Outbuddies DX

About

OUTBUDDIES DX is a passionately crafted metroidvania game by Julian Laufer, inspired by classics such as Super Metroid and Castlevania. It offers challenging yet encouraging gameplay, designed to skip punishing mechanics and grinding. The game is regularly updated with feedback and supports cross-platform cloud saving.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

66%

Audience ScoreBased on 160 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

The game features splendid graphics and a captivating atmosphere, reminiscent of classic Metroid titles.
The exploration is engaging, with a vast world to discover and unique mechanics that encourage experimentation.
Boss fights are challenging and well-designed, requiring players to learn patterns and strategies to succeed.

The controls can feel awkward and counter-intuitive, leading to frustration during gameplay.
There are issues with instant deaths and traps in later sections, which can feel cheap and annoying.
The way secrets are hidden is often too basic, making exploration less rewarding than it could be.

gameplay
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The gameplay of "Outbuddies" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and exploration reminiscent of classic metroidvania titles, while others criticize its sluggish controls and clunky mechanics. The introduction of a robot buddy adds depth to gameplay, allowing for exploration and puzzle-solving, but many feel that the game suffers from a lack of polish and coherence in its mechanics. Overall, while the game offers a challenging experience with a variety of mechanics, it also presents significant hurdles that can detract from the enjoyment.
- “The gameplay is amazing... you'll soon enough find yourself feeding the Metroid-hungry 10-year-old inside of you all the exploration he or she might crave.”
- “Doing more than checking the basic boxes to be a satisfying Metroidvania, the use of a robot buddy to scout areas along with deeper water gameplay makes this title feel unique and worth trying.”
- “As a whole, the gameplay in Outbuddies is absolutely brilliant. From the abilities and weapons to the co-op system, to the level design, to the bosses and enemies, everything comes together in complete harmony.”
- “The biggest flaw in this game was its death mechanic.”
- “In terms of gameplay, movement is really sluggish and not very responsive.”
- “The player movement is poorly implemented, the enemies are unsatisfying to fight, tons of things are just thrown at you immediately to explain how the game works instead of learning them through gameplay, and the art style is hideous.”
music
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
54%
10%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and fit the game's themes, while others criticize it for being repetitive and monotonous. Many noted that although the soundtrack complements the visuals well, it often consists of a limited number of short loops that can become tiresome over extended play sessions. Overall, while the music adds to the game's mood, it lacks variety and memorability compared to other titles in the genre.
- “The music is surprisingly great for an indie game and adds to the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack by Robin Ogden fits very well with the overall desolate and mysterious Lovecraftian theme of the game.”
- “The atmosphere, amplified by the brilliantly fitting soundtrack, intensifies everything and draws you more and more into the game.”
- “Oh yeah, and the music is really boring and repetitive.”
- “The music also does not vary much and is very monotonous.”
- “I'm also tired of hearing the same short music track on repeat for 30+ minutes now.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
60%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the charming retro pixel art and unique aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for classic metroidvania titles, while others criticize the visuals as simplistic, muddled, or reminiscent of outdated designs. Many players appreciate the strong visual atmosphere that complements the game's themes, but some feel that the graphics lack modern polish and clarity, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game's art style is a point of contention, appealing to some while alienating others.
- “The art is charming and the aesthetic is perfect.”
- “The strong visuals are accompanied by a lonely, moody soundtrack and an adaptive soundtrack to boot.”
- “Definitely very well done in the visuals department.”
- “Will indie devs ever figure out metroidvanias don't have to have the ugliest graphics known to mankind?”
- “They chose to use obsolete retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “The game isn’t all that readable either; there are lots of games I've played and liked with the simplistic pixelated art style, but this one in particular is very muddled and easy to get lost in.”
atmosphere
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
38%
10%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with many reviewers noting its strong resemblance to classic metroidvania titles, particularly in its exploration and immersive world design. Players appreciate the unique and mysterious ambiance, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack that intensifies as they progress, creating a sense of unease and danger. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in graphical clarity and repetitive music, which detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “It really nailed the atmosphere it was going for, and that is hugely important for the metroidvania genre, in my opinion.”
- “The atmosphere which is amplified by the brilliantly fitting soundtrack just intensifies everything and draws you more and more into the game.”
- “With a fantastic plot, intense and fast-paced combat, complex and in-depth gameplay, and a world that is brimming with life and atmosphere, Outbuddies is an absolute must-play for any fan of the metroidvania.”
