Live a 9-to-5 life that bites back IGN Preview
Video games often offer us a fantasy world of epic heroes, gods, and super-soldiers. But what if the fantasy was something far more grounded? With Exterminauts drops the armor and replaces it with an orange jumpsuit, inviting players to step into the role of an everyman navigating the chaotic frontier of interstellar corporations.
This unique premise is the heart of the experience. Players aren’t hunting for glory; they are simply trying to get the job done. In this three-player PvE shooter, success hinges entirely on cooperation. You are tethered to your teammates, guided by a boss in your ear, making the monumental task of surviving and completing a mission feel like a genuine team effort against the odds.
The game brilliantly marries this working-man mentality with high-octane alien combat. While you are battling spectacularly weird flora and fauna—some creatures fly, some burrow—your primary duties involve the practical, sometimes grimy, necessities of a construction site. You might be ziplining across massive structures just to reach the next checkpoint, or wrestling with giant machinery to fix electrical shorts and weld metal.
The design team deliberately focused on these interactions, making the environment itself a source of dynamic gameplay. Expect to spend time turning valves, rebooting terminals, and fixing systems. These aren’t just filler tasks; they are critical interaction points that demand coordination. It’s the challenge of coordinating with your squadmates, especially when you are the only one left to defend the team while a critical pipe is being fixed.
Creativity was also baked into the enemy design. Developers aimed to surprise players by designing threats that defy expectations, like the “wrecking slug,” an enemy that looks impossibly tough but hides a soft, vulnerable interior. This focus on surprise and unexpected weaknesses ensures that every encounter is a puzzle as much as a fight.
Despite the mundane tasks, the action remains intense. Exterminauts embraces chaos, allowing for accidental explosions, unexpected falls, and split-second decisions. This inherent tension keeps the experience vibrant, ensuring that whether you are dodging an alien beast or trying to fix a leaking valve, you are always dealing with something beyond your immediate control.
Ultimately, the joy of <Exterminauts> lies in the contrast: the high-stakes thrill of alien warfare blended seamlessly with the relatable challenge of doing a job. It’s a chaotic, colorful journey where the most important victory isn’t just wiping out monsters, but successfully clocking out and getting home.
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