Outland is a feast for the eyes and the thumbs.
In an era long past, two Sisters were responsible for the creation of the World. But what they set out to create, they have also set out to destroy. Thus, a mysterious young man, haunted by visions of catastrophic events and a Hero of the past who succeeded in defeating the Sisters, must come to terms with his own destiny by absorbing the legendary Hero's inherent powers of Light and Darkness---all in a desperate effort to stop the resurrection of the Sisters before they rise from their infernal prison and bring their plans to fruition. This is the premise of Outland, a game developed by Housemarque (Super Stardust HD)) and a truly unique platforming action-adventure unlike any other in existence today. It's also a pretty good deal at 800 points ($10) and, if you can forgive a few frustrations, an experience well worth checking out.
The platforming elements are pretty much by-the-numbers with some open world exploration thrown in for good measure, but the true grit of Outland is its color alignment change gameplay mechanic clearly inspired by a totally unrelated top-down arcade shooter most of us know as Ikaruga. By tapping into the inherent powers of Light (Blue) and Dark (Red) energies, you will be faced with a wide variety of difficult situations unlike any you've ever experienced in other, similar games. Unfortunately, you won't have access to this special power right off the bat, which might be a little irritating at first, but a little effort goes a long way. Once you achieve it, you'll use the uppermost shoulder buttons to switch between Light and Dark alignments at any time with no penalties, and it will soon prove to be an absolutely crucial element for your very survival later on. For instance, certain enemies of a specific alignment can only be defeated if the player changes to its direct opposite polarity, and if you're coming face to face with environmental hazards like screen-flooding patterns of bullets and faucet-like beam columns, you had better be wearing and sharing their color polarity if they hope to avoid damage. Given the unorthodox nature of both the system and the environment, this is easier said than done in most cases---as Outland leaves behind a vast array of complex platforming challenges that take full advantage of the Light and Dark polarity (i.e. bullet showers interspersed with Light AND Dark alignments, and platforms that only appear when the player is equipped with their respective color) Nevertheless, all of it demands your utmost concentration and focus, leaving a very narrow margin for error.
That's part of what makes Outland so much fun to play. It's also what makes it frustrating when it need not be. For one, because of the open world exploration and all its bells and whistles, you're often forced to revisit stages you've already cleared because a specific, uncharted area of the game map was out of reach due to lack of the necessary character ability. This wouldn't be so much of a problem if the game provided easy travel between cleared stages, but such is not the case here. Aside from teleport gates that appear in some (but not all) of the stages, the player is cumudgeoned into backtracking through difficult, irritating situations they thought they left behind in order to pick up items and jars they may have either missed or bypassed in their initial first playthrough. Furthermore, a central hub that connects all of the worlds exists, but the game does not provide any other means of returning quickly without first approaching the said teleport gate, and that sometimes can be a rough journey in and of itself---especially after you've claimed an important item and have to retrace your difficult steps. That's because enemies respawn whenever you're killed and there aren't that many shortcuts to help you quickly go back to where you started. Thankfully, checkpoints exist in every stage and in abundant number to alleviate some of that stress, and an incredibly helpful ingame map can be called upon at your convenience to take the guesswork out of stage exploration.
One of the funnest moments you'll ever have in Outland are fighting the bosses. Much like most other games, these inevitable skirmishes require the player to fully study the movements of the creature to effectively take advantage of their weak points, but the major difference here is conforming to the appropriate color alignment to absorb their attacks and deal the responding damage when it counts. However, it is also during these encounters when you will soon discover the environment turning every bit your enemy as the boss itself, so it's important that you consider the weight of that added risk and emphasize a deliberate, life-saving strategy when dealing with collapsing floors, fast-moving platforms and bottomless pits. In hindsight, these pulse-pounding boss fights strike a delicate balance between vastly challenging and incredibly fun, and they range from gargantuan golems to vengeful teleporting sorceresses; even a screen-suffocating dragon.
If that weren't enough, Outland presents opportunities for character growth to prepare you for the challenges ahead. The hero can upgrade both his Health and Magic meter; the latter giving him the ability to perform powerful attacks like a powerful concentrated sword slash and a devastating beam that can be aimed by the analog stick. Collecting coins by smashing jars and enemies is a necessary currency for when you come across statue vendors that grant the player the aforementioned Health and Magic upgrades for an asking price, so it literally pays to crush all those jars you see strewn throughout the level; even when it seems like a waste of effort and time. There are also special tokens, known as the Mark of the Gods, that the game encourages you to find in each and every stage, and seeking them all will reward you with both an achievement for your trouble and a nice surprise that I won't give away here. New physical abilities (such as sliding, charging through weak walls and stomping) can also be earned, allowing you to negotiate out-of-reach areas of interest that were previously inaccessible. All of these and more add some much-needed gameplay depth and will undoubtedly count as a crucial point of assistance during later stages of the game.
The graphical style of Outland is reminiscient of recent games like LIMBO, exuding a sense of surrealism and a haunting beauty that is the furthest cry from typical action platformers. It also helps to a tremendous degree that the worlds found therein are diverse in scope---with lush jungles, dark undergrounds; even a sun-bathed abandoned city. The music is also worth noting for its ecclectic rhythmic tribal tone that appropriately befits the free-flowing mood of the experience. Throw all of that together with some solid gameplay, a unique take on the polarity change mechanic introduced in Ikaruga so many years ago, some incredible boss fights and a pleasingly ethereal compennuance, and you've got the trappings of a truly remarkable game effort. Outland is truly a feast for the discerning senses and the gaming thumbs.