Exobrave – a 90s Arcade Vibe for the Modern era

In an world dominated by sprawling open-worlds and photorealistic graphics. A new game is on the horizon, one that takes us back to a golden era of arcade gaming. Exobrave, an upcoming 2D arcade-action-platformer from developer Roborar Digital Ltda, is poised to remind us what made games so special in the first place.

At first glance, Exobrave’s meticulously crafted pixel art is a stunning homage to the 16-bit era, instantly transporting players back to the mid to late ’80s and early ’90s. For those who grew up frequenting arcades (like myself), this game feels like a massive trip down memory lane. The futuristic setting, overrun by crazy automatons, gives it a distinct Terminator sci-fi look, all while the frantic side-scrolling action and distinct art style are reminiscent of beloved classics such as Contra, Gun Force, Bad Dudes vs Dragon Ninja, Magic Sword and many others like it. It carries the torch of those side-scrolling action games, and later titles like the Castlevania series, capturing a distinct kind of high-stakes fast moving combat. Exobrave looks like the culmination of what was possible with the technology of that time, a game that could have been the next great cabinet, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other arcade legendary titles.

The game’s narrative is just as thrilling as its aesthetic. Players are thrusted into a futuristic colony, a once-proud shield against a great cataclysm, now overrun by demon-possessed automatons. As one of three rebels, you’ll discover mysterious artifacts known as Exomakers, which allow you to forge powerful, transmuted armor. The game promises a crazy fast combat system, with simple controls that are easy to use but hard to master. Players can upgrade and swap weapons for attack bonuses and unleash special powers with perfectly timed strikes, a true nod to the skill-based gameplay of that arcade era.

The game features branching paths and multiple endings, offering a level of replayability that would have been very rare in its arcade predecessors. It also includes co-op gameplay, inviting friends to play with you, this was sometimes fun in arcades as often as it was annoying (that might just be me).

While the game is still “To be announced” for a release date, it is clear from the details on its Steam page that Roborar Digital Ltda are on to something special here. This game feels like it belongs in an arcade cabinet, and for those of you that have a cabinet, you might wanna add Exobrave to the set up, when the time comes.

Yiu can wishlist Exobrove on Steam now by clicking here.