

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Exoprimal launched at an interesting time, to say the least. Hitting in a surprisingly packed summer window, just after the release of a Capcom giant in Street Fighter 6, it's been quite the curiosity to follow.

To be up-front, I dig Exoprimal. Blasting apart hordes of dinosaurs with giant mech suits is already a good pitch on paper, and I spent a fair share of time carving through waves of prehistoric predators with my pals. While it takes some time to show its hand, there are some phenomenal moments and fights, especially as players advance deeper into its story through multiplayer missions, similar to the original Titanfall.

On Thursday, January 18, Exoprimal kicks off its third season with a bang: a Monster Hunter collaboration. The crossover brings over new? Beta variant Exosuits, a new Neo Triceratops battle, Jun?gle map, and more. Plus, the infamous Rathalos is crossing over, adding another 10-player co-op boss through February 12.

Ahead of the crossover, we had a chance to send some questions over to Exoprimal director Takuro Hiraoka. In it, we talked a bit about the MonHun collab, designing the Rathalos fight, and how reception for Exoprimal has been thus far. Here's ??how it all came together.

This collaboration marks the second Capcom crossover [the previous being Street Fighter]. Why did you decide on Monster Hunter, compared to other possible franchises?

The Exoprimal development team includes several members who have also worked on games in the Monster Hunter series. When coming up with ideas for Exoprimal’s post-launch updates, we thought we’d like to create Monster Hunter-themed content if Capcom collaborations were to happen. One of Exoprimal’s core combat tenets �the concept of working together with a team of allies to defeat a powerful enemy �fits well with the Monster Hunter series as well. This naturally made us think we’d be able to create an enjoyable gameplay experience where players can go head-to-head with a large monster from that universe. Then, shortly after Exoprimal was first announced, players vocalized their hopes for a collaboration with the Monster Hunter series. That desire from the c??ommunity was one of the deciding factors behind our decision to move forward with this crossover.

How did you work to replicate Monster Hunter ideas inside Exoprimal? Are there any specific “must have�features or ideas you wanted to bring over from Monster Hunter into Exoprimal?

For this collaboration, we wanted to create content that would offer a genuine Monster Hunter experience in Exoprimal through two main components:? combat and the gameplay cycle.

In terms of combat, we decided to feature one of the Monster Hunter series�most iconic monsters. Instead of simply creating a battle scenario with Rathalos in the Exoprimal universe, we infused elements that allow players to feel the essence of the Monster Hunter series. This includes the ability to break monster parts and slice off its tail. While playing this collaboration mission, meeting certain in-game conditions will also cause a familiar music track from the Monster Hunter series to play in the background. We encourage you to give this special mission a try and experience it f?or yourself!

Next, this crossover’s gameplay cycle also includes collaborative elements. While playing Dino Survival matches, Exofighters will encounter monster tracks across the map. Collecting a certain number of tracks can trigger a final mission where squads are tasked with taking down a Rathalos. This is a nod to Monster Hunter: World, so by all means, enjoy your “Return to Worldâ€?while playing Exoprimal as well! 
Playing through the Monster Hunter collaboration content will help players better understand the combat and gameplay cycles in Exoprimal. I hope this crossover encourages new players to sui??t up and try their hands at becoming Exofigh??ters.

How did you select which equipment to pair with which exosuit for the collaboration? Did you select the exosuits you wanted to add variations to first, or figure out what kind of monster parts you wanted to work around before that?

The initial candidates were selected from a pool of iconic monsters from the Monster Hunter series. We also considered the popularity of the monsters and armor sets into our choices. Many of my personal favorit??es were strong contenders, but after careful consideration and internal discussions, the development team ultimately landed on four monsters: Rathalos, Nergigante, Kirin, and Rajang.

Next, we thought about which Exosuits best complemented each of these monsters. Our selected pairings include perfect matches like Rathalos and Murasame, but we also have pairings like Kirin and Skywave where the armor?? designs were seamlessly combined with the Exosuit to create a new level of appeal. I feel each of the Exosuit skin designs in this collaboration are fantastic, and I have nothing but the deepest appreciation for our desig??ners�work.

The development team also wanted to create a unique and exciting Exosuit skin. We decided to move forward with a design that almost completely transforms Roadblock into Rajang. I love the way this skin turned out and hope yo??u’ll enjoy equipping it in the wargames.

Having Rathalos in Exoprimal seems like a pretty big deal. How will the fight differ most from Exoprimal’s other big battles? Will Rathalos use any special mechanics in combat, unique to it?

When incorporating a hunt with Rathalos into Exoprimal, we had our hearts set on making it into a 10-player co-op battle, which are popular in the Exoprimal community. On top of that, it was imperative to make adjustments so Rathalos, who was originally intended for encounters with hunting parties of four, could pose a formidable challenge for squads of 10 Exofighters. Giving the Rathalos new attacks like the ability to unleash massive lasers or send shockwaves across a wide area would have been too far removed from the way it typically fights, causing it to feel like a different monster. So, we designed the Rathalos boss fight in a way that maintains the King of the Skies�characteristic behaviors while also empowering it with the fortitude to take on 10 Exofighters. It also reinforces a core concept at the root of Exoprimal’s combat �strategic role-based co-op gameplay. I hope you’ll enjoy battling Rathalos, which has been adapted to complement the “massive action�of the Exoprimal universe.

With multiple title updates done, how are you and the team feeling about Exoprimal’s reception so far?

Each time we release a title update, we see that many Exofighters around the world are enjoying the new content, and we feel that players�reception has generally matched what we hoped it would be. Many individuals who have been playing Exoprimal consistently since launch have been excited?ly sharing information about the game, which we sincerely appreciate.

With the addition of new Exosuit variants, rigs, and modules, we feel that players are continuing to find new favorite Exosuits, ways to customize their loadouts, and taking advantage of the combat changes and expanded strategy possibilities that each title update brings. We were concerned that the Escape final mission, a 10-player co-op mission that tasks opposing teams to work together mid-match, would be a challenge, but I feel like this mission has become an indispensable part of Exoprimal. 

Exoprimal’s offerings will continue to expand with future title updates and present new challenges to overcome??. We hope Exofighters around the world will continue enjoying the wargames!

What are your goals, over the coming year, for Exoprimal?

Our top priority is to expand the ways in which players can enjoy Dino Survival through additional content introduced in post-launch title updates. The development team also hopes the Capcom collaborations and other new content will enable Exofighters to meet new players, as well as grant the Exoprimal community ways to thrive through upcoming features like “Custom Matches.�/p>

Can we expect to see more Capcom franchise collaborations in Exoprimal? Would you consider any collaborations outside Capcom, and if so, which ones?

I’m not able to share details just yet, but additional collaborations are in the works. I think you’ll be excited about what’s next for Exoprimal, so stay tuned for more information!

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Capcom has released the second big update for their robot-powered dinosaur murder game, Exoprimal. Among the added features are the anticipated Street Fighter crossover skins.