- “It's got a neat atmosphere, but there was too much wrong with it for me to put more time into it.”
- “Other points to address are the atmosphere, which I found decent.”
- “It is the kind of atmosphere that, while the game has plenty of color along with at times light-heartedness, there is always that sense of unease and that danger lurking around every corner.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
56%
12%
The story aspect of the game is described as having a mix of engaging and abstract elements, with some players appreciating the Lovecraftian influences and world-building, while others find the narrative lacking in depth and character development. Although there are entertaining moments and a sense of purpose, many reviewers feel that the plot is slow to unfold and that the environmental storytelling often overshadows the actual narrative. Overall, the story is seen as interesting but not always fully realized, leaving some players wanting more.
- “The plot to Outbuddies is interesting and well-written.”
- “What is so impressive about the writing and general world-building of Outbuddies is that it takes what has always been the best about Lovecraftian storytelling and embraces it.”
- “- It's beautiful overall, the story's interesting and easy to follow even if you don't get too deep into it, but still complex and interesting enough to have substance for those who do want to really get into it.”
- “For a story that supposedly plays out under the sea, there are surprisingly few water mechanics: no flooding passages, no limited oxygen, no underwater currents.”
- “There's some minor lore in the game, but I'll be honest, I still have no clue what the actual plot is, and neither of the two protagonists get even a shred of personality after the opening cutscenes.”
- “The plot is a bit slow at getting started.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious, citing repetitive combat encounters, frustrating backtracking, and poorly designed navigation that detracts from the overall experience. Many reviews highlight the lack of meaningful rewards for side quests and the cumbersome mechanics that lead to excessive respawning and slow progression, making the gameplay feel laborious rather than engaging. Overall, the grinding elements contribute to a sense of monotony that hampers enjoyment.
- “Combating these foes became tedious after a while, especially when the end game of exploration was my main goal.”
- “The art is not great, nor is the movement, and to top it all off I got stuck in an awful loop of relatively obtuse progression and tedious backtracking after the first boss.”
- “But the traversal and tedious backtracking is just way too annoying; you don't get any health upgrades which leads to dying way too often, especially when you want to go somewhere as quickly as possible.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for stuttering performance, clunky controls, and blotchy graphics, indicating a need for further polish. Additionally, the map's design lacks optimization, making navigation challenging in the expansive world.
- “The map could have used some more optimization, as it is hard to find what you're looking for in the huge world.”
- “The game is in need of some polish performance-wise.”
- “Stuttering, clunky controls, and the graphics seem blotchy.”
- “The map could have used more optimization, as it is hard to find what you're looking for in the huge world.”
- “In need of some polish performance-wise.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game rewarding, particularly through the charming design and animations of the 80 wozan characters they rescue, which also provide practical benefits during gameplay. However, some critiques highlight a lack of atmospheric depth and repetitive music, which detracts from the overall emotional engagement.
- “Rescuing the 80 Wozan in the game is not only emotionally rewarding due to their cute designs and cheerful animations, but it also aids you during boss fights. Depending on how many you've rescued, they occasionally appear with health orbs to help you.”
- “The emotional connection I felt while playing was profound, as each character's story unfolded, making me genuinely care about their fates and the world around them.”
- “The game's narrative struck a deep chord with me, evoking a range of emotions from joy to sadness, and leaving a lasting impact long after I finished playing.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The stability of the game is characterized by a non-linear exploration experience that allows for sequence breaks, but this freedom comes with a variety of glitches that can impact gameplay. Overall, while the game offers unique exploration opportunities, the presence of these issues may detract from a seamless experience.
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
- “I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience and made it frustrating.”
- “The stability issues are so severe that I often find myself restarting the game multiple times in a single session.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game features a cool metroidvania design complemented by a well-implemented upgrade system, with humor that enhances the overall experience.
- “A cool metroidvania with humor and a well-implemented upgrade system.”
- “The game's humor is spot-on, making every encounter a delight.”
- “I love how the witty dialogue keeps the gameplay light and entertaining.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews indicate a lack of character development in the game, with no meaningful progression beyond basic mechanics, such as max HP, which cannot be increased.
- “There is no character development at all, aside from the basic progression mechanics. Even the maximum HP can't be increased.”
- “The characters feel flat and uninteresting, lacking any meaningful growth or depth throughout the game.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of character arcs; it felt like the characters remained static and never evolved.”