Scott Pilgrim EX Is More Scott Pilgrim, And I Couldn't Be Happier - Gamescom 2025

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I was first introduced to Scott Pilgrim with the fantastic live-action movie, and I was captivated by the video game-inspired world. I would go back right after to read the graphic novel and immediately play the game. It's so much fun, and after beating the game, I was craving for more. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much regarding the IP, except for the Netflix show featuring a different plot with Scott Pilgrim disappearing. Then, Summer Game Fest happened, and Scott Pilgrim EX was announced.

Just like the previous game, Scott Pilgrim EX is a 2D beat-em-up that follows Scott and his gang in a new story that was created by the original creator Bryan Lee O'Malley. You will go through a fantasy-ridden Toronto, Canada, where time and space are fractured, fighting ridiculous enemies and traversing through a weird world.

If you have played the first game, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game, the general gameplay is going to feel very familiar. You and up to three others will run around a 2D plane, fighting enemies together. We can utilize multiple moves, ranging from light and heavy attacks to ultimate moves, and picking up and throwing enemies and items. Defeating enemies will drop money that can be used to buy items that can either heal your health and GP, grant upgrades to stats, or purchase badges to equip and give new abilities.

Initially, I was hoping for a more typical RPG leveling system to make stats go up and make myself more powerful, but I came to appreciate the system dependent on money that I picked up. When you go to stores, you can eat certain foods that can increase different stats, though the exact stats that the specific food will increase aren't shown until you eat it. With money being shared among everyone, this becomes a strategic choice, and I ended up seeing the appeal.

It's a blast to experience firsthand, and it just feels chaotically refined. Developer Tribute Games has been refining its craft, working previously on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, and it's clear they know exactly what they are doing. All of the moves and characters are unlocked from the beginning, giving us a lot to play around with right off the bat. At first, I felt a little sad that there wouldn't be unlockables like this, but as I played the game, that feeling would dissipate, and having everything unlocked just allowed me to enjoy the game without feeling like I had to go out of my way to unlock something else.

One of my favorite features of Scott Pilgrim EX has to be the assists. Each character in the game has its own unique assist character that can be summoned. These are generally related to the character and can really help in a pinch. As you keep playing, you will be able to change the assist character you have while equipping badges, and with each assist having a different effect on the enemy, I appreciate that it can be changed in-game.

It sounds like the seven characters will be quite diverse, and it's great. Today, Tribute Games announced the next two characters to appear alongside Scott and Ramona. Two of Ramona's evil exes, Lucas and Roxie, will be joining the fight. All of the characters we could play as in the first game were all friends of Scott, so it's awesome being able to finally get a chance to play as some of the "bad" guys. In my session at Gamescom, I got to play as Lucas, and watching him smack his skateboard across the enemy's faces was a treat.

Each of the characters plays a bit differently, all having their own movesets and set of base stats that complement their style. For example, Lucas is a giant guy, so his strength is quite high, but his agility stat is low, which makes him slower.

I also really like the direction they went with the level structure. Instead of going for individual levels, which we often see in games like this, Scott Pilgrim EX has a Metroidvania-esque sprawling map. So, we will go across multiple different areas, unlocking new ones, and finding side quests to complete. It isn't filled with pathways that need to be unlocked with new abilities you get later, but there may be some secrets to discover.

Scott Pilgrim EX does exactly what I was hoping for it to do: give me more Scott Pilgrim. The gameplay is still enjoyably chaotic, combat feels great, the pixel art is gorgeous, the world is filled with references, and it all works together extremely well. With a new story, an intriguing cast of characters, and the new way to make yourself more powerful, it seems like this is going to be a great new experience for Scott Pilgrim fans, and I can't wait to play through on my own to see the rest of the tale for myself.

Scott Pilgrim EX can be wishlisted on Steam ahead of its release next year.

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