Do you remember Exoprimal? It’s the game that everyone thought might be a new Dino Crisis when it was first announced, but then it turned out to be a live service multiplayer title. It’s actually pretty good! But pretty good is sort of a bad place to be in the live service m?arket where most of the pie is being greedily gobbled up by a few of the most popular games. It’s an extremely over-the-top game about killing interdimensional robots that come pouring out of portals while also trying to beat another team at being the best dino killers.

The update includes some great stuff alongside the Street Fighter skins. There’s a new map called Ocean Platform that takes place on a platform out in an ocean. Also added is a new Final ?Mission alongside it called Escape. There are two new rigs, Edge Strike and Drone. Two new modules? are getting thrown into the mix. Finally, there are a bunch of new rewards, balance changes, and bug fixes. You can check them out over here.

I’m curious to know what the player population is like with Exoprimal. Did it find its audience? Let’s see. The average player count for the last 30 days on Steam is 89.9. Eesh. At least there’s crossplay.

Exoprimal is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox On??e, and Xbox Series X|S. Update 2 goes live tod??ay.

The post Exoprim??al Title Update 2 and its Street Fig?hter collab suits are live now appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom's Exoprimal is the company's first full-fledge??d live-service offering, and it's definitely taken the job to heart. Notably, Exoprimal's  Title Update 1 is already available as of August 16, delivering a strong follow-up to the game's official July 14 launch date. Players now ??have access to a surprisingly large roster of new goodies, the highlight of it all b??eing the introduction of Alpha-variant exosuits.

Exoprimal is, of course, still in its early days, being a live-service title and all that. Capcom did successfully deliver a content-rich and feature-complete game on day one, however, which doesn't always happen with games that are supposed to last for years at a time. This means that, even though Exoprimal p?layers have had their hands full since the game's come out, they will now be fuller still, which is always a good thing!

[caption id="attachment_397089" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

Exoprimal Title Update 1 Overview

The addition of Alpha-variant exosuits is bound to change up Exoprimal's suit tier list once players finally manage to unlock them, though it's still unclear what the big differences are between Alpha exosuits and their regular, garden-variety alternatives. Capcom promises that Alpha exosuits "allow for different playstyles," but the option to purchase one is only made available after the default variant reaches level 20. Or, alternatively, if players splurge o?n the Early Unlock Tickets.

Another Title Update 1 highlight is that Capcom's now added the "excruciatingly difficult" 5-person PvE boss battle missions to the Savage Gauntlet co-op content rotation. Savage Gauntlet, too, came out shortly after the game launched, adding a new twist to the hectic dino-slaying core of Exoprimal.

On top ??of these big features, Title Update 1 also introduces:

• New exosuit skins
• New weapon skins
• War Chest drops: new decals, charms, stamps, emotes, emblems and player icon backgrounds
• New gameplay medals and awards

Players can also expect to see some changes to Exoprimal's UI, as well as a big list of changes to the exosuit balancing. All the pertinent nitty-gritty can be found on Capcom's official Exoprimal Title Update 1 announcement page, though it's worth highlighting that the majority of these tweaks are fairly minor in the gr??and scheme of things.

The post Exoprimal’s first title update is out now with a bunch of new exosuits appeared first on Destructoid.

Savage Gauntlet, Exoprimal's new full-on co-op mode, is now live. Savage Gauntlet is a new game mode tailored specifically for PVE lovers. It features no direct PVP elements and tasks five ?exofighters with joining f?orces to overcome a weekly Dinogauntlet.

Capcom warns that Savage Gauntlet is a high-difficulty challenge for experienced players and that it will keep on rotating its rules and scenarios every week to keep it fresh and harsh.

It'll still feature some degree of player competition

On top of fighting against the game's AI, Savage Gauntlet also invites the co??mmunity to compete for the fastest completion time on the global leaderboards for each platform. This challenge consists of time-attack missions that you can replay as many times as you want. This will allow players to develop the necessary strategies and skills required to achieve the best possible ranks.

Capcom teases that the? most suc?cessful squads will earn awards for their service.

How to enter the Savage Gauntlet - requirements

All Exoprimal players can access Savage Gauntlet for free. You don't need the Survival Pass, but there's one catch. Accessing this expert gauntlet requires players to have beaten the game's main campaign, which may take up around 20 hours of playtime.

New missions begin each week on Thursday?s at 8pm PDT. They'll end on Mondays at 7:59pm PDT, giving you a nice three days and one minute to rest.

[caption id="attachment_385216" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Capcom[/caption]

What else is new

Exoprimal is getting seasonal updates rife with awesome new content. On top of the new gauntlet mode, Season 1 will release 10 new Alpha variant exosuits on August 16. Variant exosuits are classes that feature contrasting weapon loadouts and playstyles to the classic ones.

Season 2 will begin in mid-October. It will introduce a new map, mission type, rigs, Modules, and a Street Fighter 6 crossover. Season 3 will hit in January of the next year. It will introduce more variant exosuits, a Neo Triceratops boss, and a Monster Hunter crossover.

Exoprimal sure doesn't seem li?ke it's going extinct anytime soon. You can play it on? Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC (Steam).

The post Exoprimal’s Savage Gauntlet co-op mode is out appeared first on Destructoid.

How to beat down the dinos better

Capcom's new team-based competitive shooter Exoprimal is out, and well, it's a bit of an oddball. It's got guns, mechs, and it's all about whittling down the dino horde. And while it's still early on in this game's lifespan, we have a few tips for making life in Exoprimal easier.

Keep in mind, Exoprimal is a relatively full price ($59.99)  game, with additional progression and add-ons for extra cash. I don't personally recommend dumping that kind of cash unless you just want to fast-track through the suits. Some of the early suits you get will tide you over well to the later ones, and most of Exoprimal is about efficiency in PvE, though you will have to fight a player from time to time. (It's worth noting that Exoprimal is on Game Pass too, which makes a difference if you're looking to save some cash while? testing the waters.)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWJeqGJEPsM

With that ?in mind, we're keeping our tips oriented towards the basics: what little tips and bits of advice we'd give to a brand-new player, in order to get an edge over the other rookies.

Make sure to set your favorite suit

I've seen many players spawn into a match as Deadey??e, the default Exosuit, and then start swapping? around to others. Not only does this create confusion, as everyone tries to orient the team composition around the sudden swarm of Deadeyes, but it gets awkward when everyone swaps off, and then back, and then back again... It's a hassle.

Head to the hangar and you can hit a special button (Square on PlayStation) to "favorit?e" a suit, making it the one you always spawn into a match as. Bam! No more awkward ?Deadeye conventions.

Check out your rig options

While you're digging around in the Exosuit options, take a look at the rig options too. Rigs are a special piece of equipment, mounted on your shoulder, that can persist across suits. (Default button is Triangle on PlaySta?tion.) You start out with a cannon, which is great? for knocking Pteranodons out of the sky.

