Out There Somewhere

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"Out There Somewhere" is a puzzle-platformer game where players manipulate time and space to help the stranded astronaut solve complex puzzles and navigate through dangerous environments. Players must collect and manage resources while exploring multiple dimensions to repair their spacecraft and return home. The game features unique mechanics, hand-drawn art, and a minimalistic narrative that emphasizes exploration and discovery.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,601 reviews

gameplay752 positive mentions

grinding34 negative mentions

Unique teleportation mechanics that add depth to puzzles.
Charming pixel art and a catchy soundtrack enhance the experience.
Short but engaging gameplay that encourages replayability through hidden secrets and achievements.

Very short playtime, typically around 1-2 hours, which may leave players wanting more.
Limited combat mechanics that can feel tacked on and less satisfying.
Controls can be frustrating, especially for players using keyboard and mouse.

gameplay
1,646 mentions
46 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Out There Somewhere" is centered around a unique teleportation mechanic that allows players to shoot a projectile and instantly teleport to its impact point, creating engaging and challenging puzzles. While the game is relatively short, typically lasting around 1-2 hours, it effectively introduces and builds upon its mechanics without overstaying its welcome, offering a satisfying experience that encourages exploration and mastery. However, some players noted that the simplicity of the mechanics and the game's brevity might leave them wanting more depth and variety.
- “It's very short, but managed to pack several extremely creative twists based on the consequences of its mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is exactly what you see in the trailer, so, if that looks appealing, give it a shot.”
- “In such a short time, the game twists its few mechanics enough so there isn't a moment of boredom.”
- “Between frustrating mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and the janky hitboxes, this was not a good experience.”
- “The puzzles are generally easy, relying more on reflexes than actual understanding of the mechanics.”
- “The gameplay lacks depth and feels very short, which may leave some players wanting more.”
music
1,246 mentions
67 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its catchy chiptune soundtrack that complements the retro aesthetic and gameplay. While some found the music repetitive or generic, others highlighted its ability to enhance the overall experience, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as enjoyable and fitting, with several players expressing a desire to listen to it outside of the game.
- “The music, mechanics, story are more than enough to give me that '5 more minutes' feel.”
- “The soundtrack is nothing to sneeze at, either, perfectly capturing yuri’s adventure across the unnamed planet.”
- “The reason I kept playing this game and was able to adapt to the mechanics is because of the amazing soundtrack, this is some of the best music I've ever heard in a video game and it's worth the price of admission just for the soundtrack alone in my opinion.”
- “The aesthetic is bland and the music generic.”
- “The music was waaay too repetitive.”
- “The sound effects are unremarkable, and while the music isn't inherently bad, it's extremely loud even on the lowest setting and gets grating fast.”
story
774 mentions
32 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as short, simple, and lacking depth, often serving merely as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate its charm and straightforwardness, many feel it is underdeveloped and not particularly engaging, with a common sentiment that it could benefit from more content and character development. Overall, the narrative is seen as functional but not memorable, making it more of a casual experience rather than a story-driven adventure.
- “I honestly really loved this game, the story was simple and easy to follow, the game was difficult and challenging to play but not frustrating which I think is really impressive for a platformer game.”
- “A charming story and setting cap off an experience that is short but easily worth five times its .99 price tag.”
- “The story, while short, is interesting and the music is memorable and entertaining to listen to.”
- “This is a pretty short game, and the story is incredibly shallow.”
- “The story is definitely the game's weakest point though, and there's really not much more to it than what's described on the store page.”
- “The story may as well not be there, as it does nothing to intrigue the player beyond giving a background to the puzzles to come.”
graphics
602 mentions
60 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Out There Somewhere" are primarily characterized by a retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic 8-bit and 16-bit games. While opinions vary, many players appreciate the charming and functional visuals, noting that they effectively complement the game's mechanics and atmosphere. However, some critiques highlight that the graphics can feel repetitive or simplistic, lacking depth in certain areas, yet overall, they are generally well-received for their aesthetic appeal and coherence with the gameplay.
