Appleseed EX

About

Appleseed EX is a third-person action game where players alternate between pistol-packing officer Deunan and her brawling cyborg partner Briareos. The game splits time between gunplay sequences and close-quarters combat as the duo navigates the neon-lit streets of the futuristic city E.G. Quick time events and button-mashing attacks define the combat, with each character having distinct movesets. The story follows their mission to protect the city from rogue forces, mixing chase scenes with direct confrontations. The game adapts characters from Masamune Shirow’s cyberpunk universe, though its narrative takes a backseat to fast-paced action. It serves as a loose prelude to the 2007 animated film EX Machina, with references to later plot points. While the PS2 visuals feel dated by modern standards, the dual-control system and over-the-top fight scenes offer a nostalgic throwback to early 2000s action games. The single-player campaign clocks in at around five hours with minimal replay incentive.