Outland (video game)

Outland is a platform game developed by Housemarque and published by Ubisoft.[6] The game combines two-dimensional platforming with a polarity system similar to Treasure's Ikaruga[7] and Silhouette Mirage. Outland was released on April 27, 2011 for Xbox 360.[8] The PlayStation 3 version, which was supposed to be released the day before, was delayed because of the 2011 PlayStation Network outage then later released in June 2011. A Microsoft Windows version was released on September 29, 2014, followed by the Mac OS X version on December 21 of the same year, and the Linux version on February 25, 2015. The game was removed from sale on Steam and the Humble Store in December 2018.[9]

Outland
Developer(s)Housemarque
Publisher(s)Ubisoft
Composer(s)Ari Pulkkinen[1]
Platform(s)Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
ReleaseXBLA
April 27, 2011[2][3]
PSN
  • AU: June 1, 2011
  • EU: June 2, 2011
  • NA: June 14, 2011
Windows
September 29, 2014
OS X
December 21, 2014
Linux
February 25, 2015[4]
Genre(s)Platform, Metroidvania[5]
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Outland is a 2D platformer with action game elements. Gameplay mainly revolves around using Light (blue) and Dark (red) energies, which allows the player to pass through their respective barriers, and attack monsters born of the opposite alignment (e.g. use Light to attack Dark monsters).

Along the way, players learn special powers from large shrines, from simple melee attacks to the harnessing of Light and Dark energy. Players can also collect hidden objects called "Masks of the Gods" in order to unlock extras such as concept art or enhanced in-game abilities.

Players also have an option to experience the entire storyline online with a friend in co-operative mode. There are also co-op challenges scattered throughout the world that can be unlocked and played when in co-op mode.

In addition to the main storyline, there is an Arcade Mode that puts the player to the test by putting a set time for the player to traverse throughout an entire region and defeat its protector. For example, in the Jungle's Arcade Mode, the player has 15 minutes to travel throughout the entire Jungle and defeat the Golem in the end. The highest scores are posted online on a leaderboard. Flipping a switch, pausing the game, and dying halt the timer. Arcade scores increase with multipliers that drop from enemies, and a bonus is given depending on how much time is left after the protector is defeated. An Arcade chapter for one area is unlocked as soon as the area itself is unlocked.

Plot

In the present day, one man had started to experience dreams and visions of the past. He attempted to take medicine to stop it, thinking that this was a medical problem, but the medicine was ineffective; something larger was at play here. The man decided to find a shaman to find out what the problem was, what these dreams and visions meant, and to cure him of them. However, the shaman told the man of the ancient stories of a battle 30,000 years ago between a great hero and the two Sisters of Chaos - one who controls Light from the Sun, and one who controls Darkness from the Moon. The Sisters were imprisoned after the battle, but the hero had perished in the process. The shaman informed the man that he was the hero's reincarnation, and that the Sisters of Chaos have apparently escaped their imprisonment. This man was now the only one who could stop them, and so he went forth on the journey.

First, the man runs into the Crossroads of the World, which connects to multiple areas. When he arrives, however, he experiences yet another, and the last, vision of the past in the middle of a large shrine. This is perhaps the most vivid of the visions, because even the player gets a chance to control the hero from 30,000 years ago as he makes his way through the destruction of the world to defeat the Sisters. However, the fight itself is not shown, as the vision is terminated at the very moment the fight began, while the narrator tells the result.

Back in the present day, the man makes his way throughout four areas: the Jungle, the Underworld, the City, and the Sky. There are four protectors in the world, one per area, but they have been corrupted by Chaos and are now her minions. Due to this, the man must defeat these protectors as well. There are also many different species of creatures throughout the world, born from Light, Dark, or neutral energies, attempting to block the man's path, assisting the protectors and Chaos.

After the defeat of one protector, a rune, depicting the defeated protector, is activated in the large shrine in the Crossroads of the World, which triggers a short speech from the narrator about that protector and their corruption, as well as the opening of the next area of the world (in the order of the Jungle, the Underworld, the City and then the Sky). When all four protectors are defeated and four of the five runes activated, the shrine teleports the man to the Temple of Eternity.