But, if you need some different options, there are so??me good ones you'll unlock as you level up. The small healing field can be great for tanks that like to hunker down, like Krieger. Or the catapult option can help a melee-focused Exosuit like Zephyr get into the air, away from danger, or into the face of an enemy.

[caption id="attachment_391870" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Equip some modules

One last thing to look at in the hangar is modules, and these are surprisingly important. Modules are pieces of ?equipment that you level up with BikCoin, the awkwardly named currency you acc??rue through matches and levelling up. After you open a module up in the hanger, you'll need to spend BikCoin to enable it, and more to level it up.

These bonuses are worth it in a lot of ways. The universal ones offer some great buffs, like extra movement speed when your health is low. These little bits of help can make a tangible difference in the field???. And that goes doubly-so for Exosuit-specific modules.

Main some suits to unlock specific modules

Some modules are designated just for their respective Exosuits, powering up their abilities. These range from helpful utility to extremely useful, amping up the skills and abilities of Exosuits to make them take down dinos?? even better.

You get these Exosuit-specific modules by levelling up the individual suit, which you can do by playi?ng matches as said suit. Play the Exosuit you like, get things to make it better. Simple, right? If you want some direction, I particularly like Deadeye'??s module that upgrades consecutive Ravager damage, as it helps the Soldier 76-esque character chew through larger, tougher enemies.

[caption id="attachment_391871" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Don't be afraid to switch it up

You might want to create a team composition and stick to it, but in my experience, it's worth swapping out Exosuits if you feel a specific one just isn't working. Exoprimal is surprisingly l??enient in this regard, letting you get out of on??e Exosuit and into another in the middle of a match rather than waiting for a respawn or sticking it out.

Of course, this does mean playing as your lone pilot for a short moment, which can feel like an eternity if a wave of Raptors is bearing down on you. I recommend doi??ng your swaps while waiting for some dinosaur portals to open at a Watcher's waypoint. A?? helpful note: in my experience at least, it seems like you don't lose charge on your ultimate ability when you swap suits. So feel free to mix it up!

Create chokepoints

If you've played any horde defense games before, you know all about good chokepoints. They're a way to funnel the overwhelming numbers of the enemy down to a manageable size, and Exoprimal gives you some good methods for doing so. Walls, tank shields, and even the terra?in itself all lend well to make concentrated areas of attack.

Clumping up enemies also helps you pull off some good combos, so if you notice your Roadblock is taunting and gathering up dinos, get ready with some AOE attacks. Working together is how you clear ??dinosaurs?? faster, and that's one step closer to the next phase, and beating the enemy team.

[caption id="attachment_391818" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

It's all about the data

If you wind up in the data cube PvP final mission, which involves escorting a data cube from one end of the map to the other, I'll repeat what hundreds of Overwatch players have been screami?ng into their microphones since 2016: push the payload.

But seriously, the payload (data cube) of Exoprimal is pretty crucial. In addition to being your win condition, this payload is a bit more fragile than most; damage, from dinosaurs or enem??y? players, can temporarily halt its advance, forcing the team to hunker down and revive the data cube to progress forward.

There are other objective-based modes in Exoprimal too, some we've played and some we've only heard about from others digging into the game on day one. But the saying remains the same, whether Exoprimal, Overwatch, Battlefield, or anything else: play the objective. And if you're an invading dinosaur, taking out the enemy pa??yload can be a surprisingly helpful use of your limited Dominator time.

The post 7 beginner tips for starting Exoprimal appeared first on Destructoid.

Dino-mite

Exoprimal seemed to drift on and off my radar leading up to its launch. It was the game that would show up on a stream, I'd gleefully take in all the cheesiness of a mech-powered dino-horde defense shooter, and move on. Even after playing the beta, Exoprimal didn't leave too much of a lasting impression.

So maybe that's why, as I spend today playing the launch version of Exoprimal, I'm a bit surprised by how much I'm enjoying the experience. It's not taking my breath away, but it's not boring either. Exoprimal is pretty okay. And yes, part of that is because it's a game about pilot??ing a mech suit against a horde of otherworldly dinosaurs. It's fun for a squad, but it's got an asterisk or two on it.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWJeqGJEPsM

If you're unaware of the pitch, Exoprimal is a new shooter from Capcom where mech suit (Exosuit) pilots team up in virtual wargames to take on hordes of dinosaurs that spawn from interdimensional portals. Using a variety of powerful Exosuits—with apparently quite shapely posteriors—you fend off the prehistori?c threat alongside your team.

Prehistoric payload

The actual cadence of Exoprimal is bizarre, to say the least. After booting up the game, you watch a few fake commercials for Aibius. They're the sort of overly produced and polished, cheerful corpo-messages you'd expect to see at the start of a zombie outbreak film. Rather than the walking dead, it's dinos. And Aibius dispatches w??illing volunteers, your own create-a-character named Ace ??included, to deal with the literal torrential dino downpours.

It's nonsensical. But, it also feels like Capcom knows just how bizarre its premise is, and leans into it. Some of the line deliveries and gags gave me immediate Wanted: Dead vibes. The very premise of being trapped ?on an island, after some catastrophic events transpire, and forced to participate in war games by a seemingly rogue AI is already bonkers. Then, add dinosaurs.

[caption id="attachment_391817" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

I still don't really know why the dinosaurs are in Exoprimal, to be honest. That's part of the appeal; as you complete multiplayer matches, you unlock lost data. This feeds into a literal mystery circle, where you unlock text entries, static briefings, and eventually story cutscenes delving into the island's mysteries. It would feel more like Lost, if Lost also had robot suits and dinosaurs.

It works, though! Seriously, it does, if only in a cheesy, not-at-all-serious manner. I'm weirdly curious about how Capcom is going to string this all together. Already, some of the strange early twists have given? me a chuckle, if nothing else. But that's the bizarre, strange story that will take many, many multiplayer matches to see through. Let's talk about the combat itself.

Past vs. future

Each match will roughly play out the same. In the first phase, your team of five races against a paired enemy team to move around a map, taking out waves of dinosaurs. The different varieties require different tactics; Raptors are easy enough to mow through and act as cannon fodder, while soaring Pteranodons or charging Pachycephalosaur spawns require some positioning and awareness. Also, Exoprimal does do a few common colloquialisms like "raptor" and "?T-rex", but I dig that it will still use full names for? something like a Carnotaurus.

While it's a horde game, much of the first phase felt like dealing with effective and efficient crowd removal rather than "survival." You can certainly drop down to a big-enough pack of Raptors if you're by yourself, but the real tension is in efficacy; you're trying to complete objectives faster than the ?other team, as you move towards phase 2.

[caption id="attachment_391821" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Phase 2 wi??ll either see you tackle more PvE content, or enter the PvP mode, which will feel familiar to those who like to push payloads. The team has to escort a data cube to the end poi??nt of a map and upload it before the other team. The twist? Rather than ethereal ghosts in each other's realms, now the player teams can fight each other as both payloads approach the same endpoint. Add in the Dominator, which lets a player hamper the enemy team as a special dino, and it can feel a bit chaotic.