- “Nice graphics and outstanding soundtrack!”
- “Fantastic game, lovely cute graphics and fun gameplay.”
- “The graphics and the soundtrack are amazing and am really hoping to find more games like this one.”
- “The aesthetic is bland and the music generic.”
- “Alas, there's not much else to this one-hour adventure: the visuals are cheap (even for pixel art), the audio is mediocre, the writing is poor and the whole affair's scope and ambition are on point with the asking price.”
- “The worse part is that the game doesn't even have complex graphics, I'm able to run games like OpenArena, Minecraft and other games at 60 fps at some points, this game goes like at 5 fps and the graphics are just horrible simple.”
replayability
236 mentions
37 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is primarily driven by achievements and collectibles, appealing to completionists and speedrunners. While many players note its short length—often completed in under two hours—there's a consensus that the hidden secrets and clever achievements provide enough incentive for multiple playthroughs. However, some reviews indicate that the lack of substantial content and story may limit replay value for those not interested in achievement hunting.
- “The replay value is immense, and every achievement makes every playthrough seem like the first time ever playing.”
- “It's a cute, short platformer with some replay value and secrets.”
- “Super creative and fun, it's short but has great replayability if you want to 100% it.”
- “The game is rather short though, and the replay value of the game goes drastically down.”
- “I also read of guys who finished the game in half an hour or something, and for 1€ it's not enough, especially considering the fact that there's no plot and there's also no replay value since it's the same and you can't do that much else.”
- “Incredibly short game, with almost no replay value.”
humor
110 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players finding it funny, clever, and engaging, often highlighting the absurdity of the storyline and the witty dialogue. While some noted that the humor may not be groundbreaking, it effectively complements the gameplay, making for a delightful experience filled with retro charm and amusing character interactions. Overall, the game is considered a humorous and enjoyable platformer, especially given its low price point.
- “It's won't win any awards but I found myself chuckling at how well they decided to roll with such an absurd pretense.”
- “Out there somewhere is a perfect blend of challenging puzzles, a simple yet intriguing game mechanic, and a wonderful amount of tongue-in-cheek humor that all together keeps your mind actively engaged and your funny bone thoroughly tickled.”
- “Stylish presentation, clever environmental puzzles, some funny dialogue, and an awesome chiptunes soundtrack combine to make this a memorable little experience.”
atmosphere
62 mentions
71 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its surreal and nostalgic qualities, enhanced by stellar pixel art and a captivating retro soundtrack. Players appreciate the immersive experience it creates, likening it to a sci-fi show, though some note that certain design elements feel inconsistent. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite its brevity.
- “Art is just pixel art, but it's very good pixel art, and the music is stellar; overall, the alien atmosphere feels very well-fleshed-out.”
- “The gameplay was really decent, the puzzles were interesting, and the atmosphere was amazing.”
- “The platformer's atmosphere on a distant desolate planet devoid of human life is just surreal and comfortably perfect.”
- “The atmosphere was nostalgic with the pixel art designs and the 8-bit tunes; even the story felt quite familiar as it went along the lines of a hero defeating the big bad.”
- “The game is nice with simple mechanics and an interesting atmosphere, but it's rather short and could use some fleshing out.”
grinding
40 mentions
15 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate that while the game avoids excessive grinding and filler content, it does have moments of tedium, particularly with certain puzzles and sequences. Players appreciate the lack of grindy achievements and the game's short length, which allows for a focused experience, though some found parts of the gameplay frustratingly repetitive. The balance between challenge and enjoyment is noted, with many preferring a concise, well-designed game over a longer, more tedious one.
- “The puzzles were just the right amount of challenge to make you think a bit, but weren't tedious.”
- “It’s also got interesting, not grinding, achievements which is always something worth noting – and also ones that you probably won’t unlock by accident whilst merely idling through.”
