Excubitor

Excubitor is a sci-fi tower defense shooter set in 2182, where players defend the mothership Antares against waves of enemy drones using upgradable weapons and strategic turret placements. Combining arcade-style shooting with tactical defense mechanics, the game features 17 powerful weapons, epic boss battles, and multiple difficulty levels, including a challenging NewGame+ mode.

Excubitor: Review

Introduction

Excubitor is a distinctive hybrid game that merges the strategic depth of tower defense with the adrenaline-pumping action of a top-down shooter. Set in a distant future amidst a backdrop of interstellar conflict, players take on the role of a lone pilot defending humanity’s last outposts against waves of hostile alien forces. This review delves into the various aspects of Excubitor, examining its unique gameplay blend, compelling narrative, and lasting impact on the gaming landscape.

Development History & Context

The creation of Excubitor was a journey marked by determination and innovation. Founded by Macedonian developers Ivan Ivanovski and Aleksandar Jovanovski, Tesseract Interactive began as a small team inspired by classic shoot’em ups like Raptor: Call of the Shadows. The initial development phase was challenging, with the team navigating technological constraints and transitioning from Microsoft’s XNA framework to Unity due to the latter’s more robust capabilities and cross-platform support (DEV BLOG ENTRY 8: WIND OF CHANGE).

After years of development, Excubitor successfully launched on Steam in 2016, having secured funding through LaunchHub and gained community support via Steam Greenlight. The game’s development process was chronicled through numerous dev blogs, which provided insights into the iterative design process, including world-building (DEV BLOG ENTRY 14: BRAVE NEW WORLDS), resource management (DEV BLOG ENTRY 12: RESOURCES IN EXCUBITOR), and sound design (DEV BLOG ENTRY 11: ALL THAT NOISE).

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Excubitor’s story is set in the year 2182 within the Baphomet star system, a distant colony rich in Voidshards—powerful crystals vital for humanity’s energy needs. The narrative follows the pilot of the Hammerhead defense craft, who must respond to a distress signal that leads to a desperate struggle against rogue drones and alien forces threatening the Antares research vessel.

While the story isn’t the game’s primary focus, it provides a compelling backdrop that evolves through the campaign. Themes of survival, technological warfare, and resource scarcity are subtly woven into the gameplay. The game’s narrative culminates in epic boss battles against colossal enemies, each with unique attack patterns that challenge players to adapt their strategies.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

The core gameplay of Excubitor combines tower defense strategy with real-time shooting action. Players must:

1. Strategically place and upgrade turrets to fortify key positions against incoming enemy waves.
2. Directly control the Hammerhead ship, equipped with a variety of weapons and upgrades, to engage enemies in real-time combat.
3. Manage resources wisely to balance turret placements, ship upgrades, and defensive repairs.
4. Adapt to different enemy types andboss challenges by selecting optimal weapon and turret combinations.

The game offers 17 upgradable weapons for the Hammerhead, each with distinct attributes, and 9 turret types that can be strategically placed and upgraded. The resource management system requires players to balance offense and defense, creating a dynamic gameplay experience that rewards planning and quick reflexes.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Excubitor’s visual and auditory design plays a crucial role in immersing players in its futuristic setting. Key aspects include:

1. Futuristic Visuals: The game boasts detailed 3D models of ships, turrets, and environments, blending a sleek sci-fi aesthetic with war-torn realism.
2. Special Effects: Impressive particle effects and animations enhance the visual impact of weapons and explosions, adding to the sense of destruction.
3. Sound Design: A dynamic soundtrack and visceral sound effects for weapons and impacts create an immersive audio landscape. Voice acting is minimal but effectively conveys the narrative.
4. Diverse Environments: Levels span various locations including space stations, planetary surfaces, and asteroid fields, each with unique environmental challenges.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, Excubitor received mixed to positive reviews from critics and players. Key points from reviews include:

• Praises:

  • Unique blend of tower defense and shooter genres.
  • Challenging difficulty and deep strategic gameplay.
  • Satisfying weapon variety and upgrade system.
  • Engaging boss battles.

• Criticisms:

  • Steep learning curve, especially for genre newcomers.
  • Occasional technical issues (e.g., turret wheel navigation on console).
  • Limited storytelling depth compared to its gameplay strengths.

The game has maintained a dedicated fan base despite not achieving mainstream success. Its innovative genre fusion and demanding gameplay have inspired other developers to explore similar hybrid mechanics, though Excubitor remains a notable pioneer in this space.

Conclusion

Excubitor stands as a testament to the creativity and perseverance of indie developers, delivering a unique gaming experience that successfully merges two beloved genres. While it may not be without flaws, its combination of strategic depth, intense action, and engaging world-building makes it a must-play for fans of tower defense and shooter games alike. For those who embrace its challenges, Excubitor offers hours of satisfying gameplay and a memorable interstellar adventure.