Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Exolon marries fast-paced shoot ’em up action with precise platforming in a flick-screen framework that demands both reflexes and strategy. You control a hover-capable soldier who can pick up an exoskeletal suit to boost your resilience against the onslaught of enemies. Movement is smooth and responsive—you’ll dash, duck, and jump at a moment’s notice as you traverse each static screen, carefully gauging whether to engage foes with your gun or simply sidestep them.

The core combat loop revolves around a standard blaster (tapped fire) and a limited missile reserve (hold fire). This dual-weapon system injects resource-management tension into every firefight: do you spend precious missiles on fortified installations or conserve them for critical bottlenecks later on? Many adversaries can be bypassed through dexterous platforming and well-timed evasions, rewarding players who learn enemy patrol patterns instead of relying on raw firepower.

Level design shines through its flick-screen layout, with each discrete panel offering a new puzzle in platform placement, enemy positioning, and environmental hazards. As you progress from left to right, you’ll encounter tight corridors, precarious ledges, and strategically placed power-ups that encourage exploration. The gradual introduction of tougher foes and more elaborate screen layouts ensures a steady difficulty curve that keeps you engaged without feeling arbitrary.

Graphics

Exolon’s graphics capture the essence of late-’80s home computer artistry with vibrant sprites and stark, high-contrast backgrounds. Each enemy is rendered in crisp, memorable detail—whether it’s a hovering drone or a walking turret—and the exoskeletal suit itself is instantly recognizable with its bulky, angular design. The limited color palette is used intelligently, emphasizing foreground elements and ensuring that hazards stand out against distant scenery.

Animations are surprisingly smooth for a game of this vintage. Your character’s hover thrust and recoil during firing feel weighty, while enemy movements—from skeletal walkers to turret pivots—feel deliberate and believable. Screen transitions are handled via a quick iris-style flash, which gives each new area a moment to register before you spring into action.

Environmental touches abound: glowing energy conduits, distant mountain silhouettes, and occasional explosions that fill the screen with pixel debris. Even with modern expectations for fluid scrolling, Exolon’s flick-screen approach lends each tableau a sense of structure and intrigue, turning simple screens into self-contained challenges with unique visual identity.

Story

While Exolon doesn’t deliver a sprawling narrative, it provides just enough sci-fi context to keep players invested. You play as a lone infantry operative sent to infiltrate a hostile complex bristling with experimental weapons—and your namesake exosuit is the only hope for survival. The opening manual blurb sets the scene: rogue AI, ambushed squads, and a desperate mission to disable key installations.

Story beats are relayed sparingly between levels via brief text interludes, but they’re effective in maintaining momentum. You’ll learn of escalating threats—automated defense grids, gun emplacements, and alien-like guardians—as you push deeper into enemy territory. It’s a classic “one soldier against the odds” setup that fuels your drive to see each level through.

The minimalism actually works in Exolon’s favor, focusing attention on core action rather than lore-heavy exposition. Each power-up and suit upgrade feels earned, reinforcing the sense that you’re evolving from a lightly equipped trooper into a walking war machine. By the time you reach the final screens, the stakes are clear—and your investment in the mission makes those last firefights all the more gratifying.

Overall Experience

Exolon delivers a satisfying blend of twitch-based shooting and thoughtful platform puzzles wrapped in a retro sci-fi veneer. Its tight controls and well-tuned enemy placements ensure that no two screens feel alike, while the suit mechanics introduce a welcome layer of tactical depth. Though unforgiving at times, the game’s fair checkpointing and consistent ruleset mean every failure is a learning opportunity.

Replay value is strong for those who love mastering patterns and chasing perfect runs. Hidden passages occasionally reveal extra missiles or armor pickups, tempting completionists to revisit earlier levels. Speedrunners will appreciate the rigid flick-screen design, which allows for time-saving shortcuts and pixel-perfect maneuvers once each screen’s layout is memorized.

Ultimately, Exolon stands as a testament to the creativity and challenge of classic 8-bit design. It may not boast modern bells and whistles, but its core gameplay loop remains as compelling today as it was at release. If you’re seeking a bite-sized retro action experience with a satisfying difficulty ramp and crisp player feedback, Exolon is well worth suiting up for.

Retro Replay Score

7/10