Scott Pilgrim EX (PS5) Review: Brawler Sequel Delivers Charming Action

Over 15 years since the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, Tribute Games is releasing an ambitious beat ’em up sequel called Scott Pilgrim EX. Rather than rehashing the story of the graphic novels again, this takes place after the TV show Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (although you’re fine if you haven’t seen it), and lovingly incorporates references to other video games within its time-traveling story. It winds up being a worthy successor, even if it

Tribute Games is no stranger to beat ’em ups, as they recently developed the fantastic TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge and Marvel Cosmic Invasion games, and Scott Pilgrim EX has a lot of depth to its combat. From fast and strong attacks, super moves and assists that cost energy, and a few advanced techniques, there’s no shortage of minutiae to master. There are also seven playable characters (although some odd decisions like a robot rather than Wallace), each of which plays differently and have their own learning curve. Overall, it’s one of Tribute’s most technical games, and getting to create your own build over time with equipment and stat upgrades makes it a customizable one as well.

The biggest difference between EX and the prior game is that it isn’t level-based. Instead, you interact with a connected world and run back-and-forth between familiar areas as you complete quests. This is an interesting idea, and one that mostly works, especially when you start discovering secrets that require you to bring items from one area to another. But I feel like it needed a bit more in terms of side content and some more meaningful side quests to really justify it, as I would’ve ultimately preferred to have a more streamlined, less repetitive game that took more advantage of its time-travel plot. That being said, I hope Tribute experiments and expands on this idea in the future, as it has the potential to be truly great (imagining a Marvel beat ’em up in this form with even more RPG elements already has me excited).

Each quest ends with a boss fight as you try to regroup Scott’s band and save the world in the process. These fights can be quite difficult if you are playing solo, although there are multiple difficulties to select from, so I do recommend playing Scott Pilgrim EX with a couple of friends. While the co-op gameplay can feel sometimes hectic, coming up with strategies to take down a boss is particularly fulfilling. No matter how you play, though, you’ll want to carefully tailor your gameplay style to your strengths and find the right assist to use, as it can be the difference between success and defeat.

As mentioned, there are a lot of fun references to other video games. From Metal Sonic to one of the boss fights practically recreating a Bloodborne fight, there’s plenty of smiles to be had. It’s also got a ton of references to actual stores in Toronto, which my Canadian co-op partner got a real kick out of. Little touches are seemingly everywhere, and it’s this extra layer of passion that makes this a really must-play experience for Scott Pilgrim fans, even if it’s not my favorite from Tribute.

Scott Pilgrim EX (PS5) Review: Final Verdict

Scott Pilgrim EX is filled with a lot of charm, depth, and ambition. While not every choice is a home run, it’s a blast more often than not, and its multiple endings and secrets will keep you playing for far after you roll credits the first time. Tribute Games continues to experiment with beat ’em ups, and this is another strong one from the studio.