This follow-the-light, shoot-the-targets set-up can start to feel a bit routine at times, so I'm curious to see what obstacles and new challenges Exoprimal throws at me over time. I do wish there was a more PvE-focused mode, though. Even in the PvE section, you're still racing another team. If Exoprimal had an option to just drop into a map and wipe out hordes of dinosaurs on various difficulties, it might scratch that EDF itch. For?? now, there always seems to be some competition, and I'd like to see that competition have some variety.

[caption id="attachment_391818" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Jurassic combat

The actual shooting and moving feel solid, if not spectacular. It is exactly what it needs to be, and some of the abilities do feel great to land just right, like the sniper suit's freeze or Deadeye's frag grenade. Exoprimal really feels like it's about the mass carnage, almost like a multi??player dino-mech musou.

It's really important to note, though, that Exoprimal is a live service multiplayer game, in a day and age where live service multiplayer games come and go pretty fast. This is also a $59.99 game, with a free-or-premium battle pass too, and that's frequently reason enough for some to stay away. On top of that, if you don't pitch in for the extras, suits have to be unlocked; we received a deluxe copy for coverage consideration, but have also been looking into what progression looks like for the? base game, and it seems "OK" is the c??onsensus.

Game Pass obviously makes the prospect a bit less daunting, if you have that. In fact, Exoprimal really feels most?? at home there, as a service-y free-to-play game where you can hop in and see i??f it's for you. Makes it easier to rope some friends in too, and like a lot of multiplayer experiences, that's where I feel it shines. Randoms can be hit-or-miss, like any game, but a leaver means a bot will take their place, and that's not always ideal.

Overall, Exoprimal is a bit more interesting than ?I'd thought it be. It's not anything to shout from the rooftops about, but it's got a little more charm and more enjoyable combat than I was expecting. But that's just day one. The big question now is, does it have more to offer, or are the 20th and 30th hours going to feel a lot like the first? And does its strange monetization hold back its better ideas? We'll find out as we frag some more dinos, I guess.

The post Exoprimal makes a decent first impression, if you’ve got a squad for it appeared first on Destructoid.

The first three seasons will include Street Fighter 6 and Monster Hunter crossover collaborations

Capcom hosted a showcase all about their highly anticipated upcoming sci-fi team-based shooter. During the event, Capcom revealed its roadmap for the first three seasons of Exoprimal that includes upcoming content over the next few months. Perhaps the most exciting reveal is two separate crossover events with popular Capcom titles: Street Fighter 6 and Monster Hunter.

[caption id="attachment_391178" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Capcom/YouTube[/caption]

Months of content is already in the pipeline for Exoprimal

Season 1 will kick off two weeks after release, and Exoprimal will receive its first update with an all new PvE mode: Savage Gauntlet. This mode will rotate tough weekly missions giving players a chance to test out their best loadouts in end-ga??me mi??ssions. Rounding out Season 1 is ten new Alpha variant exosuits wielding unique weapons. This update will release on August 16.

In mid-October, Season 2 will add new missions, the Ocean Platform map, and even more exosuits. Street Fighter fans should look forward to Season 2 as it will feature a SF6 crossover coll?aboration. As part of the crossover, we will get new exosuits based on Ryu and Guile.

Finally, Season 3 will drop early next year featuring even more exosuits, a new Neo Triceratops boss fight, and a Monster Hunter crossover event.  No precise details were provided for this crossover, but we can assume there will be some new giant monsters from the Monster Hunter universe for us to beat up on.

Those looking to save the world from dinosaurs can do so soon. Exoprimal releases on July 14 on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. PC and Xbox players can check out the game for free as part of Xbox Game Pass. The dinosaur-themed game will launch?? with cross-??platform functionality.

The post Exoprimal roadmap include?s two Capcom crossover collabs appeared first on Destructoid.

Who wants to fight back the dinosaurs?

It's that time again: The list of games being added to Xbox Game Pass for July has been revealed. There are only a few new titles being added to the game pass this time around, but it includes a couple of day one releases. As is tradition with Xbox Game Pass, this? list focuses on the first half of the month. The second wave of games for July will probably be revealed in a couple of weeks.

According to the post, the highlight for July is the return of Grand Theft Auto V. Unfortunately only the console version is being added to the pass, but it does include both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions. Grand Theft Auto V is?? a big open-world game so it's always nice to have access to a game with so much content.

There are two day-one releases included in this month's pass. First is Capcom's online game Exoprimal. The team-based action game blends PvE and PvP as players battle dinosaurs and each other while piloting powerful exosuits. The second day one release is first-person automation game Technotica. Play alone or in co-op as you master automation, gather resources, and research new technologies to build your base. The game reminds me a lot of Factorio and Satisfactory and looks promising.

Here's the full list of games being added?? to Xbox Game Pass with th??e first wave of July.

[caption id="attachment_390334" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

Added today to Xbox Game Pass (July 5, 2023):

• Grand Theft Auto V (Cloud and Console)
• Sword and Fairy: Together Forever (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Heading to Xbox Game Pass the week of July 6, 2023:

• McPixel 3, July 6 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Common'hood, July 11 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Insurgency: Sandstorm, July 11 (PC)

Heading to Xbox Game Pass the week of July 13, 2023:

• Exoprimal, July 14 (Cloud, Console, and PC) * Day one with Game Pass
• Technotica, July 18 (Cloud, Console, and PC) * Day one with Game Pass
• The Cave, July 18 (Cloud and Console)

The post Xbox Game Pass for July ad??ds GTA V, Exoprimal ?and more appeared first on Destructoid.

Take a breather

Gaming hasn't slowed down since 2023 began. Hit after hit after hit has ensured that ca?sh has been frequently relinquished from our wallets. Fortunately, the industry is cooling down a little with these July?? 2023 games.

[caption id="attachment_387557" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Disney Interactive[/caption]

Disney Illusion Island (Switch)

Publisher: Disney Interactive
Developer: Dlala Studios
Price: $29.99
Release Date: July 28
Trailer

Mickey Mouse is a keyblade wielder, a mascot at Disney's theme parks, and a part of the Funhouse Friends, but he hasn't been in a platformer for a long time. Thankfully, he and his pals are featured in an all-new 2D adventure on the Nintendo Switch. Developed by Dlala Studios (Battletoads), Disney Illusion Island's visuals are brimming with color. In fact, the Nintendo eShop listing states that you can "be a part of an authentic Mickey cartoon." With four-player co-op, you can bring friends and family to an island that has running, swimming, swinging, and jumping platform action along with bosses to defeat and puzzles to solve.?? There are al??so "hidden secrets" to find along the way.

