Outland

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 471 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Outland Game Cover
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"Outland is a critically acclaimed platformer offering both single-player and co-op experiences, with a unique balance of light and darkness in its gameplay. Its beautiful graphics, atmospheric soundtrack, and challenging grinding create an immersive world, available for two players to enjoy either online or locally."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 471 reviews
gameplay90 positive mentions
grinding13 negative mentions
  • Beautiful art style and graphics that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Engaging gameplay mechanics with the light/dark switching system that adds depth to combat and platforming.
  • Challenging boss fights that require strategy and skill, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment.
  • Controls can feel unresponsive and clunky, especially when switching colors during intense moments.
  • The story is minimal and lacks depth, making it hard to feel invested in the characters or plot.
  • Level design can become repetitive, with similar environments and enemy types that may lead to boredom over time.
  • gameplay207 mentions

    The gameplay of Outland is characterized by its unique color-switching mechanic, which adds depth to the platforming and puzzle-solving elements. While many players appreciate the beautiful visuals and the initial novelty of the mechanics, some find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in variety as it progresses. Overall, the game offers solid mechanics and enjoyable challenges, but it may not fully satisfy those seeking a more complex or varied experience.

    • “The gameplay is clever, making you think about every movement you take to defeat enemies or solve puzzles. The switching between light and dark is a clever idea that works well with Outland's world and story.”
    • “The gorgeous animations, backgrounds, and other visual elements are definitely icing on the cake, but what makes this a great title is the masterful weave of mechanics and abilities with enemy interactions and platforming sections that always makes you feel like you're getting better while progressing through the game.”
    • “Outland is a great platformer with tight controls and a pleasing aesthetic, that goes well with the underlying gameplay mechanic.”
    • “The gameplay isn't all that either; the movement feels really clunky and not smooth at all.”
    • “Boring gameplay and horrible controls without the ability to rebind.”
    • “None of this would even matter, except the gameplay is too slow, simple, and unchanging to be engrossing without supporting material that just isn't there.”
  • graphics149 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, which enhances the overall aesthetic experience. While many players appreciate the vibrant visuals and smooth animations, some note that the minimalist design can occasionally hinder gameplay, making it difficult to distinguish characters and projectiles. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, though opinions vary on their long-term impact on player engagement.

    • “The graphics are exceptional, the pace and mechanics take little effort to get used to.”
    • “Outland is a fluid platformer (metroidvania cross with bullet hell) with a very good art style (music and graphics).”
    • “The visuals, graphics are beautiful and often times, jaw-dropping.”
    • “The art style hurts my eyes since the character blends with the background.”
    • “Graphics get in the way of gameplay, since everything that matters is either blue or red and enemies can 'hide' inside a red/blue carpet of bullets and are almost impossible to see.”
    • “It's a pity, considering how nice and atmospheric the game is with the artwork, animations, sounds, music, and lighting brilliantly done, but they didn't spend enough time on the most important part: player interaction.”
  • story122 mentions

    The story in this game is widely criticized for being bland, generic, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting its minimal presence and cliché elements. While some players found the gameplay enjoyable enough to overlook the weak narrative, the overall consensus is that the story fails to engage or motivate players, making the experience feel unmemorable and uninspired. Despite a few positive remarks about the art style and gameplay mechanics, the narrative is generally seen as a significant drawback.

    • “The immersion inside of the amazing story of an ancient mythic warrior is absolute.”
    • “Outland is an absolutely beautiful game with unique gameplay mechanics and engaging story.”
    • “The story is very much something of an origin/creation story for a different world, and it's kind of neat, but don't expect a ton of character development, spoken dialog, etc. if there's a reason to buy this game, it's delicious eye-candy and solid gameplay.”
    • “The story is non-existent.”
    • “Honestly, the 'story' made me think they made this game on a dare or as a proof of concept.”
    • “The protagonist is a bland 'hero' without a name or a face; the story is a cliché 'save the world because reasons' slog.”
  • music87 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its atmospheric and immersive qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some tracks are described as hauntingly beautiful and fitting for the game's aesthetic, others find the soundtrack to be somewhat forgettable or repetitive, particularly during boss fights. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to its ambiance and gameplay, though it may not leave a lasting impression for all players.

