ExaSkeleton

About

ExaSkeleton blends mech combat with serialized storytelling. Players control Joe, a fighter in a futuristic combat sport that spills into real-world battles. Before missions, you choose between three mech frames: fast but fragile Light, heavily armored Heavy, or balanced Middle. Customize weapon loadouts with four slots, mix small arms like pistols and grenades with heavy hitters like missiles and Gatling guns. Ammo is limited and weapons overheat with prolonged fire. Missions are framed by lengthy dialogue scenes that advance the plot and character dynamics. Combat is linear but emphasizes tactical part-targeting, armor degrades, exposing frame components to critical hits. Created by anime studio Production I.G, the game leans into dramatic, serialized storytelling typical of Japanese sci-fi. Its blend of mech customization and narrative-driven structure was unusual for early 2000s shooters. While the dated visuals and long talksy segments may test modern patience, the frame mechanics and resource management remain polished. Fans of mech action with serialized drama might find it niche but memorable.

Storyline

Joe is a competitor in the I.G-1, a mechanized combat sport game. One day, however, reality intrudes on his life, and he and his friends must leave the safety of home to fight on the blasted surface of Earth. His skills from the games, and his Exaskeleton, are the only things that can protect him now. Exaskeleton is a linear mech-combat game. Each mission in the game is book-ended by long, talking-head dialogue scenes between the various members of Joe's party. Before each mission the model of Joe's (as well as allies, if available) frame can be selected, either the nimble and weak Light Frame, the armored and slow Heavy Frame, or the in between Middle Frame. Two weapon slots are taken up by small arms, either a pistol, machine gun, or grenades, while the other two slots are taken up by more powerful weapons, like missile launchers, sniper riffles, and Gatling guns, with the most powerful only able to be equipped by a Heavy Frame. Weapons have limited ammo and overheat if fired continuously. Each body part of a frame is armored, and after the armor on a part is destroyed any additional damage to that part will damage the frame itself, until eventually the frame is destroyed.