The Outcast Lovers
- July 31, 2020
- Richard Campbell
Get on SteamDriving home late one night you encounter a refugee in distress. They are looking for salvation. Do you hand them over to authorities? Or take responsibility yourself?
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a great soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
- It presents a thought-provoking narrative that addresses important social issues, making it a valuable experience.
- The choices made during gameplay can lead to different outcomes, encouraging replayability despite its short length.
- The story feels disjointed and lacks emotional depth, making it hard for players to connect with the characters.
- Many players found the political messaging to be overly aggressive and detracting from the gameplay experience.
- The game is very short, with some players feeling it doesn't provide enough content to justify a recommendation.
- story38 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of "The Outcast Lovers" presents a compelling premise involving a lesbian couple and an injured child refugee, but it suffers from emotional disconnect and a lack of depth, leaving players feeling detached from the characters and their plight. While the game features beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack, many reviewers found the narrative underdeveloped, with insufficient backstory for key characters, resulting in a straightforward and somewhat polarizing message that fails to fully engage the player. Overall, the story is seen as having potential but ultimately falls short in execution, leading to disappointment among players.
“The couple's discussion and playful arguing with each other really helps to cut through the overall tension, especially when you get a bit deeper into the game, and there are decisions to be made that can affect the story.”
“Both the world and characters are very engaging and vivid, which helps drive home the moral conundrum at the center of this story.”
“The music was great and it put you into an atmosphere of thoughtfulness, which is where the story shines.”
“The story is oddly emotionally disconnected given the topic.”
“At no point do we learn anything about the child and their backstory; we don't see or hear them speak, and there's no reason to sympathize or empathize with their plight.”
“This story doesn't suit the game medium in its current format.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their minimalist style, beautiful low-poly design, and effective use of color palettes that enhance the narrative experience. Players appreciate the coherence in aesthetics compared to previous titles, with many highlighting the vibrant art style and clean visuals. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, despite some critiques regarding gameplay variety and story depth.
“I really dig these minimalist visuals and the color palette.”
“They have enough programming skill to make a narrative game, the low-poly graphics are beautiful in their own right, the music is amazing at times, far above the average for an indie (or even non-indie) game.”
“I really like the overall color scheme and art style of the game - the colorful yellows gave a different vibe than the deep purples of the previous game.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received praise for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its standout quality compared to typical indie soundtracks. While some found the jazzy elements to be comedic and felt a disconnect with the story, others appreciated the vibrant 90's vibe and how it contributed to immersion and emotional engagement. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength of the game, elevating the overall experience.
“This game is really beautiful and it has a great soundtrack.”
“The music was great and it put you into an atmosphere of thoughtfulness, which is where the story shines.”
“The soundtrack was composed by somebody different and while it had much more of a vibrant 90’s vibe, it fit well in the scene and helped create a sense of immersion.”
“The music felt kind of comedic, being as blaring and jazzy as it is, but apart from that, I enjoyed my 10 minutes.”
“The soundtrack was composed by someone different, and while it had much more of a vibrant 90’s vibe, it fit well in the scene and helped create a sense of immersion.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the emotional aspect of the game is met with mixed reactions; while some players appreciate the potential for deep themes like racism and persecution, many feel the story lacks emotional engagement and coherence, leading to a disconnect from the characters and their struggles. The beautiful visuals and soundtrack are noted, but they do not compensate for the narrative shortcomings that hinder a more profound emotional experience.
“Little heartfelt experience.”
“The outcast lovers is a beautiful game with a great soundtrack that is marred by odd story choices and an emotional disconnect from a topic that should provoke an emotional investment.”
“The recurrent themes of racism and persecution mean that the outcast lovers is another short but harrowing experience, conjuring emotional responses from the player.”
“The graphics are impressive, but the story is boring and lacks coherence, which undermines the emotional impact it could have had.”
“While the game tackles a real-life topic, the narrative feels flat and fails to engage on an emotional level.”
“There was potential for a deep emotional experience, but the story ultimately falls short and doesn't resonate.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as lacking subtlety and variety, yet it offers an engaging experience enhanced by impressive graphics and effective camera angle choices. While some critiques point to a lack of depth and reliance on a singular theme, others appreciate the unique approach and humor, finding it more enjoyable than larger, more expensive titles. Overall, the gameplay is seen as a fun, albeit brief, experience that challenges traditional formats.
“This really was another eye-opening and fun experience, and I like the way the devs play with the standard gameplay formats to craft something entirely their own.”
“For a game that's pretty small (when it comes to gameplay), this game has been way more fun than games that were not only paid for but also huge.”
“It might not be very subtle, and I would have liked some more varied gameplay, but I loved the graphics and choosing the camera angles is very effective as you can find out more from repeat playing.”
“Alright, so all your games are going to be short stories about how bad the anti-immigration laws are, with no gameplay at all.”
“But there are people that already do that with actual gameplay and a deeper story, and most importantly, an intelligent sense of humor.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "The Outcast Lovers" is a blend of lightheartedness and tension, creating a thoughtful ambiance that enhances the storytelling. The music plays a significant role in establishing this atmosphere, contributing to the game's emotional depth.
“The Outcast Lovers is a slightly more lighthearted follow-up to the first game in this series from Far Few Giants (The Night Fisherman); however, it still has a very tense atmosphere.”
“The music was great and it created an atmosphere of thoughtfulness, which is where the story shines.”
“The outcast lovers is a slightly more lighthearted follow-up to the first game in this series from Far Few Giants (The Night Fisherman), however, it still has a very tense atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion that I expected.”
“Despite the intriguing premise, the atmosphere fails to engage, leaving the experience feeling hollow and uninviting.”