[caption id="attachment_387560" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

Exoprimal (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Price: $59.99
Release Date: July 13
Trailer

Sometimes it's cool to mix two unlikely things together. Pineapple and pizza, carrots and peanut butter, and fries with gravy are all examples of this. That's also the case with Exoprimal as it features mechs fighting massive waves of dinosaurs. The mixture perhaps shouldn't work, but the intense action of gunfire and high maneuverability of the mechs seem to work well against the rampaging dinos. There are three classes to consider as well, adding more depth to the seemingly simple gameplay. The game's coming to Xbox Game Pass, so hopeful??ly, you can team up with your Xbox buddies and succeed.

[caption id="attachment_387675" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Netflix[/caption]

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals (Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, Netflix)

Publisher: Netflix
Developer: Night School Studio
Price: $19.99
Release Date: July 12
Trailer

One of the most anticipated July 2023 games in the indie scene is Oxenfree II: Lost Signals. In this sci-fi follow-up, you will meet and shape the stories of those around the protagonist Riley. "Your choices impact who Riley becomes, your relationships, and the story options available to you at every turn," says Netflix on the game's Steam page.

Thankfully, for myself and others, you don't need to play the original to understand the sequel. However, Netflix suggests you'll be able to "dive deeper by playing the original." You'll explore the town of Camena, will discover the strange source ?of radio signal disturbances, and will try to thwart the Parentage from making a new portal. It sounds like an exciting, narrative adventure full of danger and mystery.

[caption id="attachment_387677" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

Pikmin 4 (Switch)

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Price: $59.99
Release Date: July 21
Trailer

The long-awaited Pikmin 4 finally touches down on Switch systems next month. In this adventure, you'll be creating your own explorer and, with the help of th??e Pikmin, rescue others like yourself. The unique spin on this sequel sees players explore a world of huge household items. Plants, benches, binoculars, you name it. You'll be collecting treasures and taking them to your ship as you solve environment?al puzzles and have the Pikmin escort your objects safety.

The new ice Pikmin freeze enemies and immobilize them quickly. There's also a space dog named Oatchi who can take out obstacles in your way. It's not my personal cup of tea, but hopefully, the long wait for Pikmin 4 will be worth it ?for fans. Let's gather in th??e "Forest of Hope."

[caption id="attachment_387678" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Gearbox Publishing[/caption]

Remnant 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

Publisher: Gunfire Games
Developer: Gearbox Publishing
Price: $49.99
Release Date: July 25
Trailer

Remnant: From the Ashes kicked ass when it released in 2019. The follow-up is hoping to continue the excellent third-person shooting gameplay. Each biome requires different gear and weapons as you approach "cunning enemies and large-scale boss battles," according to the game's Steam page. The sequel touts "endless replayability" as there are branching quest lines, lots of crafting options, and like many other live service titles, awesome loot. Gearbox Publishing says that "pl?aythroughs will feel challenging, varied, and rewarding as players succeed against?? unrelenting odds." Hopefully, it will live up to the fantastic first game when it releases in July.

[caption id="attachment_387679" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Thunderful Publishing[/caption]

Honorable Mentions

• Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC) - July 13
• Jagged Alliance 3 (PC) - July 14
• My Friendly Neighborhood (PC) - July 18
• Viewfinder (PS4, PS5, PC) - July 18
• Punch Club 2: Fast Forward (PS3, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC)  - July 20
• The Expanse: A Telltale Series Episode 1 (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC via Epic Games Store) - July 27

The post Most anticipated game releases – July 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Turning (Ghost) Tricks

The Summer Game Fest presentations are all but complete, but there are still several publishers preparing to do their own thang with their own live streams �And in just an hour from now, Capcom will open up the airways with its own ?Capcom Showcase prese??ntation, filled with news and updates.

We already know that the veteran developer is preparing to show off several upcoming releases, including action RPG Dragon's Dogma 2, dinosaur battler Exoprimal, and the remastered spook-fest Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. In addition, we can perhaps expect post-launch news for the recently released Street Fighter 6, and perhaps an update on the "Separate Ways" DLC for smash hit Resident Evil 4. There's a ??lot of possibility, so it should be a fun little stream.

The Capcom Showcase live stream kicks off at 15:00 PT / 18:00 ET / 23:00 BST. The stream won't even take up too much o?f your time, as it is expected to run a short 30 minutes. Check out the show for yourself in the embed below, and we'll be sure to bring you all o??f the news right here on Destructoid.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRiEUtXKozU

The post Come watch ??the Capcom Summer Showcase live stream?? with us! appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom Collab 1

As part of the Summer Game Fest 2023, Capcom has revealed a crossover between their upcoming Exoprimal and already game Street Fighter 6. This is in the form of just, like, robo-Ryu and cybo-Guile. In other words, Exoprimal X Street Fighter 6.

//youtu.be/J4ULvSYsmYc

All right then.

I test-drove Exoprimal a while back and came away with stories of butts. I guess this is�more butts.?? But recognizable butts. I ??guess it could work, I’m just not really seeing the value?

If you’re into piloting Ryu and Guile’s robot butts, then you’ll be able to do so this Fall in Street Fighter. In the meantime, Exoprimal itself is out on July 14, 2023.

The post Ryu and Guile are br?inging their butts to Exoprimal X Street Fi?ghter 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

Dinosaur butts not yet implemented

I feel bad for absolutely every multi-player focused game entering the current market. They survive entirely on maintaining a player base, and a lot of folks will just play whatever their friends are playing. So, in order to succeed, they not only need to bring in people, but also the people those people associate with. It doesn’t matter if a game is good or not. Many people still playing Destiny 2 hate it, but it’s what their friends are playing.

Capcom seems to think they’ve found the secret ingredient: butts. And dinosaurs. Right there, those are two of my favorite things. Exoprimal is a game about robots who never miss leg day fighting dinosaurs. And? it is�a game. And now I've played the?? beta.

[caption id="attachment_369001" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Exo-butts

Based on the beta, I have absolutely no idea what Exoprimal is supposed to be about. It opens up with a video that implies humanity is under threat of dinosaurs. Then you have a job interview. After that, an AI claims to have control over time and space and is using t?hat to make you fight. You don’t so much exist in a world as much as you’re dropped into one, and then di??nosaurs are dropped in right after you.

Y??ou’re given a slew of exosuits to choose from, and you can pick them on the fly, even mid-match. If your team is too squishy, a quick change into a tank exosuit will help alleviate that. There’s a wide selection of playstyle??s available, and a good portion of them have excellent posteriors.

Considering your pilot has the flattest pair of hams in the multi-verse, my theory is that Exoprimal exists in a future where butts have gone extinct. Humans have created exosuits to compensate for their lack of cake �a sort of prosthetic butt �but everyone is too ashamed to admit there’s no junk left in humanity’s genetic trunk. So we equipped our butt-suits for combat and then didn’t have anything to fight.?? We then?? created an AI to dump dinosaurs on us so that we can keep pretending that our robots don’t just have fly booties because we can no longer attain that level of shapeliness.

[embed]//youtu.be/xM1Pt64uNFE[/embed]

What's your favorite dinosaur?