- “But too often, you just spend 5 minutes figuring out the hitboxes to get past this room with a tedious puzzle, just to walk into another room with broken hitboxes, where you die because there was less than 10 pixels between you and an enemy. You go back to that first room and do that tedious puzzle again, because for some reason they didn't give you a checkpoint.”
- “It is extremely short, and the beginning and very end are extremely tedious, but the middle part is quite alright.”
- “3/10 - cool (okay borrowed) concept and music with nice pixel visuals, but it all goes down the drain due to a tedious and unforgiving boss fight, and the lack of content or emotional investment/story development overall.”
optimization
22 mentions
14 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing performance issues such as stuttering and slow loading times, particularly on less powerful systems. However, others report smooth gameplay at 60 fps after adjusting settings, indicating that performance can vary significantly based on hardware and configuration. Overall, while the game has potential, it could benefit from further testing and optimization improvements.
- “It runs smoothly, has a nice soundtrack and the difficulty is pretty challenging at times (which is a good thing, in my opinion).”
- “The game never crashed and ran absolutely without performance problems on both my desktop (Windows 7 64-bit) and an older single-core laptop (Windows 7 32-bit).”
- “Setting it from 'high performance' to 'performance' did the trick.”
- “This game isn't perfect by any stretch; it has some performance issues. I do not expect such a simple game to stutter for any reason whatsoever, even if it is when loading a chunk of the map. It could definitely have done with more testing and a few more features, like disabling the speech and tutorial dialogs, remapping controls in a way that allows you to use what you actually want to use.”
- “I normally try to make well-written reviews, but due to this game's slow performance, I'm not even able to play it.”
- “This game has terrible performance!”
character development
22 mentions
64 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking depth, with many characters offering repetitive dialogue and minimal growth. While the character designs are often described as cute and reminiscent of '90s aesthetics, they do not contribute significantly to the narrative or gameplay experience. Overall, the focus seems to be more on gameplay mechanics and level design rather than on enriching character arcs.
- “I enjoyed the edgy character design and the problem solving is definitely there.”
- “The music sounds good, the character design is cute and the game mechanics work without any hassle.”
- “Character design is very '90s' - simple, clear, concise, and not trying too hard to be funny/cute/anything.”
- “There is a certain lack of character development when it comes to the intelligent aliens, which will only interact with you with the same line of dialogue, which in most cases doesn't make any sense.”
- “It's got cute character designs, neat gameplay designs, but there's not much more to the game than jumping around, some minor puzzles, and waiting for monster cycles.”
- “I hated the character design and to 100% the game is incredibly unforgiving, but all in all, the puzzles were well designed and while the game did not have a concrete ending, it was still an incredibly entertaining game.”
emotional
18 mentions
89 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Out There Somewhere" is a mixed bag; while some players find the humorous yet touching writing and nostalgic retro style deeply moving, others criticize the lack of a compelling story and emotional investment. Many users express that the game evokes feelings of nostalgia and joy, with music that resonates strongly, while a few feel let down by tedious gameplay elements that detract from the overall experience. Overall, it seems to elicit strong emotional responses for some, while leaving others wanting more depth.
- “Recommended 100%! Give 10/10. Beautiful game that helped me heal my cold, and the songs made me cry with happiness. Best purchase I've ever made.”
- “Out There Somewhere is well worth your time, money, and emotional investment.”
- “I really enjoy this style, especially since the actual Metroid series isn't doing so great at the moment. This game made me feel that sense of exploration, adventure, and space again.”
stability
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability received mixed feedback; while some players reported a glitch-free experience, others encountered bugs that affected gameplay.
- “It's buggy, and sometimes you won't get it.”
- “It's buggy, and sometimes you won't get it.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has been criticized for charging players on Steam despite its casual, free-to-play origins that would be more suited to ad-supported platforms like Kongregate or Armor Games. Players feel that the price does not reflect the game's value compared to similar offerings available for free elsewhere.
- “Basically, this is a game that belongs on Kongregate or Armor Games but decided to ask people to pay money for it on Steam instead of tolerating ads to play it at one of those places.”