Exoprimal is shaping up to be quite the weird title. Created by Capcom and slated for a 2023 release, the game centers around Exofighters - humans outfitted in special Exosuits that fight both dinosaurs and other Exofighters. The Exofighters in Exoprimal are thrust into several combat challenges by a rogue AI known as Leviathan, whose sinister games can only be stopped by completing levels and gaining experience.
It's a strange narrative to be certain, one that serves as a simple backbone with which Exoprimal can justify its high-octane gameplay. Yet there is still a lot about Exoprimal that the public doesn't know about, something that will hopefully be rectified in the upcoming Capcom Spotlight event on March 9, 2023. However, one certainty is that Exoprimal looks to be something of an antithesis to another Capcom IP: Monster Hunter.
Exoprimal May be All About Speed
Whereas Monster Hunter is more methodical when it comes to the preparation and execution of its gameplay elements, all of Exoprimal's pre-release footage points to the new title being as fast-paced as possible. Upon picking a game mode, players enter matchmaking, and it has been shown that they can swap between different Exosuits (which serve as the game's classes) between waves of dinosaurs. Dropping into a match puts players on a fairly linear path in which they must complete different objectives like collecting items or going to a specific point on the map. Two teams of five compete to see who can finish their tasks the fastest, and the game sometimes pits teams directly against each other.
Speaking of fighting, combat in Exoprimal looks hectic. Exosuit attacks come out as soon as players input them, and they can also be canceled preemptively by performing other moves mid-animation. This is a stark contrast to Monster Hunter's combat, where players typically use weapons with slow animations and have to commit in order to deal maximum damage. The speed at which attacks are executed in Exoprimal is justified because of how many enemies payers have to fight at a given time.
Exoprimal Prioritizes Enemy Density over Size
Hunts in Monster Hunter generally pit players against a single, giant monster like a Silver Rathalos. Players must first identify and sometimes track the monster before they can begin fighting, and even then they must exploit the surrounding environment and the monster's weaknesses to get the upper hand. When done properly, well-laid plans and good executions lead to catharsis through a monster's defeat or capture.
Successful combat in Exoprimal looks to stem from players' crowd-control abilities. Because Exofighters are forced to fight hundreds of dinosaurs, the abilities of their Exosuits need to come out quickly and cover a large area. The Roadblock is a tank class Exosuit whose deployable shield stops enemy projectiles and strong charge attacks. By contrast, the Zephyr's tonfa attacks emit shockwaves that hit multiple foes with every frontal swipe.
While both Monster Hunter and Exoprimal should thrive on their core gameplay loops, the ways these two IPs increase their difficulty seem drastically different. Monster Hunter makes itself more difficult by introducing monsters with larger health pools and unique attacks. Though Exoprimal has its fair share of titanic enemies, it also ups the ante by increasing the number of dinosaurs on screen (which seems to be one of the selling points for Capcom's next franchise). Those who found Monster Hunter too slow or open-ended should keep an eye on Exoprimal, as it may trim a lot of the fat around hunting monsters by letting players get down to business as soon as their Exosuits hit the ground.
Exoprimal releases in 2023 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
