Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game vanished from digital storefronts a decade ago due to licensing issues, becoming a prime example of the risks of digital-only game distribution. If you didn’t already own it, it was simply gone. Fans held onto hope that one day it would return, and after 10 long years, mopoga finally brought it back as the Complete Edition, including all previously released DLC.
But has the game aged well? Can Scott still fight his way through the streets, defeat his girlfriend’s seven evil exes, and prove himself in 2025?
| Title | Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition |
|---|---|
| Available On | PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch |
| Reviewed On | PS5 |
| Developer | Ubisoft Montreal, Ubisoft Chengdu |
| Publisher | Ubisoft |
Presentation & Graphics: Still a Visual Treat
One thing that hasn’t aged a bit is the art style. The game beautifully emulates Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic book style, staying incredibly faithful to the source material.
- The pixel art is vibrant and full of detail, with varied locations that keep the visuals fresh.
- The use of color is fantastic, making every environment pop.
- The soundtrack by Anamanaguchi is phenomenal, mixing retro chip-tunes with modern rock and pop. Even if you don’t play the game, the soundtrack alone is worth a listen.
Despite pixel art being more common in modern games, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game still manages to stand out with its charm and flair.
Gameplay: Aged and Clunky, Character Selection & Combat
You can choose from six playable characters, including Scott’s girlfriend Ramona Flowers, and two DLC characters: Knives Chau and Wallace Wells.
- Combat Basics:
- Two attack buttons (punch & kick)
- A block button
- A jump button
- Weapons can be picked up and used for massive damage
- Unlockable Moves:
- As you level up, you gain extra moves, including the ability to attack downed enemies.
Gameplay Issues
Unfortunately, the game doesn’t feel as great to play as it once did. Here’s why:
- Sluggish Movement: Characters feel slow and cumbersome, making dodging difficult.
- Blocking Issues: Enemies attack so quickly that blocking is often down to luck.
- Stun-locking: Getting caught in enemy attack chains leads to frustrating knockdowns.
- Overpowered Weapons: While helpful, weapons also bounce around, sometimes hitting you by accident.
The combat feels clunky compared to modern brawlers like Streets of Rage 4, which set a new standard for the genre.
Grinding & Difficulty: A Chore
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game leans heavily into RPG mechanics, requiring you to grind for coins to buy food items that provide permanent stat boosts.
- Without upgrades, enemies are damage sponges, making early-game combat tedious rather than challenging.
- To progress smoothly, you must replay levels multiple times, collecting coins to buy stat boosts.
- Later levels require significant grinding, making the experience repetitive.
This grind-heavy design drains the fun from what should be a simple and satisfying brawler.
Multiplayer: A Mixed Bag
Co-op makes the game way more enjoyable, as having extra players helps deal with enemies more effectively. You can play both locally and online with up to four players.
Online Issues
Unfortunately, the online mode suffers from major technical problems, including:
- Severe desync issues (players seeing different things on-screen)
- Soft-locks when entering shops
- Enemies appearing on one player’s screen but not others
- Game crashes & freezes
Oh, and you must sign into a mopoga account to access online play. Why, mopoga? Why?
Boss Fights: The Best Part
Despite the game’s flaws, the boss fights against the seven evil exes are fantastic.
- Each fight introduces unique attack patterns, making them memorable and fun.
- Learning their moves and countering them is one of the game’s best experiences.
These battles remind players why Scott Pilgrim’s world is so beloved in the first place.
Story & Fan Appeal
If you’re a fan of the books, you’ll love the tons of references and character cameos.
If you only know the movie, you’ll still enjoy it, but the game doesn’t explain much.
- There’s no real story beyond “Scott fights Ramona’s exes.”
- No dialogue or character development is provided.
- Newcomers will likely feel lost as the game assumes you already know the plot.
For a game with such a strong visual identity, it’s disappointing that it fails to introduce new players to the Scott Pilgrim universe.
Technical Issues & Bugs
Despite being gone for 10 years, the game still has some annoying bugs:
- Delayed level transitions: You sometimes stand around waiting for events to trigger.
- Soft-locks and crashes: Some events never trigger, forcing a restart.
- Multiplayer issues: Online co-op is nearly unplayable due to desync problems.
These persistent technical flaws hurt the overall experience.
Final Words
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game is a decent brawler, but it doesn’t hold up as well as we hoped.
- Strengths:
✅ Fantastic art & pixel-perfect visuals
✅ Incredible soundtrack
✅ Great boss fights
✅ Co-op is fun (if it works) - Weaknesses:
❌ **
Clunky combat and sluggish movement**
❌ Heavy grinding needed to progress
❌ Unbalanced difficulty, especially early on
❌ Major online multiplayer issues
❌ Persistent technical bugs & crashes
If you’re a hardcore Scott Pilgrim fan, there’s plenty to love, and at just £12 ($15), it’s not a bad deal. However, if you’re looking for a great side-scrolling brawler, you’re better off playing Streets of Rage 4.