Unthinkable monsters inspired by 80s & 90s pulp horror come to life in Outer Terror, and it makes for an experience that's both easy to pick up and difficult to put down. The indie roguelite, which is developed by Salt & Pixel Studios and published by VoxPop Games, brings an exciting combination of horror and action to the table.
At its core, Outer Terror tasks the player with surviving hordes of pixelated monstrosities by any means necessary. Ten unique survivors offer various starting abilities and items, ranging from straight firepower to occult and otherworldly artifacts. They'll also be able to choose from randomized upgrades throughout their adventure, which can be earned by looting the bodies of corpses strewn across the map or by leveling up their character. Since enemies increase both in quantity and power as the timer ticks on, players will need all the help they can get. As such, they can opt to tackle the challenge solo, or with a friend through split-screen or online co-op.
Outer Terror clearly takes inspiration from the unique gameplay of Vampire Survivors, meshing together elements of rougelite, idle action, and arcade games. It's not mechanically intensive; survivors automatically attack surrounding enemies, and so the only responsibility that the player really holds is predicting and avoiding enemy movement. Those who wish to have a bit more control over their aim can use "precision mode," but this is an optional setting that can be toggled on and off mid-match, and it will only truly come in handy during boss fights or other unique situations.
Choosing an upgrade is the more difficult aspect of Outer Terror, simply because each is a joy to use. Every time a player levels up their character, they'll get to pick between three randomly generated cards, each of which either adds a new weapon or utility item to their arsenal, or upgrades an existing one. There's plenty of room to create unique builds and experiment, but players can only choose eight items in a run, so they'll need to be wise about their decisions.
Instead of featuring open-ended, infinite gameplay or unlockable map-based levels, Outer Terror sets itself apart structurally through its five chapters, all of which are available at first launch of the game. Each begins with a brief sequence of illustrations and music, which set up a pulpy, yet gripping narrative involving the game's lovable cast of characters, as well as an overarching mission. Players will only need to hold out for as long as necessary in order to meet the task at hand, but there are also ways to become more involved, such as completing NPC-assigned side quests.
Shortcomings in quality-of-life are at the root of any frustration in Outer Terror. Players are bound to make mistakes and die on more than one occasion, and when they do, they'll be booted back to the main menu and made to select a chapter, pick a character, and skip through the cinematic introduction all over again. Settings such as pop-up tutorials, which can sometimes get reverted upon closing and reopening the game, can't be adjusted mid-game. Outer Terror UI is a bit bare, game-wide; for example, the character selection screen doesn't display the starting weapons and abilities of survivors, which makes them tricky to keep track of.
Other issues stem from level design, which is a bit drawn-out at points. For example, the chapter "Other Side" requires navigating both a complex, Lovecraftian maze and an empty desert, which interchange upon reaching checkpoints. For what it lacks in difficulty, this chapter is time-consuming and mundane, especially on repeat runs. A special event or a boss fight would have done wonders to spruce up this particular section, but as it currently stands, it quickly turns into a running simulator that feels out of place for a game that otherwise thrills with B-movie-esque action and narratives.
Its flaws can bog down the experience somewhat, but in the end, Outer Terror's unique horror spin on the rouge-lite genre makes it a breath of fresh air. Intuitive gameplay, retro visuals, and a chilling atmosphere are seemingly the recipe for lots of blood and guts, but also for a lot of fun.
Source: VoxPop Games/YouTube
Outer Terror will release on April 20, 2023 for PC. Screen Rant was provided with a digital download PC code for the purpose of this review.