Out of Line

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 173 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Out of Line Game Cover
A simple yet enjoyable puzzle adventure game that will win you over with its charm.
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"Out of Line" is a 2D puzzle platformer set in a vibrant painted world. As the curious character San, you'll collect memories and help new friends while navigating through artistic challenges. This immersive game experience encourages exploration and self-discovery in a unique, hand-painted environment.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 173 reviews
story38 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Out of Line features stunning hand-drawn visuals and a captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The puzzles are cleverly designed and provide a relaxing experience, making it suitable for both casual gamers and those new to the genre.
  • The game offers a unique narrative style, relying on visual storytelling that encourages player interpretation and engagement.
  • The game is quite short, with a playtime of around 2 to 3 hours, leaving some players wanting more content.
  • Puzzles lack significant challenge, often feeling too easy and not providing enough depth for experienced players.
  • The story is vague and lacks clarity, which may leave players feeling disconnected from the narrative and its characters.
  • story72 mentions

    The game's story is characterized by its minimalistic and environmental storytelling, which unfolds as players progress through the puzzles, creating an intriguing yet vague narrative about life and art in a seemingly lifeless world. While some players appreciate the subtlety and interpretive nature of the story, others feel it lacks depth and cohesion, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a fully developed narrative. Overall, the story is seen as charming and engaging, though it may leave some players wanting a richer experience.

    • “The story is interesting as it unfolds during the game.”
    • “It's the type of game you'll most probably want to replay soon after you finish it the first time, as you'll want to completely piece together the puzzle that is the story itself.”
    • “The puzzles are not too hard and not too easy and the story is wonderful even without text or speech.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game doesn’t offer a cohesive gameplay experience due to the lack of story or any narrative elements whatsoever.”
    • “The story mostly serves as context to keep the game going, and since the game is only about 2 and a half hours long, it serves its purpose.”
    • “Story wise, the game tackles some themes surrounding growth and growing older, although it leaves things a bit too vague in order to make any particular statement, with some elements, like the 'claw machines', being used just to serve as some kind of opposing threat, even though they don't tie as well with the remaining conceptual elements.”
  • gameplay45 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by fun and simple mechanics that evolve throughout the game, making it accessible for newcomers. While the fluidity and creativity of the mechanics, particularly the spear, are praised, some players noted issues with certain mechanics feeling unresponsive or underdeveloped. Overall, the game offers a relaxing experience with beautiful design, though it lacks a cohesive narrative and can feel disjointed at times.

    • “The learning curve is very small - none of the mechanics are too difficult to figure out - and I think this would be a perfect game to introduce non-gamers to.”
    • “There were fun mechanics to figure out, sometimes quickly, but never too challenging so the game flowed really well.”
    • “It's beautiful, relaxing, the fluidity of the motion mechanics is great and you don't even see the time passing while playing.”
    • “As well as a stupidly unresponsive rope mechanic introduced later in the game that killed me once or twice because of it.”
    • “Mechanics are introduced only to be abandoned later on, never to be used again, and while they do get developed when it's their time to shine, it never feels like they reach their true potential.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game doesn’t offer a cohesive gameplay experience due to the lack of story or any narrative elements whatsoever.”
  • music22 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its serene and personal quality, featuring a beautiful soundtrack that complements the hand-painted art style. Reviewers highlight the relaxing and ambient nature of the music, which enhances the overall experience without resorting to generic soundscapes. The sound design, including effects, adds significant personality, creating an immersive atmosphere that encourages thoughtful gameplay.

    • “It's an adorable side-scroller with a hand-painted art style and a very nice soundtrack.”
    • “Sound wise, the game is also top notch, with a clear, sharp, and serene soundtrack that, while being comprised of mostly ambient pieces, imbues them with a very personal feeling, preventing them from feeling like your typical generic ambient drone.”
    • “If we come down to it, everything sound related has a lot of personality, not just the soundtrack, but also the sound effects and sound design.”
    • “The visual side is very strong as well as the music, both providing the player with the innerspace that many games discard in benefit of enhancing the aggressiveness ('don't think, shoot!').”
  • graphics17 mentions

    The game features a stunning hand-painted art style that is both charming and visually appealing, complemented by a fantastic soundtrack. While the overall aesthetic and animation are praised for their beauty, some elements, like breakable objects, may not stand out as much. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's personality and enjoyment.

    • “The graphic style is very painterly and beautiful, and the animation is fantastic.”
    • “Out of line has a few strong points that make it an enjoyable experience: gorgeous 2D hand-drawn artwork and a dystopian soundtrack.”
    • “Granted, the art style is amazing.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in Barbara Lynch's memoir is consistently described as both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply poignant, blending inspiration with honesty. Reviewers appreciate the engaging and insightful storytelling that captures her unique experiences, making it a compelling and vivid read. Overall, the humor adds a lively dimension to her heartfelt narrative, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking.

    • “Barbara Lynch's story is inspiring, laugh-out-loud funny, and heart-wrenching.”
    • “Each chapter was so engrossing, funny, poignant, and informative.”
    • “This memoir is a fascinating and funny account of Barbara Lynch's time growing up as a woman in hard-scrabble Southie, which in itself is unusual.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful design and artistic quality, creating an immersive experience that enhances gameplay. Players appreciate the balance between atmosphere and gameplay mechanics, noting that it effectively supports interesting puzzles and engaging companions. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating and integral to the game's appeal.

    • “Amazing atmosphere and wonderful art.”
    • “Played one hour so far and I'm loving it, beautiful design and atmosphere, interesting puzzles and amazing companions :) highly recommended!”
    • “[Beautiful design, oozes atmosphere, cleverly develops the core mechanic].”
    • “Games that tend to take their own atmosphere too seriously always bother me.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Out of Line" is highlighted as a beautiful and heartfelt experience, with users praising its inspiring and often humorous storytelling. However, some critiques note that the game struggles to balance its emotional narrative with engaging gameplay, impacting its overall effectiveness in delivering a consistently emotional experience.

    • “Out of Line is a great, beautiful, and emotional platform adventure.”
    • “I highly recommend this game if you're looking for a casual and heartfelt time.”
    • “Barbara Lynch's story is inspiring, laugh-out-loud funny, and heart-wrenching.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players have noted that the introduction of steam and wind-activated fans in the later stages of the game leads to overly prolonged and tedious puzzles, significantly disrupting the pacing and turning experimentation into a frustrating time sink.

    • “The addition of steam/wind activated fans towards the game's end means simple puzzles become drawn out, causing the pacing to grind to a halt. Experimenting with ideas turns into a punishing time sink.”
    • “The grinding aspect of the game makes it feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience, as repetitive tasks overshadow the fun elements.”
    • “I found myself stuck in a loop of grinding for resources, which detracted from the overall enjoyment and made the game feel more like a job than a pastime.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers praise the character development for its stunning 2D art style and high-quality character design and animation, highlighting that the overall concept surrounding the spear object is well-executed.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, with each character having a unique backstory that adds depth to the overall narrative.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making choices that truly impact their growth and relationships.”
    • “The interactions between characters are well-written and engaging, allowing for a genuine connection to their journeys.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

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