Gameplay has you following a sassy corporate drone. It shouts reassurances at you and keeps you informed of the incomprehensible stuff going on around you. Every so often, it stops at a node in its path,? and then it’s time to fight dinosaurs. There are a few variations of this objective, b??ut it all boils down to mass extinction.

What’s your favorite dinosaur? Mine’s a parasaurolophus, but those duck boys aren’t much for battle. Instead, the AI usually pours raptors on you. In return, you mash buttons in their direction. Sometimes, if you have a shooty robot, you need to aim, and other times you just wave your robot hands toward the sw??arm of scales and teeth. Then numbers come out of them, and they fall down. After a sufficient number of dinosaurs fall down, you move on to the next node, and things progress like that.

Another team of five players is stacked on the other side of the dimensional ?barrier, trying to complete the same objectives as your team, only faster. You race to see who can get to the final round first.

The final round has a few variations, but I only saw two. The first involved charging a hammer with the corpses of dinosaurs, and the other has you pick up batteries and kill members of the other team to steal their batteries. In the former, I always let a more capable member of the team carry the hammer while I focused on harvesting dinosaur souls. In the latter, I wrecked house. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but I was incredible at killing the other t??eam. Unfortunately, I’m not certain you get points for doing so, especially when they aren’t actually killing batteries. The only thing I know for sure is that after committing mass robo-cide still meant I was the second-worst member of the team in terms of score.

[caption id="attachment_368999" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Brain reading

I was often never clear on what was happening. It’s kind of like dropping a new person into World of Warcraft and immediately forcing them to run a raid. There are just particle effects everywhere, and the screen is shouting at you, but nothing comprehensible is happening. I’m sure that after running a few dozen rounds your brain will be able to read what was happening; but in the hours I spent with Exoprimal, I just aimed at dinosaurs and mashed the va?rious action buttons.

I liked playing as the sniper because they have one of the more shapely butts. I actually did better when I stepped into the butt of anyone but the sniper, but I kept going back. I also liked the samurai because they speak Japanese and have, like, balls on their butt. I very briefly tried the support robots because I only feel valid when I’m murdering hor??d??es of dinosaurs.

If th?ere’s a good way to take down the bigger dinosaurs, I’m not sure what it is. Like, the Ankylosaurus is all armored on its back, right? So I just aimed for the belly area, and I have no idea whether that did more or less damage. Even the sniper’s attacks seem geared toward taking down swarms of dinosaurs as quickly as possible, so when youâ€?™re against a big, single target, there isn’t adequate feedback on whether or not you’re doing well.

[caption id="attachment_369000" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

I made it through this without mentioning Dino Crisis. Damn.

I’m not sure if I like Exoprimal. For one thing, I don’t often play multi-player games because humans are awful. On the other hand, I kept thinking about Salmon Run in Splatoon 3. Salmon Run is a fun, easy-to-read, cooperative horde mode where you can tell if you’re doing well or not. Salmon Run does lack one thing that Exoprimal has: butts.

If you really want to get into Exoprimal??, it’s likely going to take some time until you understand how it flows, how everything works, and how to sight-read it. Your friends will also have to do that. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it. I’m just pointing out that it has a hell of a fight ahead of it. It really doesn’t have anything for me personally. Except dinosaurs. And robot butts.

You can find out if Exoprimal has enough robot butts for you?? when it releases July 14 on PS4, PS5, Xbox O??ne, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

The post Hands on: Exoprimal f??eatures dinosaurs and shapely robot butts appeared first on Destructoid.

 A look at what's ahead for Capcom

The Capcom Spotlight 2023 has come and gone, and the company's locked in what looks like the next few months of its publishing slate. From Resident Evil 4 to Mega Man and Ghost Trick, ther?e were a lot of dates locke??d in for the next few months.

Today really seemed to focus on setting out a release calendar for Capcom heading into the summer. Some got n?ew release dates, while others with known dates got a few new tidbits of information. There was nothing outright brand-new, but it was still solid to see the schedule rolled out for the next few months of Capcom titles. And honestly, they look pretty alright to me.

Everything shown at the Capcom Spotlight 2023

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR6WYjw5mlU

• We open the show with Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection. It's a massive collection of 10 Battle Network games, arriving on April 14 for PC, Switch, and PlayStation 4.
• We knew all of that info, but today's hit put a big spotlight on gameplay including the new features, like all 499 Patch Cards that were available only as physical cards and Buster MAX Mode. The entire collection will be available as one package, or in two separate versions: Volume 1 with Battle Network 1 through 3; or Volume 2, with 4, 5, and 6.
• Extra news for Mega Man animated feature fans: the Mega Man NT Warrior series will be streaming free (for a limited time) starting March 21.
• Street Fighter 6 didn't have any new fighters to share, but Capcom did reveal the final color commentator for its special commentary feature. Actress Hikaru Takahashi rounds out the roster. I'm admittedly unfamiliar with her. The special commentary option seems interesting, but I also wonder if I would really use it more than a few times. We'll see when Street Fighter 6 enters the ring on June 2.
• Capcom is celebrating its 40th Anniversary with a special Capcom Town, a digital theme park and museum of Capcom history. The company also reminds you that to play online for its games, including the next one on the list, you'll need to make a Capcom ID.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLyNU4TlY8A

• Speaking of museums, dino-horde shooter Exoprimal will have an open beta on March 17, and hit full release on July 14. I'm honestly warming up to this one, if only because the giant hole of endless raptors never fails to put a smile on my face. It'll be a day one Xbox Game Pass title too, so it'll be easy to try out and see if it's a horde shooter I want to stick with for more than one co-op night.
• Much more came soon after about Exoprimal's Season Pass, with multiple tracks and pre-order bonuses. Maybe not as keen on that element.
• Nintendo DS gem Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is getting remastered for modern systems, and it arrives on June 30. Alongside updated visuals and some gallery features, Ghost Trick will also have some new arrangements from Great Ace Attorney composer Yasumasa Kitagawa that you can freely swap back-and-forth with the original music. I'm pretty thrilled, and hope this gets more people to check out the genuinely unique experience that is Ghost Trick.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ob83jbeJ4Y

• Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak finally sets an April 28 release date for Xbox and PlayStation players. Hopefully that's enough time for those players to get there, considering Rise just came to PlayStation and Xbox last month. Better get to huntin' monsters.
• The CGI-animated and excellently named Resident Evil: Death Island got a quick trailer, and it looks like Jill Valentine is answering the call to action. Heck yes.
• Closing out the Capcom Spotlight, the previously teased (and also leaked) Resident Evil 4 demo is out now. Dubbed the "Chainsaw Demo," you'll be able to check out how the action handles on PlayStation, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. What more is there to say? It's Resident Evil 4. You can close the blog and go check it out, because that's what I'm doing right now. Find it on the Steam Store, PlayStation Store, and Xbox Store at these links.

The post Recap: Ev??erything shown at the Capcom Spotlight 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The Jurassic shooter will be on Xbox Game Pass day one, too

Get ready to deal with some dinos this summer. Capcom has locked in Exoprimal for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on July 14, and it's als?o comin??g to Xbox Game Pass.

