[Review] Extreme Exorcism
System: Wii U
Release date: September 23, 2015
Developer: Golden Ruby Games
Publisher Ripstone
Author: Dennis
Genuine arcade games in the modern era have been one of those lost treasures we see far too few of. When they do arise, some still fall short of bringing something refreshing, memorable, and fun to the table. Extreme Exorcism brings back the old school in the best way possible, delivering a unique and fun experience everyone can enjoy. Gameplay is the core focus of Extreme Exorcism, and it executes on this front so incredibly well.
Extreme Exorcism can be enjoyed in multiple different fashions: Arcade Mode, Deathmatch, and Challenge Mode. All of these different match types take place in the same level hub in the shape of a haunted house. You can access various parts of the house by playing Arcade Mode. Arcade Mode is incredibly fun and lives up to the “arcade” portion of its name. In this mode, you’ll play through levels within each section of the estate – Graveyard, Balcony, Bedroom, Kitchen, etc. – that have achievements you can acquire. After a certain amount of points are obtained, you’ll unlock the next level. And after a certain amount of kills, you’ll unlock new weapons – you get the point. It’s extremely easy to get lost in Arcade Mode, and you’ll find yourself spending hours wanting to unlock every level and section of the haunted house as well as every weapon and challenge it has to offer.
One very interesting factor about the AI is how the ghosts function. These ghosts mimic your exact movement you made in the previous round. For every round you survive, another ghost will be added to your next game. These ghosts will act just as you did before; using the same weapons you happened to pick up at the time. It can be pretty hectic as the rounds go on the more ghosts get added. It’s a constant battle against your own self, and admittedly, the crazier it gets, the more fun it is.
Each level following the first round will typically have a “King Ghost”. When you kill the ghost with the crown, the round ends immediately, and you can advance to the next. Usually the crowned ghosts will give you ten points while all other ghosts will give you one point. If you’re looking to rack up as high of a score as possible, kill everything in sight, if you’re just trying to get as many rounds as possible and enough points to unlock the next stage, just go ahead for the crowned ghost. Either way it’s a ton of fun, especially when there’s so much going on in the later rounds. When the crowned ghost is killed, the game goes in slow motion for a moment highlighting where it happened, and it’s extremely awesome to see.
The great part about Extreme Exorcism is that a good amount of it can be played with friends. There’s no online multiplayer, but that’s quickly forgotten as local play is extremely fun. You can have up to the three other players to play through Arcade Mode and defeat ghosts, or you can play in the multiplayer – only Deathmatch, where you compete against each other for the most kills. Deathmatch is very flexible and can be played to your liking, with a plethora of settings you can customize to make the matches as insane or as relaxed as you’d like. Just about everything is customizable, from the ghost spawn rate to the speed of your characters, and even how many jumps you’d like your characters to have, exceeding the standard double jump in all other modes. Gravity can be set to low, ghosts can be set to teams, friendly fire, and weapon availability – nearly everything is customizable!
Deathmatch makes for an incredibly fun time, and due to its simple arcade-like controls, it feels like an easy pickup-and-go experience that is suitable for all ages and playstyles. Just like in Arcade Mode, ghosts will mimic your exact movements and pick up the weapons from the round prior. With four players going at it simultaneously, the screen can get filled with ghosts and it’s hard to keep up with the action, but the frenetic experience makes it feel so much more wild and fun. You’ll smile and laugh by the end of it all – win or lose, and even draw.
For those looking for a challenge in Extreme Exorcism, Challenge Mode has your back. This is filled with multiple tiers, each more difficult than the next. After you’ve completed a set amount of tasks within each tear, the next will unlock. The challenges can range anywhere from not dying for a particular number of rounds to defeating a level using only one kind of weapon. Completing various challenges will also add to your overall kill-count within the game and help unlock more exclusive weapons that can be used throughout all the modes. The great thing about Extreme Exorcism is it’s easy to understand and pickup. It may even seem relatively tame for some, but Challenge Mode will provide you with the difficulty you need with fast-paced ghost-killing action set within certain stipulations.
The developers over at Golden Ruby Games have truly come up with something special. Extreme Exorcism lives up to the extreme part of its name delivering extreme joy in just about every aspect of itself. As a fan of traditional arcade games, this is the first game in a long time that’s made me get that authentic feeling I’ve been longing for once again. With easy controls and straight-forward gameplay, Extreme Exorcism is a game everyone can enjoy. The retro graphics, unique weapons, and awesome sprites really bring out the game’s charm. For those that want to beef up their Wii U library and want the next big indie hit, do yourself a favor and get Extreme Exorcism. You’ll have countless hours of fun playing through the various levels throughout the haunted house, and even more fun with friends by your side. This is that great couch co-op type of game that belongs on every Nintendo system.
