The Outpost Nine

About

"The Outpost Nine - Episode 1" is a hybrid Visual Novel/Point and Click game set in a lonely mining facility on a small moon. The crew responds to a distress call, finding a disfigured pilot and a parasite that puts them in grave danger. Gameplay consists of cutscenes and top-down point-and-click exploration, with menu-based actions inspired by Snatcher and Policenauts. The player must solve puzzles and navigate tense situations as the story unfolds.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 38 reviews

story14 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game has a captivating atmosphere and strong retro 70's/80's sci-fi horror vibes, reminiscent of classics like Alien and The Thing.
The story and writing are engaging, with interesting gameplay mechanics that enhance the experience.
Despite its short length, the game offers a unique blend of visual novel and point-and-click adventure elements that many players find enjoyable.

The game is very short, with only about an hour of content currently available, and ends on an unsatisfying cliffhanger.
The dialogue and writing quality are often criticized for being poor, with spelling errors and unoriginal story elements.
The gameplay can feel tedious and unintuitive, with some players finding the puzzles boring and the controls lacking flexibility.

story
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
10%
The story of the game is described as engaging and immersive, with a captivating visual style and a strong narrative focus reminiscent of classic sci-fi themes. However, many reviewers note that the story feels incomplete, ending abruptly and lacking depth, with some elements borrowed from existing works without offering unique twists. While the characters and writing show promise, the overall experience is hampered by its short length and unfinished nature, leaving players wanting more resolution and player agency.
- “I had such a great time; the story and writing fit well, and the visuals are so captivating.”
- “I think this game has been fun to play, and the story is really engrossing once you get into it.”
- “The team did a great job with the story.”
- “Unfortunately, it's clearly been abandoned and stops just as the story gets going.”
- “Eh, there are the beginnings of a halfway decent game here, but it is very short, unfinished, and the story is just not that good -- it borrows heavily from the first Alien movie without adding anything unique or interesting that would make it its own thing.”
- “But that's it, solve a couple of simple puzzles which will take you an hour, and the story ends on a cliffhanger with little chance of resolution by the looks of it.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The gameplay features a unique blend of story-driven cutscenes and top-down point-and-click mechanics, offering moments of tension, particularly in chapter 2. However, players find the interface unintuitive and the puzzles unengaging, with many gameplay segments feeling overly simplistic and tedious. Overall, while there are interesting mechanics at play, the execution leaves much to be desired.
- “Interesting use of gameplay mechanics in chapter 2.”
- “The gameplay segment in chapter 2 is genuinely tense.”
- “The point and click mechanics are put to their full potential when you have to run and hide from a bizarre monster hunting you down during the course of the game.”
- “The gameplay itself is bogged down by an unintuitive interface, and the 'puzzles' within aren't particularly engaging.”
- “The gameplay comes in two flavors, the first being a story-centric chronicle of events and personal interactions where you have virtually no input, the second being exploration of a map with a limited set of commands.”
- “The sections with gameplay are far too easy while also feeling tedious.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The graphics are described as simple yet captivating, effectively complementing the game's retro aesthetic. Players appreciate the immersive visuals and character designs, which enhance the storytelling, while the accompanying audio aligns well with the overall style. The retro graphics are well-received, fitting seamlessly into the game's context and enhancing the overall experience.
- “I had such a great time; the story and writing fit well, and the visuals are so captivating.”
- “The in-game visuals are very retro-styled, which I like and feel suits this style of game very well. The accompanying audio is also very nice and does not seem out of place at any point in the game.”
- “While the graphics are rather simple, they work well in the context of what the game is trying to achieve.”
- “The sound and visuals have a retro feel to them, and I found them surprisingly immersive.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music in the game is a nostalgic homage to 70s and 80s sci-fi and horror, drawing clear inspiration from John Carpenter's style. It effectively enhances the atmosphere with a blend of alien and retro vibes, creating a claustrophobic yet engaging experience that resonates well with fans of the genre. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its perfect alignment with the game's aesthetic and emotional tone.
- “The soundtrack to the game is a perfect match to the genre and retro 80's style feel to the game.”
- “The music and atmosphere is a clear homage to 'The Thing', with a very strong dose of alien.”
- “The music had kind of an 'Escape from New York' vibe.”
- “From the John Carpenter-esque music playing over the alien-inspired menu screen, through to the groovy dialogue and genuinely claustrophobic atmosphere of the game itself, this low-budget homage to 70s sci-fi/horror hits a pretty decent home run.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its tense and immersive qualities, drawing clear inspiration from 70s and 80s sci-fi and horror, particularly reminiscent of John Carpenter's work. The combination of evocative music, claustrophobic settings, and engaging dialogue creates a compelling homage to classic genre films, making it a standout feature of the experience.
- “The music and atmosphere is a clear homage to The Thing, with a very strong dose of Alien.”
- “Outpost 9 is a lo-fi visual novel with a great 70s/80s sci-fi-horror atmosphere.”
- “The music and atmosphere is a clear homage to 'The Thing', with a very strong dose of alien.”
- “From the John Carpenter-esque music playing over the alien-inspired menu screen, through to the groovy dialogue and genuinely claustrophobic atmosphere of the game itself, this low-budget homage to 70s sci-fi/horror hits a pretty decent home run.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspects of the game to be overly simplistic and tedious, leading to a lack of engagement during gameplay.
- “The gameplay sections are far too easy and feel tedious.”
- “Grinding feels like a chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay motivated.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game experiences significant stability issues, particularly noted during chapter 2, where glitches prevent players from progressing.
- “The game is fun, but it glitches out during chapter 2, and I cannot proceed.”
- “I keep experiencing crashes that make it impossible to enjoy the game.”
- “The frequent bugs and instability ruin what could be a great experience.”