“Scott Pilgrim EX” Review by Nick Navarro
Sixteen years is a long time to wait for a follow-up to a cult classic, especially when that classic is the 2010 brawler that so many of us poured countless co-op nights into. As someone who genuinely adored that original release, jumping into “Scott Pilgrim EX” felt less like booting up a sequel and more like reconnecting with an old friend who somehow found a way to get even weirder in my absence. Developed by Tribute Games, the team behind “Marvel Cosmic Invasion” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge” (you can check out our reviews of those games HERE & HERE) this new entry immediately signals that it understands the DNA of a great beat ’em up. Tribute has already proven it can capture retro energy without feeling stuck in the past, and here it channels that same philosophy into Bryan Lee O’Malley’s offbeat universe. The result is a sequel that feels reverent toward its predecessor while confidently pushing the formula forward in ways I genuinely didn’t expect.
Set in Toronto, 20XX, the story kicks off with the city falling under the control of three rival gangs: the Vegans, the Robots, and the Demons. It’s exactly the kind of absurd escalation that fits this world perfectly. When Scott’s bandmates are abducted by mysterious forces, the chaos expands across fractured time and space, setting up an adventure that gleefully hops between the familiar and the surreal. The script, written by series creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, captures that rapid-fire, reference-heavy humor fans expect, while still leaving room for a surprisingly cohesive narrative backbone. Anamanaguchi is back to do the music, and they have created another banger of a soundtrack. I feel like I know the first game’s soundtrack by heart, and now I have so many more new tunes of theirs to enjoy and listen to on repeat. I’m for sure going to be pre-ordering that vinyl! The music doesn’t just sit in the background; it propels the pacing forward, giving each brawl an extra surge of momentum that kept me locked in during extended play sessions.
One of the biggest structural shifts this time around is the move to an open-world format. The original game followed a straightforward stage-to-stage progression, but “Scott Pilgrim EX” lets me roam an interconnected version of Toronto instead. I’m constantly traveling between districts, uncovering hidden pathways, stumbling across side quests, and revisiting previously explored areas with new objectives. The quest system naturally nudges me around the map, ensuring progression never feels aimless while still rewarding curiosity. Because the environments are packed with detail and secrets, I rarely felt fatigued by backtracking, and in some cases, revisiting a location revealed entirely new encounters I would have otherwise missed. Combat remains the heart of the experience, and thankfully, it still feels fantastic. Fights unfold as frantic ballets of fists, flair, and flying pixel art chaos. Stringing together combos feels instinctive, yet there’s room for experimentation through wacky weapons and over-the-top special attacks. I appreciated how the game encourages improvisation rather than rigid memorization. Positioning, crowd control, and timing matter, but there’s always space to get creative and turn a messy brawl into something stylish.
Each of the playable fighters offers a distinct combat style, which goes a long way toward maintaining replay value. Whether I was favoring one character’s speed or another’s heavier-hitting approach, swapping between them meaningfully changed how encounters played out. On top of that, characters can be customized through equippable badges and stat upgrades, letting me tweak builds to suit my preferences. Coins earned through quests and combat feed directly into that progression loop, creating a fun rhythm between exploration and just finding more people to beat up for more money so I can afford to buy that outfit style at Cold Topic. A feature I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did is the assist system. Certain characters can be summoned briefly during combat once unlocked, often after completing quests tied to them. These assists can add as a strategic utility and fan-service charm, especially when a familiar face drops in to help turn the tide of a chaotic fight. It reinforces the sense that this is a fully realized ensemble rather than just a roster of selectable sprites.
Boss fights, as in the original, are standout moments. They’re inventive, mechanically varied, and visually expressive in ways that elevate them beyond simple damage sponges. Tribute clearly poured care into crafting encounters that test different aspects of your skillset, whether it’s pattern recognition, crowd management, or burst damage at the right moment. These confrontations often serve as comedic set pieces as much as mechanical hurdles, leaning into the series’ love of exaggerated, game-inspired theatrics. Co-op remains a core pillar of the experience, with support for up to four players locally or online. Drop-in and drop-out functionality make it easy to bring friends into the fray without disrupting progress. While I enjoyed my solo time with the game, it absolutely shines brightest when multiple players are juggling enemies, reviving each other, and chaining specials together in synchronized chaos.
I’m curious how other players will take to the open-world structure, which, while refreshing, may not appeal to some who prefer the tight, linear pacing of traditional beat ’em ups. Its relatively short runtime also means that the main story can be completed fairly quickly, though multiple characters and individual endings help offset that brevity. Even with those caveats, I walked away impressed by how confidently “Scott Pilgrim EX” evolves the formula. It respects what made the 2010 game special with its crunchy combat, vibrant pixel art, and irreverent humor, while layering on exploration, customization, and a broader sense of scope. It’s packed with references and in-jokes, yet it never feels inaccessible to newcomers who simply want a stylish brawler set in a wonderfully ridiculous version of Toronto.
For me, this sequel doesn’t just revisit a beloved cult hit; it meaningfully expands the universe in a way that feels both authentic and adventurous. It’s a love letter to longtime fans, a smart evolution of the genre, and a reminder that sometimes the best way to honor the past is to punch it straight into a bold new direction.
8.5/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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