I love a good shoot ’em up game, but given that we have hundreds from the genre’s heyday in the 80s and 90s, there needs to be a hook for one to stand out. Simply being a competent shooter is… pretty bland in 2025. That’s the issue that Exo-Calibre unfortunately faces, as Vampixel Games has created a cute and challenging bullet hell shooter that is fun yet rather forgettable.
The strongest suit of Exo-Calibre is its aesthetics. Players can initially pilot three different characters — appropriately, all cute anime waifu types — in exo-mechs that have unique shot types and melee weapons, allowing for some gameplay variety. All of the artwork, especially the character and boss pixel art, is charming, and the stages are varied enough.
Much like the graphics, the gameplay is all very capable. You’ll find yourself bobbing and weaving out of bullet hell situations, eventually approaching a boss, and then taking them down. The problem is that an entire arcade run of the game is done in around 45 minutes, depending on your skill level. There’s also no real hook or selling point to the gameplay, nothing to really cling to beyond this being a fun way to spend an afternoon.
That’s not to say there’s no replayability, though. There are quite a few different modes, as there’s a story, plus boss and time rush modes. You’ll also unlock additional pilots as you play. However, once I had seen everything the game had to offer in terms of stages, I just lost interest. While it’s a good time, it can’t quite reach the high level of the games that inspired it. I’m glad I played it, but it’s a bit of a hard game to recommend when it’s of a genre as packed as shmups are.
Exo-Calibre Review: Final Verdict
Exo-Calibre’s low price point is likely its saving grace. If you’ve got a few bucks and want to play a cute shoot ’em up, then this fits the bill. There’s a lot of charm, plus a good amount of modes. However, it just never gets all that interesting, so veterans of the genre might find themselves a bit bored with no unique mechanics.
SCORE: 6/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 6 equates to “Decent.” It fails to reach its full potential and is a run-of-the-mill experience.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Exo-Calibre review. Reviewed on version 1.000.000.
