Outland is a fantastic synthesis of taxing, unrelenting gameplay and sumptuous, gorgeous visuals.
Outland is a tough game to describe – it deftly blends the taxing gameplay of bullet-hell shooters like Ikaruga, with the structure from Metroidvania-esque games and wraps it all in a gorgeous setting and visual style. Though some may write it off as being yet another me-too 2D-platformer, Outland is actually one of the best of its kind and it succeeds in embracing all of its elements to churn an engrossing experience that's better than the sum of its parts and it also packs in a ton of great content at a great price – and though it's held back by a few flaws, Outland still remains an experience, you won't soon forget.
Outland tells the story of two ancient goddesses called "The Sisters of Chaos" who could harness the powers of dark and light. Centuries ago, a man was able to defeat the two and imprison them, thus preventing them from ever plunging the world into chaos again. You take the role as that man's reincarnation and it's up you to you to put a stop to the Sisters once more, who has some how been able to escape their imprisonment. From there on, you must travel to four different worlds, defeat their respective protectors, collect the runes from their remains and finally rip the Sisters a new one and restore order to the world.
The first thing you'll notice about Outland is its incredible visuals. Outland is – both artistically and technically–an absolute masterpiece that never runs out of new things to show to the player – the backdrops look stunning, the animations are superb and the way the game basks in light is extremely eye-catching, rounding out the high-caliber presentation is a rock-solid frame rate that never dips over the course of the game. Sound design is equally fantastic – the soundtrack is beautiful and moody and all the effects are spot-on. To put it bluntly, Outland features one of the most striking presentations you'll find all year.
With all the visual trickery to sustain Outland, you'll be glad to know that the game does not skimp in the gameplay department either. Outland is, at its core, a 2D - platformer where you'll be doing a lot of jumping, killing and collecting items. Outland does bring a twist to this formula, though as you yourself will later learn how to harness the powers of dark and light – represented by the colors red and blue respectively. If an enemy fires red projectiles at you, you must be in the corresponding alignment in order to absorb them and by the same token, if the enemy attacking you is blue, you must be red in order to deal out damage. The game takes this simple mechanic to incredible heights, often throwing in all manner of enemies, bullets and obstacles and these moments require quick reflexes to conquer. Thankfully, the controls are super smooth and every task is mapped naturally on the controller. There are a few instances where the controls can backfire on you, but given the amount of chaos going on at once, you'll still be impressed at how manageable everything is.
Outland also features a great structure. There is a hub area connecting all of the worlds, and you have free reign to revisit any completed level. You'll also get a sweet of new powers and abilities as the game progresses and the level designs are varied enough to exclude any moments of repetition. To top it off, the Boss Fights in Outland are spectacular –these humongous creatures are a sight to behold and mopping the floor with one of them is immensely satisfying and though I'm not a huge fan of Outland's checkpoints –which are few and far between-these encounters still put up a tough fight, but never feel too cheap or frustrating.
Outland can be beaten in around six to eight hours and the entire adventure can also be played cooperatively with another player. There are also Arcade challenges where you must race through one of the game's chapters under a time limit, while also aiming to rack up a high enough score for you to wind up on the leader boards. Lastly, there are the challenge rooms which are only playable with another player by your side -- these are incredibly fun and will test the skills of you and your partner in inventive and exciting ways and working together to survive the onslaught of projectiles and enemies that stand in your way is a hoot. It's too bad that you can't play Outland's sweet of multiplayer options locally in couch co-op, an omission that will be irksome for a quite a few players.
Outland is a stellar synthesis of visual prowess and demanding, intricate gameplay. It's a challenging, beautiful, engrossing and an often epic adventure that's only marred by the lack of any local multiplayer options and some small issues with the controls. But these snags notwithstanding, Outland is worthy of all your time and money and is easily one of the finest experiences you can play, this side of Arcade games.
Pros:
+Brilliant polarity mechanics
+Varied, intricate level design and incredible boss fights
+Smooth controls that feel natural
+Moody soundtrack and gorgeous visual astethics
+Fantastic cooperative gameplay.
Cons:
-No local co-op.
Game Emblems - The Good:
Sucks You In
"Oh Snap"
Great Boss Fights
Unique
Get More Than Your Money's Worth
Plays Well With Others
Sharp Control
Outstanding Visual Design
Great Soundtrack