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Exoprimal was a surprise reveal last year, with Capcom showing off unstoppable raptor hordes, slick exosuits and cooperative missions with hints of PvP in them- all the recipe for a potential banger release.
From the eerie voice of Leviathan to the simultaneously PvE and PvP nature of Exoprimal’s missions, it’s undestandable fans might have a lot of questions about Capcom’s newest dino-slaying romp and, thankfully, we’re here to help with that.
We spoke to Ichiro Kiyokawa, Producer of Exoprimal as well as Takuro Hiroaka, Director, about all things Exoprimal, from exactly how much the game will expect players to min max to even the game’s unfortunate resemblance to the long-MIA Dino Crisis series, and subsequent fan expectations as a result of it.
It should be noted that these answers were given as a joint statement from the two, with the Japanese answers translated by DeepL and checked again for clarity.
At first glance, I think a lot of Capcom fans might have mistaken this game for Dino Crisis. Did the Exoprimal team take any inspiration from the series?
A: This will be a new title, different from Dino Crisis in both gameplay and worldview. Dinosaurs were present from the very first idea. We want to experience the threat of dinosaurs, which are probably the most powerful creatures in history. We also thought that if we could experience in the game a desperate situation where dinosaurs attack in the thousands or tens of thousands, we would be able to create an intensity that has never been seen before.
Next, I came to the conclusion that dinosaurs with such overwhelming strength and numbers and a desperate situation could not be broken through by modern humans or technology, and that an unknown force (chemistry in the near future) would be necessary. At this point, I thought that by combining the conflicting elements of “the strongest in history” and “the strongest in the near future,” we could deliver a new and interesting experience to users, and the idea for Exoprimal was born.
So what can you tell us about the new character, Leviathan?
A: Leviathan, as a new generation AI, has repeatedly conducted combat tests (war games). In the course of its combat tests, Leviathan is making dinosaurs appear. Leviathan appears to players in various forms. Some look like giant humanoids, while others are part of the Leviathan, such as the Watcher, who is in charge of navigation near the player.
Play the game to find out why Leviathan repeats combat tests.
Can you share a bit about the progression system in the game?
A: Playing the main mode of this work, “Dino Survival,” will give you experience, which will allow you to level up your player and suit. Various rewards can be earned by leveling up. Among these rewards, we have prepared a system to customize the appearance of the exosuit as well as to change its performance.
A: Various rewards can be earned by leveling up. Among these rewards, there are those that allow the player to customize the appearance of the exosuit, as well as a mechanism to change its performance. The suit can also be fitted with a rig. The combination of “suit and rig” expands the possibilities of how to fight. Please experiment with various combinations and pursue your favorite fighting style.
It sounds like a lot of the focus around Exoprimal will be completing your mission objectives quickly. What systems do you have in place to motivate players to do this?
A: Dino Survival is based on the rule of “win if you can complete all the missions presented by Leviathan before the opposing team. Therefore, players will aim to accomplish their missions precisely. Winning the Dino Survival will also earn a lot of the aforementioned experience.
Could you describe what kind of gameplay high-level Exoprimal will be like?
A: While simple suit manipulation skills (character control, action/aim accuracy, etc.) will be important In Dino Survival, the Leviathan changes the missions, fields, and dinosaurs that appear each time you play.
So, it is important to make a decision on how to fight according to the situation, such as “What can I do against dinosaurs with my suit” or “Do I need to change my suit configuration (suit change) for the mission? Therefore, it is important to make decisions on how to fight according to the situation, and to cooperate with allies and play together.
And what about players who don’t want to min-max?
A: Of course, such players can also enjoy Exoprimal. Depending on the dinosaur or the mission, the suit may or may not be suitable, but it is not impossible to complete the mission without choosing the most suitable suit.
The game may sound difficult when you hear the words “flexible decision-making,” “role-playing,” and “cooperative/coordinated play with friends,” but in reality it is much more casual. Each exosuit in the game can unleash powerful attacks and skills that take advantage of its own characteristics with simple controls, and this makes for an exhilarating play experience.
The main mode, Dino Survival, will also be easy to navigate, even for first-timers, thanks to Leviathan’s navigation. Whether you play alone or with friends, you are sure to have an enjoyable experience.
In recent years, we’ve seen a lot of cooperative experiences like Anthem and Babylon’s Fall fail shortly after launch. What is Exoprimal doing different to draw in players?
A: The main mode, Dino Survival, changes the missions, fields, and dinosaurs that appear depending on the player’s game progress, so that players can enjoy a different experience every time they play. Players cannot predict what the battle will be like until they actually land on the field and the mission begins.
While in many other titles, advance preparation before gameplay is highly important, Exoprimal requires flexible play to deal with the mission presented by Leviathan (users can decide “how they want to fight” in that situation and freely change their suits to fight), and It will be fun.
We have asked other members of the development team to test play the game, and they were surprised at how the experience changes each time and how much they enjoyed it. We believe this is the unique charm of Exoprimal.
That’s pretty much all they had to say about Exoprimal. With the game slated for a 2023 release and a closed beta coming up though, expect a lot more information about this dino-hunting adventure as players get time with the game’s exosuits for themselves.
Our thanks to Ichiro and Takuro for answering our questions, and especially for the deeper look at the kinds of excitement you’ll be able to look forward to with Exoprimal ahead of its Closed Beta next month.
