Main game
3.09 average rating based on 281 ratings
Outland is an okay platformer with tight controls, pretty visuals and a colour-switching element that works nicely. Unfortunately, like so many of these metroidvania/open-world platform games it gives too little direction and involves way too much backtracking. After an hour i got a bit lost and left the map i was on. When i returned every enemy had respawned and i had to backtrack through most of the map (you have to find a key to a door). This kind of aimless exploring works in 3D games but gets on my nerves in 2D. If i find the door before i find the key, just open up a portal when i pick up the key. Stop wasting my time.
This game is a striking blend of fast-paced platforming and Metroidvania-style exploration, wrapped in a bold, silhouette-heavy visual style. Its core mechanic, switching between light and dark energies to counter enemies and navigate bullet-hell patterns, keeps the gameplay dynamic and challenging. While the story is minimal and the checkpoint system can feel punishing at times, the smooth controls and unique polarity-based combat make it a standout. It's a hidden gem that combines old-school design with modern flair, I particularly loved the platforming sections and also the boss fights, they are very unique and creative.
The boss encounters deserve special mention for how well they test the game’s core ideas. Each fight feels more like a carefully choreographed duel than a simple test of reflexes, demanding constant awareness of polarity, positioning, and timing. The screen often fills with hostile projectiles, but success comes from reading patterns and switching energies at just the right moment, creating a satisfying rhythm that rewards patience as much as skill.
Exploration is equally rewarding, as new abilities gradually open up previously unreachable areas, reinforcing the Metroidvania structure without overstaying its welcome. Backtracking rarely feels like a chore thanks to the tight movement and clear visual language, …
This game is a striking blend of fast-paced platforming and Metroidvania-style exploration, wrapped in a bold, silhouette-heavy visual style. Its core mechanic, switching between light and dark energies to counter enemies and navigate bullet-hell patterns, keeps the gameplay dynamic and challenging. While the story is minimal and the checkpoint system can feel punishing at times, the smooth controls and unique polarity-based combat make it a standout. It's a hidden gem that combines old-school design with modern flair, I particularly loved the platforming sections and also the boss fights, they are very unique and creative.
The boss encounters deserve special mention for how well they test the game’s core ideas. Each fight feels more like a carefully choreographed duel than a simple test of reflexes, demanding constant awareness of polarity, positioning, and timing. The screen often fills with hostile projectiles, but success comes from reading patterns and switching energies at just the right moment, creating a satisfying rhythm that rewards patience as much as skill.
Exploration is equally rewarding, as new abilities gradually open up previously unreachable areas, reinforcing the Metroidvania structure without overstaying its welcome. Backtracking rarely feels like a chore thanks to the tight movement and clear visual language, where color and contrast communicate danger and opportunity instantly. Combined with its atmospheric OST and understated worldbuilding, this title leaves a lasting impression as a focused, challenging experience that trusts the you to learn, adapt, and persevere.
A while back I made the statement that OUTLAND is a neat little game, but after some time has passed, I think I can safely say that while it looks cool and plays well, there's NO substance here, and simply being 'neat' isn't the same as being 'good'. Yeah, it's interesting and it controls nicely and the aesthetic is cool and all, but I have virtually no idea what's going on or where I'm supposed to be going at any point in time, and there's just not enough of a reason for me to be playing.
Sometimes there's nothing better than an interesting platformer with a cool visual aesthetic and really tight controls. This game is one of those. Got it for free on Steam like a year or so ago and haven't played much of it til now, but man is it rad.
Better concept on paper?
Finished the game and I must say that I like many things about it. The action is snappy and fast. But I found myself getting annoyed by the main "hook" of the game more than liking it. I can't help but to think back to it as more of a hindrance on a fast game than an actual fun mechanic.
The problem with the bullet-hell thing is that it isn't as fun as it sounds. Especially highlighted by the final boss battle, there's a lot of just standing around waiting for openings of bullets to appear just so I could get a strike in. And I feel like many of the bullet-hell areas feel similar to this. Either wait for openings to appear or run through it changing at the nick of time between light and dark. There's an argument to be made about my ability to do the latter consistently, but it remains, it isn't really that fun. Even when fighting enemies and adjusting to their polarities, it just feels like more of a hassle, instead of a compelling combat tool.
I think the polarity system is cool, the implementation was varied, but not all …
Better concept on paper?
Finished the game and I must say that I like many things about it. The action is snappy and fast. But I found myself getting annoyed by the main "hook" of the game more than liking it. I can't help but to think back to it as more of a hindrance on a fast game than an actual fun mechanic.
The problem with the bullet-hell thing is that it isn't as fun as it sounds. Especially highlighted by the final boss battle, there's a lot of just standing around waiting for openings of bullets to appear just so I could get a strike in. And I feel like many of the bullet-hell areas feel similar to this. Either wait for openings to appear or run through it changing at the nick of time between light and dark. There's an argument to be made about my ability to do the latter consistently, but it remains, it isn't really that fun. Even when fighting enemies and adjusting to their polarities, it just feels like more of a hassle, instead of a compelling combat tool.
I think the polarity system is cool, the implementation was varied, but not all of those variations led me to have fun. A lot of it felt done just because it was possible.
A decent game, probably extra fun in coop, which I didn't try.
Growing on me
I must say that after the first two, kinda slow areas of the game, the game starts picking up for me. It is NOT a game about exploration, even though it is sprinkled with some hidden walls and backtracking, the game is more about serious platforming-action, and when it does this it is at its best.
The third area was joyous to play, mixing and matching all the acquired skills and alternating between tight platforming, combat and the minor puzzle-platforming that comes with figuring out big rooms.
The game feels a bit slow. Like I'm doing a whole lot of running and jumping and enemy killing but am not discovering enough things or getting enough upgrades. The platforming is nice and the concept is quite neat and shows a lot of potential. It starts out simple enough, but quickly it can become brain twisting, especially when needing to fight multiple colored enemies under a constant barrage of different colored energy.