Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: 14th January 2021
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch & Epic Store
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
*A review code for this game was kindly provided by the publisher*
After a six-year absence, Scott Pilgrim is back on our consoles in the form of Scott Pilgrim vs The World Complete Edition. This is essentially a port of the original PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game with all DLC included. In a nice touch, after such a long absence, the game has been made available across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and PC, with the two former spanning current and previous generations via backward compatibility. But does the title hold up a decade after its initial launch? In short, yes.
The game pulls from both the graphic novel and the film, with Scott having to battle seven of love interest Ramona Flowers ex-boyfriends in order to date her. Each of these exes come in the form of an end-of-level boss. Getting through these seven stages is no easy feat though. Even on ‘average joe’ difficulty, the game provides a significant challenge. Thankfully the game is deeper than your average side-scrolling beat ’em up, allowing you to spend coins found on your journey to aid your quest.
The game lets you play as seven different characters in total, each of which has unique skills that unlock as you level up. I appreciated Ubisoft Montreal dangling a carrot like this as it kept the game expanding the more you played, unlike most other games in this genre. Like the original release, the game really pops on the screen with its fantastic pixel art and fun animation. The soundtrack by Anamanaguchi adds to the experience and really sets the title aside from the competition.
One downside to the whole thing is the unreliable co-op. Playing with a friend is definitely in my opinion the ideal scenario but there is often an issue with lag which takes away from the enjoyment. Local co-op is also an option, but with half the world in lockdown at the moment it is disappointing that we can’t just hop on with our friends remotely and get a seamless experience.
In some good news though, the complete edition does come packing a platinum trophy. This is something that was sorely missing from the original release. However, don’t expect to be bagging this particular platinum unless you have a high skill level. Completing the game on ‘supreme master’ difficulty is a hefty challenge, as is some of the others like having to speed run the game in under 90 minutes and playing through an entire world without being hit. The list is basically the same as the original release but with the DLC trophies merged into the main list and a platinum added.
-Terry 🦊
