Players: 1–4 Local
Genre: Beat ’em Up / Action RPG
Platforms: Modern consoles and PC
Co-op: 4-Player Local
Scott Pilgrim EX recently released as a sequel to Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game, which originally launched on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Like the original, it’s a four-player beat ’em up with RPG elements, but after spending time with the sequel, I think it’s a clear improvement over the first game in several important ways.
A Better Evolution of the Original
When the original Scott Pilgrim game came out, it was easy to love. At the time, we weren’t seeing many new beat ’em ups outside of games like Castle Crashers. The genre was pretty quiet, so having a new four-player brawler felt exciting.
The game was eventually delisted for years, which made it harder to revisit. Because of that, I think I built it up in my head to be better than it actually was. When I went back to replay it, the original started to feel a little clunky.
One of the biggest issues was the hit detection. You had to be perfectly lined up with enemies to land attacks, which often made combat feel awkward. The progression also felt artificially slow. You had to stop frequently to grind for money and upgrades before moving on, which padded out the length of the game.
Progression That Feels Natural
Scott Pilgrim EX improves on those issues right away. The progression feels much more natural this time around.
Instead of stopping to grind constantly, you level up naturally as you move through the game. While playing through the stages, you earn health upgrades, money, and experience that gradually strengthen your character. When you return to shops, you can purchase upgrades without needing to halt the game just to farm resources.
That change alone makes the pacing feel much smoother.
The combat also feels more solid overall. Each character has a different set of moves, and there’s a good amount of variety between them. You also collect badges throughout the game, which act as special abilities. Some badges trigger powerful screen-clearing attacks, while others provide support abilities.
One badge we found especially useful summons a band that plays music and heals everyone nearby. In a four-player session, that ability can save a run when the group starts getting overwhelmed.
A Four-Player Beat ’em Up Done Right
The game supports four-player local co-op, which is clearly the best way to experience it. I played through the entire game with three friends in the same room, and we finished it in about four hours.
That length felt just about right for a beat ’em up like this. The pacing stays consistent, and the difficulty never becomes frustrating. Most encounters feel fair, and the boss fights stand out as some of the highlights of the game. Each boss has unique mechanics and personality, which helps keep the experience interesting.
Playing through the whole game in a single sitting with friends is exactly the kind of experience that couch co-op games are meant to deliver.
The Main Downside: Backtracking
My biggest complaint with Scott Pilgrim EX is the amount of backtracking.
Throughout the game, you frequently travel to one side of the map, complete a task, and then return to the opposite side. This happens repeatedly across several sections of the game.
I would have preferred if the game handled its exploration differently. Instead of revisiting the same areas over and over, it would have been better if new objectives simply opened new parts of the map. That way, each section would feel like a fresh area to explore.
Because the game keeps sending you back through the same locations, parts of the experience start to feel repetitive after a while.
Final Thoughts
Despite the backtracking, Scott Pilgrim EX is still a big improvement over the original game.
The combat feels smoother, progression is handled much better, and the variety of abilities and characters adds more depth to the experience. Most importantly, it works extremely well as a four-player couch co-op game.
Finishing the entire campaign in one sitting with friends was incredibly satisfying, and that kind of experience is exactly why games like this are still worth making.
If you enjoyed the original Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game or you’re just looking for a solid modern beat ’em up to play with friends, Scott Pilgrim EX is definitely worth checking out.