    • “The atmosphere, music, and smoothness of motion is really addictive.”
    • “Outland offers an immersive experience into a world of deities and monsters as you slash and dash your way through levels and traps while listening to its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “The excellent gameplay, along with the game's outstanding artwork/graphics, excellent music, and absolutely amazing boss battles really propel this to be something special.”
    • “The soundtrack is ambient in most areas rather than thematic.”
    • “Story is generic and boring, music is repetitive and dull.”
    • “The soundtrack is completely forgettable, and doesn't do a thing to inspire any emotions of any kind.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning artwork, engaging soundtrack, and fluid motion, creating an immersive experience that enhances gameplay. Reviewers highlight the combination of beautiful visuals and atmospheric sounds, which contribute to a captivating environment, although some note a lack of depth in player interaction. Overall, the game's aesthetic elements work harmoniously to deliver a polished and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • “The atmosphere is great and the art is nice to look at, and even the music fits the game perfectly.”
    • “The artwork is right out of ancient Greece, the soundtrack and atmospheric sounds are engaging, the controls are simple enough to play on a keyboard, some of the puzzle mechanisms are refreshingly different, and the action is fluid and fun without being overly complicated.”
    • “This game has a really good design; the visuals backed up with smooth music create a unique atmosphere, which improves the game experience a lot.”
    • “Every ounce of the setting is all atmosphere and no substance.”
  • grinding13 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and poorly designed, often leading to frustration, especially for completionists. The requirement to grind for resources, such as gold and doubloons, detracts from the overall experience, particularly when combined with a lackluster combat system and limited enemy variety. While some achievements are attainable without excessive grinding, the necessity of grinding for upgrades and collectibles is viewed as a significant drawback.

    • “However, by the time you make it to the final area, the constant switching becomes tedious and irritating to keep track of.”
    • “This should be limited to a few challenging sections on each level, especially because when combined with the lackluster combat system, a limited variety of enemies, and a limited variety of traps and projectiles, this makes the game progress excessively tedious.”
    • “I don't think that's good design, to require grinding aimlessly to receive one of the achievements.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    Overall, players find the emotional aspect of the game lacking, citing a boring storyline and a lack of engaging characters that fail to create a connection with the player. While some appreciate the art design, many feel that the gameplay mechanics, such as frustrating knockback and damage from touching enemies, detract from any potential emotional investment. The combination of these elements results in a game that feels linear and unrewarding.

    • “This game will blow your freaking mind; the art design made me cry.”
    • “Boring storyline.”
    • “Pretty linear and unrewarding, plus a boring story and setting.”
  • character development7 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, with reviewers noting minimal motivation for players to engage with the characters or story. While the artwork and character designs are praised, they do not compensate for the absence of meaningful character growth or dialogue, leading to a perception that the game prioritizes visual appeal and gameplay over narrative depth.

    • “In my mind, a good metroidvania game should have a strong story, great character development (in terms of gameplay), exploration, and unique level design.”
    • “The artwork and character designs are really nice and the main reason for me to keep coming back to this game.”
    • “Character development plays out the same way as exploration.”
    • “Nevertheless, Outland is great at its clever gameplay, puzzles, soundtrack, and gorgeous art, but it falls short because it lacks story, character development, believability, and its world.”
    • “There is little motivation to return back, and the character development is not very important.”
    • “The story is very much something of an origin/creation story for a different world, and it's kind of neat, but don't expect a ton of character development, spoken dialogue, etc.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting smooth performance even on older hardware, while others experience significant bugs, such as attacks not registering and frequent connection issues that disrupt gameplay. Overall, while the game runs well for some, many players encounter frustrating glitches that hinder their experience.

    • “And runs great.”
    • “Runs great on my old, outdated computer too.”
    • “The up attack felt buggy; there were times the sword just passed right through the enemy without damaging it, and other times it would damage an enemy when your sword wasn't even close.”
    • “The concept here is one that could be done very well; sadly, Outland fails to capitalize on this aspect due to numerous bugs and glitches that cause the game to run poorly. The connection times out constantly, fails to connect to lobbies, and there are desyncs between players which practically forces a death.”
    • “It's kinda buggy; I found that the jump doesn't always register, along with some other buttons at times.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with some players finding it fun and easy to learn but not enough to stand out among other platformers. While a few users mention potential for replay value, especially in co-op mode, the general consensus is that it may not justify the price for everyone, despite offering a memorable experience.

    • “At any rate, it's a fun, simple, easy-to-learn game that has months of replay value.”
    • “Currently selling on Steam at £6.99/9.99€/ $9.99 and clocking in with an average playtime of 7-8 hours and close to double that for completionists, and with co-op and plenty of replay value, Outland is plain and simple good value for money if it's the genre of game you enjoy.”
    • “I don't see this as having much replay value, but for less than a dollar, who can complain?”
    • “The replayability is definitely limited, but the experience is one that may stick with you for three years like it has for me.”
    • “I think this may give some replayability to the game, but I don't know.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and full support for controllers, with no reported crashes or significant issues. While the frame rate specifics are not a concern for all players, the experience remains stable and enjoyable across different systems.

    • “Performance was good, my DualShock 3 gamepad was perfectly supported, and I didn't encounter any crashes or other problems.”
    • “I can't tell you if a game is running at 30fps or 60fps because I really don't care either way, but the game definitely runs smoothly on my computers with no issues.”
  • humor2 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be largely derived from its co-op gameplay, particularly through moments of accidental mishaps, such as falling from ledges, which lead to shared laughter among friends. Overall, the game is noted for its comedic elements that enhance the multiplayer experience.

    • “There were a few moments when we kept falling from ledges, and my friends and I couldn't stop laughing.”
    • “Nice game... co-op is very funny.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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