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Exo: Breakpoint
Overview
Exo: Breakpoint is a small-scope first-person shooter prototype developed in Unreal Engine 5. The game challenges players to survive escalating enemy waves while chasing a new high score.
Central to the experience is the Breakpoint ability, a dramatic slow-time mechanic that reshapes combat pacing and rewards smart positioning. Combined with a custom wave manager, responsive AI, and an open arena enhanced with verticality, cover, and a day-night cycle, the game strikes a balance between fast, high-octane action and moments of tactical slowdown. The result is a replayable prototype that showcases how systems, mechanics, and level design can integrate into a cohesive, engaging FPS loop.
Platforms: Windows PC
Finish Date: July, 2025
Team Size: 1
Duration: 5 months
Engine: Unreal Engine 5
Languages: Blueprints, C++
Role: Creator
Game Overview Footage
My aim with Exo: Breakpoint was to break free from the usual FPS demos, rather than a straightforward corridor shooter or a static arena, I wanted to build a dynamic, open-world wave-based PVE prototype that:
Dynamically scales difficulty by runtime balancing of spawn rates and enemy types
Integrates a signature ability (“Breakpoint” slow-time) that both feels dramatic and impacts combat pacing
Supports varied terrain traversal rather than a flat arena
Exo: Breakpoint aims to deliver a loop of:
High-octane combat—fluid shooting with responsive locomotion in an open hub
Tactical slowdown—activating Breakpoint to plan your next move, reposition behind cover, or pick off clustered enemies
Progression feedback—clear wave counters, score updates, and evolving enemy behavior that reward mastery
By blending these, players feel both powerful (with their arsenal) and strategic (managing cooldowns and terrain), keeping each run tense and replayable.
Note: this project uses the FPS Game Starter Kit by SB (Unreal Engine 5, C++ / Blueprints) to implement core player mechanics—locomotion, weapon firing, and a foundational inventory UI
Examples of what I worked on:
Created a wave manager system in C++ to dynamically schedule, trigger, and balance enemy waves based on gameplay progression
Developed the core Breakpoint mechanic that slows the world around the player, complete with synchronized VFX and cooldown management
Designed a four-portal, ~0.4 km² open combat arena with strategically placed cover and spawn points to support wave-based encounters and showcase gameplay mechanics
Laid out distinct approach paths into each arena, balancing directness vs. tactical flanking
Placed signature set-pieces as navigational beacons and integrated elevation changes—ramps, crater lip, rooftop perches—to enable high-ground tactics and Breakpoint slow-mo showcases
Created a flexible spawner that adapts spawn locations and enemy types
Enhanced the enemy AI so enemies intelligently pursue the player
Implemented a day‑night cycle with volumetric clouds and time‑of‑day lighting shifts using the
So Stylized sky solutionRefined character locomotion for responsiveness and added a dynamic field‑of‑view effect tied to speed
Created on‑screen indicators for wave progress, score, and Breakpoint ability status with real‑time updates
Designed the end‑of‑run screens that display performance metrics and the ability to restart
Main character blueprint
Screenshots
Copyright © Jacob Jarrett 2025
