Outland

Outland is a platformer that combines action elements typical of this genre with puzzle game mechanics. The game was produced by Housemarque Studios, known for such titles as Dead Nation and Super Stardust HD.

You play as a young, agile man, who is tormented by visions of a great battle. The protagonist somehow knows that only in a mysterious jungle he can find answers to his questions. Therefore, in order to discover the truth, he embarks on a perilous journey. Outland features extended narrative, in which mysteries are revealed gradually, as you progress in the game.

Outland combines mechanics of games like Prince of Persia and Another World and has color changing system known from Ikaruga. It means that the hero has two forms – a light and a dark one, between which he can freely switch. This is very helpful, since he is immune to attacks of the same color as himself. This means that if you take a the light form, only dark orbs can hurt you. The same is also true for your attacks, e.g. a black spider can only be defeated while you are in the light form. Even the environment reacts to your form. For example, you can use this to control an elevator.

At the beginning you have only an energy sword and the simplest strikes, but as you progress in the game the arsenal and the array of attacks is expanding (e.g. a slide attack). Outland sports large, non-linear levels, full of well-hidden secrets. Each level is guarded by a boss, and you need not only skill, but also a lot of cunning to defeat them.

Although the game is two-dimensional, the graphics is impressive. It has a beautiful and very unusual visual style, and the characters have a large array of animations.

Last updated on 05 January 2015