Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition Review (Xbox One)

When Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game was removed from digital storefronts in 2014, it was a massive blow. A game franchise which celebrated gaming as a medium was cruelly snatched from us. Since then it’s garnered a massive cult following, and over the years has since become a relic from the Xbox 360 era. Then, last year, Ubisoft finally heard our cries and announced the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition - a remastered version of the original game, bundled with all pre-existing content. It was an exciting moment for fans and one that has proven successful with an excellent remaster.

Although the game was released around the same time as the film, it’s actually more representative of the original graphic novels, beautifully crafted by Bryan Lee O’Malley, and embodies a retro side-scrolling gameplay style complete with nostalgic sound effects and chaotic action. The narrative follows the source material pretty closely, pushing Scott through many stages on a quest to destroy seven evil exes to be with the woman he loves, Ramona Flowers.

Each stage plays out with you batting hordes of thugs and goons, until you finally reach the end boss. It’s the classic 2D beat ‘em up gameplay we all know and love, each level ending with an exhilarating and intense boss fight. While every stage is fun in its own right, it’s the culmination with each boss that really shines, each boasting their own skills and some truly impressive sprite work that the remastered version displays beautifully. All of this is perfectly orchestrated with punchy combat which expands as you progress through each level.

What makes Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game even more enjoyable are its RPG-lite elements. As players bash their way through the waves of enemies on screen, you’ll earn experience which unlocks new moves. In its early hours, the combat can be fairly basic and even stale, but as you level up, more options become available to you. The game even features multiple characters to play as outside of Scott, including two post-launch fighters, Wallace Wells and Knives Chau. It’s a good amount of content and a perfect excuse to replay favourite stages.

Its RPG elements also extend to the shopping system. As you shatter your foes into a sea of coins, you’ll pick up each dime and nickel with satisfaction, later to be used in a variety of shops. Here you can increase your defence, speed, strength or willpower to make even some of the most advanced stages a breeze. Initially, the game can be fairly unforgiving and downright challenging, enough to even block genre veterans from progressing any further. We recommend sticking with it to build your squad, as it’s the use of these systems that allows Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game to truly shine.

If you’re still really struggling, the game features both online and offline co-op for up to four players, which is a blast. For any fans of the franchise, there’s nothing quite like charging your way through the sea of enemies alongside your friends using your favourite characters. There’s even a selection of mini-games to delve into such as dodgeball or even a battle royale variant to try. While they won’t capture your attention for long, they do make for wonderful little distractions.