Exoprimal does not clarify what came in its Beta

New action game from Capcom, Exoprimal has been conducting its first phase of Beta testing in recent days. At the developer’s invitation, we got to see both the closed and open preview periods, giving us a good idea of ​​how the game works, which involves fighting dinosaurs.

During the testing phase, the only game mode available was Wargame, in which two teams compete against each other to accomplish objectives and dominate a map. Although the basic leveling system was available (loot boxes and play money could be obtained), it was not possible to explore the options for equipment and cosmetic items that will be present in the final version.

From the very restricted portion of what Exoprimal offers, it was possible to perceive some of its qualities and problems, and we ended up leaving with more questions than answers about him. With PvE and PvP cuts that mix in a not always natural way, the game does not seem to know very well which way it wants to go, at least when it comes to the mode offered during its tests.

Exoprimal has qualities and defects

Before we get into the critiques of the game, it’s worth pointing out what worked well during testing. I had some issues linking my Capcom ID account to the game during the closed beta, but once those were resolved, all tests were performed without connectivity barriers or technical issues.

Logging into the game and finding an active game was always an easy process, and the game ran smoothly at 60 frames per second for all games played. On the used machine — with a Intel Core i9 9900K, GeForce RTX 3080, 32GB RAM 3200MHz and 1TB M.2 SSD — you didn’t even have to turn on AMD FSR features to play at 1440p resolution with maximum details and excellent frame rates.

Also positive was the fact that, in its testing phase, Exoprimal granted access to all of his starting 10 Exosuits, which make up your attack, tank, and healing classes. Whether during battles or on the testing ground, this allowed you to get a good feel for each character’s unique characteristics, and being able to freely switch between them during matches turned out to be quite fun.

Exoprimal granted access to all of his starting 10 Exosuits

The chance to try out various classes also made it clear that in order to be successful in the game, you need to be part of a team that knows what they are doing and with members who are willing to fulfill their roles. You can even go into the match with a team made up entirely of attackers, but you’ll probably be destroyed as soon as the first toughest dinosaur appears.

Unfortunately, this was not always clear to those who participated in the Exoprimal trials, resulting in some rather frustrating matches. However, particularly at the current time, there isn’t much to blame the gaming community for, particularly given the fact that is still getting to know the game for the first time.

PvE, PvP or both?

Turning now to the field of criticism, the aspect that most attracted attention – and frustrated – during the tests were the features of the Wargame mode. In it, Capcom decided to make a mix between PvE and PvP which doesn’t work very wellsince neither of these aspects seems to be competently explored.

All the stages start out exactly the same way: you and your group are placed on a track where you have to complete some missions together that involve killing waves of dinosaurs with different characteristics. At those moments, The game has essentially PvE features.and your only concern is to help your team win.

After a few minutes of doing this (between 10 and 15, depending on the stage), we get to the final part of each stage, which unlocks the PvP aspects of the game. In these segments, Exoprimal becomes a kind of third-person shooter heroin which your main objective stops being to kill dinosaurs.

When the opposing team enters the field, the game becomes an experience where you must protect specific areas or collect a certain number of items before the other group of players. At the same time, AI-controlled dinosaurs keep appearing, but focusing your efforts on it is no longer as rewarding.

What makes this combination confusing is that, in practice, it seems that the whole first part of PvE doesn’t matter much for the final outcome of a match. The game constantly alerts you if you’re ahead or behind your opponents when it comes to completing objectives, but this advantage (or disadvantage) disappears when it’s time to engage the enemy team.

it seems that the whole first part of PvE doesn’t matter much for the final outcome of a match

With that, it seems that the early element of Wargame just serves to “kill time” before the PvP part comes into play and only determines the success or failure of your team. This is frustrating precisely because the two portions of experience don’t seem to speak to each other very wellequally frustrating those who prefer each of the proposed challenge styles.

Exoprimal has potential, but leaves doubts

Based on what Exoprimal Beta offers, it can be said that this is a game that has potential, but hasn’t fully shown itself at the moment. Much of this may be a consequence of the gameplay choice that Capcom decided to demonstrate: if the final game has more PvE and PvP-focused modes, this can help audiences find more fleshed-out experiences than they prefer to experience.

Another question that remains is how rewarding the game’s evolution system will be. Although in the Beta it was possible to see that there were a series of unlockables available, the impossibility of consulting them and applying them to the characters used meant that it was not possible to know whether or not the game will reward those who invest their time in it.

At the present moment, the game deserves praise for the technical part and the reliability of its servers. However, It’s hard not to get the feeling that you need to show a little moreespecially in regards to the game modes, to convince us that the experience will be worth the investment.

We played the Exoprimal Beta on PC using an access code provided by Capcom.

Capcom releases a new Exoprimal trailer focused on the game’s dinosaurs
There are 12 species between normal and modified

Source: Capcom