The Temple of Eternity is where the Sisters were imprisoned in the battle 30,000 years ago, waiting all this time for their chance to escape and "uncreate" the world. The man must travel throughout the Temple of Eternity, finally ending his journey at one section named the Trail of Tears. Just past the Trail of Tears is a giant ladder, identical to the one the ancient hero had used to fight the Sisters. So the man climbs up the ladder and fights the Sisters in one last battle to save the world.

After winning the battle, the man is ready to deal the final blow and end the Sisters' lives, when suddenly, the Temple of Eternity collapses. The Sisters have never actually seen the world, only knowing that they wanted to destroy it and make it their own. But now, after they see the beauty and tranquility that both time and mankind had created, the Sisters humbly surrender to the man and retreat back to where they belong; one Sister to the Sun, one to the Moon. The spirit of the ancient hero from all those years ago then escapes from the man's body, as both the spirit's and the man's work are complete.

Reception

The game received "favorable" reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[10][11][12]

Tom McShea of GameSpot called the game an "expertly crafted platformer." The reviewer praised the game's visual style, music, and co-op.[18][19] IGN also called it "a hell of a game, and you should play it posthaste."[23][24]

The Escapist gave the Xbox 360 version a score of four stars out of five and said that it "will put your skills to the test, but strikes a pleasant balance between frustration and triumph. It's not the easiest game in the world, but the effort it takes to master is well worth it."[32] The Daily Telegraph similarly gave it a score of eight out of ten and called it "a game which is fun to play simply for the joy of playing, and when you throw in the ability to play through the story with a second person, along with some additional challenge areas designed exclusively for co-op play, Outland is [a] highly appealing, highly enjoyable downloadable title."[28] The A.V. Club gave it a B and stated, "Boss battles are another highlight, a great example being a robed figure who can unpredictably cause colored rubble to come whizzing by from any direction."[33] Wired gave the PlayStation 3 version a score of eight stars out of ten in its early review and called it "a tumultuous blend of Prince of Persia-style jumping action and the "bullet hell" of insane shooters like Ikaruga. It's complex, difficult and a lot of fun."[34]

Outland was awarded as "Best PSN Game of 2011" by IGN[35] and "Best Download-only Console Game 2011" by GameSpot.[36]

References
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  2. Ubisoft (April 12, 2011). "Outland co-op trailer on Xbox Live Arcade! [UK]". YouTube. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  3. Ludwig Kietzmann (April 13, 2011). "Outland coming to PSN on April 26, XBLA on April 27". Engadget (Joystiq). Oath Inc. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  4. HMQ-Mikael (February 25, 2015). "Linux version is out!". Steam. Valve. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  5. Mark Brown (May 15, 2015). "The 14 best Metroidvania games on Steam". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media Ltd. Retrieved December 2, 2018. You'll be swapping between red and blue to make platforms appear, obstacles disappear, and to fight enemies and solve puzzles. All within that classic Metroidvania structure.
  6. Justin McElroy (September 4, 2010). "Outland preview: When shmups grow legs". Engadget (Joystiq). Oath Inc. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  7. Shaun McInnis (September 4, 2010). "Outland First Look". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  8. Brad Nicholson (September 3, 2010). "Ubisoft's Outland To Combine Darkness, Traps, And Platforming". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  9. @Housemarque (December 18, 2018). "Calling out to all platformer and action game fans!! Tomorrow is your last chance to get Outland from Steam or Humble Bundle!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. "Outland for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  11. "Outland for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
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  21. David Sanchez (July 24, 2011). "Outland Review (PS3)". GameZone. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  22. Brad Shoemaker (May 4, 2011). "Outland Review (PS3N, XBGS)". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  23. Colin Moriarty (June 14, 2011). "Outland Review (PS3)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  24. Colin Moriarty (April 28, 2011). "Outland Review (X360)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  25. Ludwig Kietzmann (April 27, 2011). "Outland review: Will and grace". Engadget (Joystiq). Oath Inc. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  26. Andrew Hayward (July 2011). "Outland review". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. p. 79. Archived from the original on November 3, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
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  31. "Skyrim ja viime vuoden muu parhaimmisto palkittiin Finnish Game Awards -peligaalassa". FIGMA (in Finnish). February 17, 2012. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
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