Outsider: After Life – Review

Our Rating: 7/10

Outsider: After Life is a fascinating point-and-click and sci-fi adventure in which the plot is largely driven by puzzle solving. It was created by the Portuguese indie studio Once a Bird, whose group comprises only three people. It’s worth noting that Rogue Games, Inc was in charge of publishing the game. The game becomes a perfect metaphor for what unfolds between life and death. It lightly enters themes such as the machine’s consciousness and its questioning about its environment. Adding a little dialogue and the use of visually fascinating scenarios to the eye.

The main character is a robot who is the last of his species. This drives him to want to learn more about what is “out there” beyond Earth. Throughout history, this person has frequently found himself alone because no one else is like him; as a result of this motto, the meaning of “Outsider,” the robot who is an “outsider” in the universe may arise.

Humanity will be extinct in the not-too-distant future. The “Escape” plan was supposed to be our last chance of survival, but it didn’t work out. However, a spark ignites in the ruins of an ancient scientific building. It will restore the energy of an android robot named HUD-ini. This complicated invention could be a new way to save the universe while also restoring life to the planet Earth. You’ll notice right away that this robot isn’t like any other; it’s extremely curious. It prompts you to investigate the mysteries surrounding its existence as well as search for what lies beyond in space.

Point and Click

You’ll have to use your reasoning skills to solve difficult puzzles throughout this adventure. Puzzles are by far the most common gameplay element; they are based on some familiar formulas but still manage to maintain their uniqueness to the fullest. The puzzles adapt to the game’s theme and thread, eventually catalyzing the story’s development.

Some puzzles may appear to be more difficult than others; in fact, I’ve noticed that when performed within the same typology, the difficulty scales slightly. If you’re upset, there’s a button with a question mark that specifies the types of puzzles that appear and gives you little instructions on how to solve them, but without the solution. The point-and-click system is easy to use, making the game more accessible. Outsider also makes use of cell phone vibration to create a more immersive atmosphere. You also don’t have to worry about saving your progress because the game has an autosave feature that saves everything you do right away.

A minor thing that we observed and found amusing is that the game sends alerts on occasion, reminding you that the HUD-ini needs a human hand to save the universe or that the HUD-ini is emitting a distress signal because he is worried about our absence. The only criticism we have of the game is its length. Because I have a slightly slow mind when it comes to solving puzzles and I like to spend some time exploring random elements in the scenarios, the duration turns out to be a little short. I can say that my experience lasted about 4 hours. However, we believe that a super-intelligent person could complete Outsider: After Life in less than two hours.

Short Gameplay

We must admit that the length surprised us because we were so engrossed in the story’s direction and the variety of puzzles that we got carried away and were surprised when it was finished. Despite my expectations of a longer adventure, I was quite satisfied with everything the game provided.

Because the game is short, there isn’t much in the way of new places or characters to discover. However, I believe that the lack of a large cast of characters contributes to the idea that the protagonist is a true “Outsider” robot, the only one of its kind exploring a collapsing universe alone.

Although the sets are only available in limited quantities, the quality always wins out, as they can hypnotize us with their level of rigor and attention to small details. Due to the influence of the duration, this is impossible to conceal. The plot moves quickly, but everything that happens manages to hold our attention, leading to an intriguing conclusion that leaves room for a variety of theories.

 Final Thoughts

Outsider: After Life manages to transform a post-apocalyptic world into something extremely beautiful to look at, and the game’s art and visual style surprised me a lot. The scenarios, characters, and even the puzzles are stunning and fit the futuristic theme like a glove. Often, the locations are dedicated to a color palette, such as blue, orange, or red, and they all manage to create a magnificent visual spectacle, especially when mixed. Even when the scenery fills up with color, as when the robot goes off into space and we see stars, a spiral galaxy, and what appears to be a black hole, all alive as if it were a moving painted canvas, one of my favorite moments in the game is when the scenery fills up with color.

The voice actors and animations were both excellent. Even though there aren’t many manifestations in this last aspect, I enjoyed hearing the protagonist’s semi-British, robotic pronunciation. The soundtrack is equally impressive, with soft techno beats that allow us to unwind while playing the game. To summarize, Outsider: After Life was a brief but high-quality experience. “Less is more,” as they say, and I believe that is true in this case. Once again, we can congratulate the Bird studio on their new game and for taking a risk with such an unusual concept. I hope they continue to work on creative projects like “Outer”.