This co-op shooter pits exosuit-adorned soldiers against huge waves of dinosaurs, mixing the horde system you usually see for zombies or Gears' Locust with prehistoric terrors.

Using different loadouts like Assault, Tank, and Support, the players?? try to keep the world from being overtaken by the long-gone apex predators.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLyNU4TlY8A

Alongside the co-op play is a competitive element. Exoprimal pits two teams of five against each other to complete objectives before the other. Story segments will be ??doled out through playing the Dino Survival mode, as well as various rewards and experiences to juice up your rigs.

Pass to the past

Add in a dash of mutated Neosaurs, that wield elemental powers and more, and it seems kind of interesting. Granted, there are a ton of pre-order rewards and other cosmetics.

Capcom also showed off a good chunk of its Survival Pass, which looks familiar? to most battle pass set-ups. There's a free track?, and a premium track. Picking up a deluxe edition will net you some bonuses too.

An open beta test is also set to run March 17 through 19, so you can get a sense early if you want to dive into Exoprimal. Meanwhile, the full game hits on July 14.

The post Exoprimal unleashes the dino-horde on July 14 appeared first on Destructoid.

Get your fill of Dinos, Monsters, and Infected Villagers

Capcom has announced that it will hold a Capcom Spotlight live?? stream presentation next week, offering news and updates pertaining to the publisher's upcoming slate of radical releases. The strea?m will take place on Thursday, March 9.

Making an appearance during the 26-minute presentation will be the sci-fi dino fighter Exoprimal, the hugely successful adventure title Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, and quirky puzzler Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. The main spotlight will be held by the highly anticipated remake, Resident Evil 4, which launches on PC and consoles on March 24.

//twitter.com/CapcomUSA?_/status/1631465882235936770?s=20

Conspicuous by its absence is any reference to Street Fighter 6, though fans can hope for a surprise trailer drop, or maybe even a date for an open beta. It seems o?dd that the title does not get a namecheck, but now that the entire launch roster has been revealed, it's all over ?bar the waiting.

You will be able to check out the live stream for yourself over on the official Capcom YouTube and Twitch channels. The action kicks off at 14:30?? PT / 17:30 ET / 23:30 BST, with a brief pre-show scheduled 15 minutes beforehand. Of course, we'll be sure to bring you all of the hot scoops from the stream right here on Destructoid.

The post Ca??pcom Spotlight live stream set for Thursday, March 9 appeared first on Destructoid.

Everybody walk the dinosaur

During its Tokyo Game Show (TGS) live stream, Capcom dropped an action-packed new trailer for its sci-fi dinosaur shooter, Exoprimal. The new preview introduces us to some of the team members tasked with stopping the inter-dimensional invasion ??tearing the fabric of time and space asunder.

In addition to the TGS trailer, Capcom demonstrated some of the character classes that will be available to Exoprimal players locked into battle in the team-based shooter. Also showcased was the game's customization mode, which will enable pl??ayers to ensure that their soldier stands out from the pack.

Hey, you might get swallowed by a T-Rex out there on the battlefield, but you can at least look stylish while doing so. Exoprimal will?? launch on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms at some point in ??2023.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD003Da8gmY

The post Exoprimal TGS trailer shows off more its Jurassic-blastin’ sci-fi action appeared first on Destructoid.

Capcom wares headed to Japan's premier trade show

In a month's time?, the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan will open its doors to welcome the country's biggest annual gaming event, Tokyo Game Show (TGS). As is the style of the event, a wide variety of developers and pu??blishers will be in attendance to spotlight their new and upcoming hardware and software releases to press and players.

Getting a little ahead of the game, developer Capcom has offered up a teaser of some of the titles that it will be bringing to TGS 2022. Available to play on-site will be upcoming scrapper Street Fighter 6, strategy compendium Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection, recent adventure expansion Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, and Capcom's still-in-development din smasher Exoprimal, which will launch at some point in 2023.

In addition to the floor demos, Capcom has two digital presentations planned for the weekend. September 15 will see Capcom featured as part of the "Tokyo Game Show 2022 Capcom Online Program," which will feature news and updates pertaining to all of the TGS-featured games. September 16 will feature a special Street Fighter 6-centric presentation. While details remain under wraps, I would not be surpris?ed if we do not get further character and gameplay reveals for the hi?ghly anticipated sequel.

Tokyo Game Show 2022 will take place September 15-18 i?n Chiba, Japan. We will be sure to report all of the hottest news and reveals from the event right here on Destructoid.

Capcom an?nounces partial TGS 2022 lineup, schedule [Gematsu / PR Times]

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It's raining raptors

At San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, Capcom debuted a brand new trailer for its upcoming Jurassic lark, Exoprimal, whi??ch remains currently in development for?? PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms.

The new preview focuses specifically on the reptilian roster of dinosaurs and "NeoSaurs" that are running amok throughout our future cities. Like a scaly version of Earth Defense Force, we see the streets literally swarming wi??th creatures, as our desperate but highly skilled squad of Exofighters attempt to put a? halt to the dawn of a new prehistoric era. Check out the wild action for yourself below.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQNlDJ2I59s

A lot of monstrous city mashers on displ??ay there, from the natural horrors of the Pteranodon, Ankylosaurus, and the Triceratops to a new wave of creatures including the Pyro Neosaur, Neo Ankylosaurus, and the devastating Neo T. Rex. I think my favorite part is the very absurd moment when an enormous herd of Velociraptors is literally seen spilling from the skies.

I'm not entirely sure of the specific corner of the market Exoprimal is aiming for, nor whether it will succeed in capturing long-term multiplayer interest but �as you can see in the new trailer above �it's shaping up to be a good-looking title, with some interesting concepts and exciting action. We shall see. If you wish to be considered for closed beta access, then you can sign-up right now over on the official Exoprimal website.

Exoprimal?? is currently?? expected to launch on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox at some point in 2023.

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An interview with director Takuro Hiraoka

While Resident Evil and Street Fighter are firmly in the spotlight right now, I've also been curious about Exoprimal, Capcom's five-on-five team action game in which players go to town on hordes of no-good di?nosaurs. The idea is to be better (read: faster) at completing objectives than the opposing squad, in order to appease a conniving?? AI named Leviathan.

It's not going to be to everyone's tastes �and I sympathize with any ride-or-die fan who is exclusively holding out for a Dino Crisis revival (maybe one day...) �but as someone who got into Lost Planet back in the day, I'm intrigued. Exoprimal seems like the kind of project we haven't really gotten out ??of Capcom in recent years, for better or wo??rse.

Ahead of the network test, Destructoid was able to send a few questions to the Exoprimal team, and director Takuro Hiraoka shared his insi?ght abo??ut team compositions, solo-player considerations, how the story will unfold, and why they went with dinosaurs.

