REVIEW: ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition’ (Switch)

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition, a 2D arcade-style beat ’em up video game published by Ubisoft, makes its triumphant return. The game, which loosely follows the events of the graphic novel series, lets players play as Scott Pilgrim, Kim Pine, Ramona, or Stephen Stills. Choosing either single-player or multiplayer modes, players must battle through seven levels filled with hordes of enemies. At the end of every level, players will find one of Ramona’s seven evil exes that will do anything to make sure that Scott and Ramona do not end up together. With different abilities and characters to choose from, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is a game for long-time fans of the series and for those who are just picking up the game for the first time.

Most of the mechanics in the Complete Edition of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game are the same as the original. Each character starts every level with three lives and full Heart Points, which decrease every time damage is taken. Once all Heart Points are depleted, a life is lost. If players lose all three lives, players must start from the beginning of that level. Players are also given Gut Points, which allow them to perform a special move or call on Knives Chao for support. Gut Points can also be used as additional Heart Points if a player runs out. The Gut Points are an interesting addition to the beat ’em up formula, but having them correlate to a character’s special moves was, at times, difficult to deal with. Special moves help to deal with a big number of enemies at once, but if a player is out of Gut Points, dealing with larger crowds becomes much more difficult.

Every character has different attack combinations and special moves, so players should choose what character they’re most comfortable with. Combos are essential to taking down bigger enemies and to break their guard. Characters also level up by defeating enemies and earning XP points. Health is replenished upon leveling up and characters learn new special moves. In classic beat ’em up fashion, players can also use interactive objects or even pick up certain enemies to use as weapons to defeat enemies. These mechanics make the game really enjoyable since it feels like I’m more immersed into the game rather than just playing the game. Watching the characters I played as level up was a great accomplishment since it was a sign that I was making progress. It’s rare for this feeling of accomplishment to arise from a beat’em up game. These mechanics, however, are rather similar to other beat ’em up games.

A major aspect of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is earning money and shopping for items. Players earn money from defeating enemies or entering special dimensions. There are several shops in certain areas that players can visit to purchase three different types of items: snacks, meals, and accessories. Snacks and meals replenish some Heart and Gut Points, as well as experience points. However, meals can only be purchased in restaurants while snacks can be equipped for later use. Players can only take one snack at a time, so be mindful of the effects that snacks can have. Accessories can be equipped to improve a character’s overall attributes: defense, speed, willpower, and strength.

Having spent a significant amount of time playing the game, purchasing items is a unique addition to beat ’em up games. Rather than just picking up items, it gives players a sense that they’re fully in control of their experience playing the game. It’s an important element since these different items can turn the fight in your favor. However, some of the items that give better power-ups cost more, meaning that players have to be careful about how much they spend. It’s safer to collect as much money as one can before purchasing the more expensive items.

There are plenty of additional game modes besides the campaign that players can choose from when playing Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. The first is Survivor Mode, where the main objective is to defeat as many zombies and survive as long as players can. The next is called Boss Rush, where players must defeat all bosses one after another. One of the main objectives is to defeat the bosses as fast as possible. The Battle Royal mode is a free-for-all versus mode in a wrestling ring for up to 4 players. The final mode is the Dodge Ball mode, where players must beat each other in a dodge ball game for up to 4 players. These modes will surely provide hours for fun for gamers who managed to finish the main story mode or who are looking to play with other friends.

The main story mode of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game can also be played as a co-op mode for up to 4 players. While also including the mechanics from the single-player mode, new mechanics are added specifically for this mode. Heart Points can be shared between players, which can be useful in tight situations. Players can lend money to other teammates who are low on cash to buy items. When a player is knocked out and all their lives are lost, players transform into a ghost for a short period of time. Their ghost can move around, and when near another teammate, they can take one of their lives. Whenever a player is knocked out, teammates can reanimate them by pressing certain buttons. Also, when all players execute their taunts at the same time, they can launch their ultimate attack. This attack, which was a great treat to see and shouldn’t be spoiled, does waste a large amount of Gut Points.

When the game was announced a few months back, I was overjoyed that I could once again play Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. I had only played the original game a few times after it had been released, but I formed fond memories of playing it with friends. From the start of the loading screen, the feeling of nostalgia hit hard. However, as I played more of the game, it was clear that the nostalgic factor wasn’t what the game relied on. A lot of what makes the game stand out is how well it fits into the world of arcade beat’em up games. The excitement and difficulty increasing after every level made the game truly enjoyable. While there wasn’t much dialogue included in the game, the action is where the game shines the most.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition. A lot of my excitement for the game came from nostalgia, but playing it ultimately increased the appreciation I had for the original game. With most of the mechanics still the same, it wasn’t too difficult to pick up the game and get used to the controls. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game offers non-stop action with a story that new and old fans will have fun playing.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is available for purchase now on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and Google Stadia.