Out There: Omega Edition (PC) Review

Out There has markings of a great indie game; the art style is cool with its cel-shading, the protagonist seems relatable, the goal seems impossible, and the atmosphere is solid. Initially, it is fun, if not frustrating, that the learning curve is literally a "You made a mistake; die and start over" style that likely should have been softened or included instructions beyond a basic tutorial. At its root it is about managing three resources of fuel, air and hull - unfortunately, it never gets very deep beyond this.

This is a pure rogue-like, meaning each planet system is different every time, and every encounter is random - everything that happens is random. The ship must be moved between systems, which slowly drain the fuel, and occasionally lose hull; going to planets to either mine for ore, fill up air, or get fuel is how the resources are kept high. Occasionally, items such as parts to build new ships or modules can be found.

At first, the wonder of the universe is cool. Finding new ships, keeping those gauges off zero - it adds a good tension. Then the reality of the game slowly grinds down, though. It is simply too random; playing perfectly can still result in being killed, and at its root it is simply a pattern of mine air, mine fuel, mine ore, and repeat, with very little depth or change, and no new motivation. There is never a sense of progress or of getting somewhere.

This is really too bad, as the feeling of isolation and hopelessness is fairly good, and the freedom of this hostile universe can be enjoyed. There is nothing to hold onto, though. It's not that there is a present tension that is slowly crawled out of; it's a repetitious cycle that, even done well, is only one random event from being game over. Even rogue-like fans will find the experience frustrating, despite some interesting and unique aspects.