Team dynamics in Dino Survival

The main mode in Exoprimal, Dino Survival, is a race ?to complete Levia??than's dinosaur-pummeling missions with your teammates while another squad does the same. Beyond pure skill, specialized Exosuit roles �vibing with your crew �will also be a factor.

"Exosuits are designed to work together," said Hiraoka. "Assault, Tank, and Support-type suits all have specialized roles and can’t achieve maximum performance on their own. Playe??rs will need to rely on each other to overcome long odds and hopeless situatio??ns while having a blast completing missions as a cohesive unit."

"For example, Roadblock can taunt dinosaurs to draw their attention, lure them in, and corral their assaults with its massive shield. In response, Assault-type Exosuits like Deadeye can counterattack from the flanks and wipe the dinosaurs out. Meanwhile, Support-type suits are able to heal teammates and ensure that their comrade?s on the front lin??es don’t collapse from the waves of relentless dinosaur swarms."

With that said, the director feels "there’s no 'right? ans??wer' for what Exosuit configuration is best," and added that they "want players to enjoy the game by discovering their preferred roles and combat styles based on the missions Leviathan presents."

Online multiplayer is the focus

This might go without saying based on what we've seen so far, but Exoprimal is "an online multiplayer game at its core," according to Hiraoka.

"When introducing Exoprimal, we expressed the importance of resourceful decision making, playing a role, and coordinating with your teammates. While all of this may seem challenging, it’s actually quite approachable. Each Exosuit can unleash powerfu?l attacks and wield unique skills? with straightforward controls, which help foster an exhilarating gameplay experience. In Dino Survival, Leviathan’s guided navigations keep players from losing their way even if it’s their first time jumping into a match."

"Beyond the 5v5 matches players will see in the upcoming Closed Network Test, we’re also planning to implement features in the final version of the game that allow matches to take place with fewer players," said Hiraoka. Additionally, "Exofighters will also have options to practice solo by diving into the single-player tutorial and training area."

I'm hoping for AI bots, especi?ally? as a way to future-proof this game.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0C6jGyzIZs

Story and player progression

Results really vary when it comes to story elements in primarily online, multiplayer-centric games. I wondered about how the story will be doled out in Exoprimal, and what kind of long-term hooks there would be to fuel player progression. Capcom shared a few hi??nts.

"In Exoprimal, players are drawn into Leviathan’s recurring war games," said Hiraoka. "The story challenges Exofighters to search for a way to escape this unending loop of combat tests. The main mode, Dino Survival, sees players compete in these deadly games and you progress the stor??y by playing in Dino Survival matches. The main character players see wearing Exosuits in-game is none other than the player themself. We hope that you enjoy pl??aying Exoprimal as though you’re taking part in these battles yourself."

"There will be additional features implemented into the game ??so players can learn more about the sto??ry. Please stay tuned for future updates with additional information."

While slicing and dicing dinosaurs in the Dino Survival mode, players will "gain experience used to increase both player and Exosuit levels," according to Hiraoka.

"By leveling up, Exofighters earn a range of rewards. These include items that allow players to customize the appearance of their Exosuits, as well as those that change how Exosuits perform in combat. We’ll have more informatio??n to share about these features at a later date."

The origins of a new IP

"In our initial planning phases, the development team aimed to create an experience with satisfying action elements that haven’t been explored in previous Capcom games," explained Hiraoka. "Instead of a title like Monster Hunter, where hunters take on a single powerful adversary, we pursued the sensation of overcoming a massive number of enemies. From this exploration process, we thought there could be appeal and potential in a new IP. When we imagined players teaming up online and sharing a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment after taking do?wn an overwhelming horde of enemies with their squadmates, we were convinced this concept would become?? a brand new IP."

"Dinosaurs were our first idea for enemies," Hiraoka said in response to a question about other po?tential enemy types in the planning phase.

"We wanted players to experience the threat of history’s most powerful creatures in combat. We also thought?? that by placing players in desperate situations where they’re pitted against an onslaught of thousands or tens of thousands of these beasts, we could create a never-before-seen level of intensity."

"Next, the team concluded that modern humans and technology wouldn’t be capable of defeating these overwhelmingly powerful creatures in such dire circumstances. We d??etermined that some u??nknown force (science from the near future) would be necessary.

"At this point, the team felt we could deliver a new and compelling experience to players by connecting the conflicting elements of 'history’s strongest and most ferocious creatures' with 'the most powerful beings from the near future' into a single game. From this, the concept of Exoprimal was born."

Tips for the closed network test

Hiraoka explained that the upcoming test build of Exoprimal will feature a "a limited nu?mber of missions, levels, dinosaurs, Exosu??its, and rigs" compared to the full version.

"While we’re showing just a small portion of what will be included in the full retail release of the game, the Closed Network Test will give players a taste of the experience and Exoprimal’s c??entral concept of pitting history’s strongest and most fer??ocious creatures against the most powerful beings from the near future, as well as the satisfaction of playing alongside others to escape from hopeless situations as a team."

"The Closed Network Test will include both a tutorial and training area," and the developers "recommend testing out how vari??ous Exosuits c??ontrol and perform in these modes first."

"Once you find the Exosuit(s) you like best, we recommend you keep playing with them rather than switching into different suits. Then, hop right i?nto a match of Dino Survival. You may find dinosaurs intimidating at first, but don’t let that stop you from facing threats head-on. Rest assured that your teammates will fight alongside you. With each match you play, you’ll naturally develop knowledge of what’s required to take down these vicious creatures."

Exoprimal will launch on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox ?Series X/S in 2023.

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Oh sorry, do I remind you of someone?

Sometimes, the heart and the head force two and two together and still somehow come up with five. Despite the eager finger-crossing of fans, Capcom has confirmed that its upcoming prehistoric sci-fi shooter Exoprimal is not connected to the universe of missing-in-action horror franchise Dino Crisis.

Game director Takuro Hiraoka finally put the kibosh on the rumor in a recent interview with IGN, referring to Exoprimal scientifically as "its own unique thing." Explaining further, it seems that the design team went wi??th the reptilian overlords simply because they wanted the player to take on a foe that could truly be considered mankind's most ruthless, dangerous, and towering predator to date.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5FOEwAjw7U

"Dinosaurs were the first idea that came up for the enemies you would face," explains Hiraoka. "I thought that it would be fun to experience the threat of history’s most fearsome predators, and that if there were hundreds or thousands of them it would be an intensity that hadn’t been seen before. Once we had that idea, we felt that the only way to face?? the overwhelming strength and numbers of dinosaurs would be with futuristic tec?hnology rather than modern weapons."

The news might come as something of a frustration for Dino Crisis fans, who have been angling for a series comeback for many, many years. While Exoprimal is, apparently, not the sequel �or even the spin-off �/em> that they are looking for, it would probably behoove Capcom to at least put badass, red-haired dino buster Regina in the game as a fun character skin. Throw these fans a bone at the very least. After all, it was pretty shitty showcasing a very Regina-like character in the reveal trailer.