Outer Terror
- April 20, 2023
- VoxPop Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Outer Terror" is a horde shooter set in a terrifying cosmic world, where you fight off hordes of otherworldly creatures in homage to 80s/90s B-movies and horror comics. Explore vast maps, discover survivor holdouts, and defeat massive bosses across 5 unique chapters with 10 playable characters. Despite room for improvement, it offers a thrilling experience, earning a 9/10 from Gaming Cypher.
PC
Windows
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a unique grindhouse aesthetic with engaging comic book-style cutscenes and a fun soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Gameplay is addictive and offers a satisfying mix of action and exploration, with a variety of characters and quests that keep each run fresh and exciting.
- The co-op feature allows for enjoyable multiplayer sessions, making it a great option for playing with friends.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and optimization issues, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences and slow progression.
- Meta-progression is painfully slow, making it difficult to earn upgrades and diminishing the sense of achievement.
- The user interface is clunky and lacks essential features, such as the ability to check stats or change settings during gameplay.
- story27 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by a unique blend of immersive narratives and engaging quests, with players appreciating the pacing and choice between story-driven gameplay and action. While the art and character design are praised, some reviewers noted that certain missions feel repetitive and lack depth, suggesting a need for more varied storytelling and improved quest mechanics. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of 16-bit arcade titles, though it could benefit from enhanced narrative cohesion and replayability.
“When age fell upon the world, and wonder went out of the minds of men; when grey cities reared to smoky skies tall towers grim and ugly; in whose shadow none might dream of the sun or of spring's flowering meads; when learning stripped earth of her mantle of beauty, and poets sang no more save of twisted phantoms seen with blared and inward-looking eyes; when these things had come to pass, and childish hopes had gone away forever, there was a man who traveled out of life on a quest into the spaces whither the world's dreams had fled.”
“The comic book intros and pixel monster graphics are stunning, and the game's storyline is well-crafted, making for an immersive and satisfying gameplay experience.”
“- stages have missions/quests you can take on which sometimes add to the lore of the scenario or have some funny or weird things that happen.”
“There are some strange levels and quests that just feel lazily and quickly thrown in.”
“Once you play through the story of one area, it loses all replay value because the maps don't change and the quests don't either, and the positions of collectibles also don't.”
“I would work on the storytelling just a bit more, and some of the enemies do seem strange and like they don't really fit.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally satisfying and immersive, featuring a fun loop and engaging combat against hordes of enemies, complemented by stunning comic book visuals and sprite art. While some minor bugs and crusty graphics are noted, they do not significantly detract from the experience. However, players express a desire for more polish and content to match the quality of other games in the genre.
“The comic book intros and pixel monster graphics are stunning, and the game's storyline is well-crafted, making for an immersive and satisfying gameplay experience.”
“Killer comic flair, easy controller-friendly arcade gameplay, fantastic horror art, and lite lore.”
“Love the gameplay, love the sprite art for all the unique characters, and loving the carnage.”
“But you need to really nail the core gameplay if you're only going to offer a fraction of the content and polish that many other, much cheaper games can deliver.”
“In under 2 hours of gameplay, I soft locked twice, losing two different 6000+ kill runs.”
“In 1.5 hours of gameplay, I was roughly 1/4 of the way to purchasing my first upgrade.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique grindhouse and 16-bit aesthetic, while others note that certain elements appear "crusty" or could benefit from polish, such as improved readability and transparency issues. The comic book intros and pixel art are praised for their stunning design, contributing to an immersive experience that evokes classic horror films. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point, especially for fans of retro styles, despite some calls for refinement.
“The comic book intros and pixel monster graphics are stunning, and the game's storyline is well-crafted, making for an immersive and satisfying gameplay experience.”
“Damn, that's one well-executed grindhouse aesthetic!”
“The art style is neat and every scenario feels like a callback to some 70/80’s horror movie.”
“Some of the in-game graphics are crusty, a bit too crusty, but the gameplay itself is not affected, and it's still satisfying to fight hordes in all the cool settings.”
“I would polish up some of the graphics; having a thin black outline around everything and strange transparency makes the game look not as good. Also, you could improve readability a little by removing blood splats during explosions that don't hurt the player.”
“Overall, I would recommend it for people who love the old school 16-bit aesthetic with the flair of gore and roguelike elements.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its aesthetic appeal and ability to enhance the overall vibe, effectively immersing players in a B-movie atmosphere. The updated soundtrack has been noted for perfectly complementing the gameplay and setting the mood for each level, although some players desire catchier tunes in more repetitive areas. Overall, the music and sound design are well-executed, contributing positively to the game's experience.
“Additionally, the game's soundtrack is fantastic; it was updated from the launch version, and I feel the new updated tracks really put the whole package together, setting the mood for each level perfectly.”
“The music and sounds are well put together for the genre.”
“Music and core gameplay loop all give off those bullet hell happy brain chemicals.”
“I would pay someone $80 to make some catchier music during some of the more repetitive areas (labyrinth).”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with users noting significant issues that are unexpected for this genre. Overall, the performance is considered subpar.
“There's also some optimization issues, which is strange for this style of game.”
“Optimization is pretty bad as well.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted as a fun and addictive aspect of the game, encouraging players to prioritize enemy encounters over objectives to enhance their abilities, weapon upgrades, and damage resistance.
“The fun and addictive character development kept making me detour from completing objectives to solely focus on enemy killing, allowing me better weapon upgrades, damage resistance, and superpowers.”
“The depth of character development in this game is incredible, making each choice feel impactful and rewarding.”
“I love how the character development system allows for unique playstyles, giving me the freedom to customize my abilities to fit my preferences.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers indicate that the game's replayability is limited, as once players complete the story in a specific area, the lack of map changes, static quests, and fixed collectible locations diminish the incentive to replay.
“Once you play through the story of one area, it loses all replay value because the maps don't change, the quests don't either, and the positions of collectibles also don't.”
“After completing the game once, there’s little incentive to go back since the experience remains the same with no new content or variations.”
“The lack of different outcomes or branching paths makes replaying the game feel tedious and uninteresting.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is generally solid for local play and Steam Remote Play, but users report some bugs in the online co-op mode.
“The online co-op is kind of buggy at the moment, but the game works great locally and over Steam Remote Play, and running through it with a friend is a blast.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the gold grind for upgrades to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often describing it as "hella grindy."
“The gold grind for upgrades is incredibly tedious.”
“The amount of grinding required to progress feels excessive.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be monotonous and unengaging.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through missions and quests that not only contribute to the lore but also feature amusing and quirky events, enhancing the overall experience.
“The stages have missions and quests that not only contribute to the lore but also feature some hilarious and bizarre events.”
“I love how the game mixes humor with its quests, making even the most serious scenarios feel lighthearted and fun.”
“The quirky situations and funny dialogue throughout the missions keep me laughing and engaged in the gameplay.”
