[Mr. Domino]

It looks like Dead Nation wasn't the only thing they were working on:

Super Stardust HD was an early favorite PlayStation Network game of ours. Its developer, Housemarque, has been busy prepping the zombie blaster Dead Nation for PSN. But that's not all it's working on -- it's also developing Outland with Ubisoft for both PSN and Xbox Live Arcade. An action platformer with the polarity mechanics of Ikaruga, Outland will be unveiled this weekend at PAX. But I have the early word on it for you right now, because you're special.

Outland can best be described as a cross between retro platformers like Prince of Persia or Out of This World and the color-switching of shoot 'em up Ikaruga. You control an acrobatic fellow as he explores a lush, dense jungle. It's a 2D game but there is a great sense of depth in the background with swaying branches and colorful wildlife. The animation for all the characters is really terrific.

Our hero can switch between light and dark forms, an ability he'll need to exploit in order to murder the local monsters and avoid sprays of bullets. Just like in Ikaruga, he'll take damage from opposite-colored bullets but will be impervious to those of the same polarity. So if there is a platform you want to get to but it's being blocked by a stream of white bullets, just change to white and you can pass through unharmed. There are instances where you must rapidly switch back and forth to move through multi-colored sprays of bullets, much like Ikaruga.

When it comes to battling enemies, you can only harm those of the opposite color. So you'll need to be white in order to defeat a black spider. You'll begin with an energy sword but eventually learn other abilities like a slide attack and an uppercut.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/111/1117769p1.html

Screens:

[Scott_Arm]

Another awesome looking download title. Seems like devs are starting to make really high quality downloaders. I love it.

[joker454]

Yeah it's been an awesome year for downloadable games. Most of the games I'm playing this year are from xblive arcade/indie. I'll be adding this game to the list.

[RenegadeRocks]

! No, No, I am not overreacting! That is too beautiful !

Great ! If that runs at 1080p, it will be the most beautiful game to grace my PSP. Love it when devs go arty rather than gory. Love it ! !

[Billy Idol]

Wow this indeed looks great and special - will keep track of it.

[AlStrong]

Anyone try it out? I just got the trial. Seems like a quality title. I'm really digging the art. Even the menu & music is pretty slick.

[BoardBonobo]

For some strange reason I'm getting Shadow of the Beast vibes here!

[RobertR1]

Originally Posted by AlStrong

Anyone try it out? I just got the trial. Seems like a quality title. I'm really digging the art. Even the menu & music is pretty slick.

I played the demo and bought it. It played amazingly well, to me. If you pick it up, hit me up for co-op.

[Arwin]

Was going to on PSN but well ... will probably try the 360 version this weekend instead.

[Rangers]

IGN very much liked it 9.0



Personally I wont be suckered into dropping 10-15 on another XBLA game I'll end up never playing, something I've done with regularity this gen. Especially since it also has metroid style exploring, which usually confuses me.

[AlStrong]

Originally Posted by RobertR1

I played the demo and bought it. It played amazingly well, to me. If you pick it up, hit me up for co-op.

Yeah, I just started playing an hour ago... can't seem to put it down. The loading being two seconds between areas probably has something to do with that. It's just really fun platforming with the red/blue mechanic. Plus, I'm just taking lots of time trying to find the stashes of coins or health upgrades. Awesome art & music presentation.

So I came across a co-op challenge thing. I haven't quit the game yet, but it sounded like you'd be able to access that in the menu.

I just got to "Underworld: Lost Passageways" with tougher red soldiers & the red spirit power.

[RobertR1]

Same boat. Tried to played for 30mins and ended up at 2hr plus. I really like how the gameplay keeps evolving and doesn't become stale. The boss battles are extremely well done.

[Xpuntar]

As PSN title will this also be available for PSP or only for PS3?

[RenegadeRocks]

WOW ! Gamespot seems to love it ! Never seen so much praise being showered on a game before ! THey found no negatives at all !

One Question: does it have local co-op too? or is it online only? Gamespot mentions only online co-op

[RobertR1]

I believe it's online only.

[AlStrong]

Yeah, still haven't tried that out... I may wait until I finish the game or something. I'm in the arctic zone at the moment, and I just got the power that let's you use the jump pads. Gonna be spending a lot of time replaying from the beginning to find those extra Mark of the Gods and money chests. I still haven't bothered looking through the concept art gallery yet!

[RenegadeRocks]

Originally Posted by RobertR1

I believe it's online only.

Well, thats bad ! Why not? I can't ask my nephew to go buy another ps3 and then come online ! Its a 2D platformer, we can play on the same screen like LBP ! Whats so difficult about that?

[Arwin]

Originally Posted by RenegadeRocks

Well, thats bad ! Why not? I can't ask my nephew to go buy another ps3 and then come online ! Its a 2D platformer, we can play on the same screen like LBP ! Whats so difficult about that?

There are some differences though, in that with two screen co-op you'd have to either keep players close together, or have a (dynamic) split screen like the Lego games have (e.g. the latest Lego Harry Potter). I'd say they could have done it fairly easily if this were a bigger retail title, but for a $10 download title supporting something like this is absolutely non-trivial.

[Antan]

Has anyone took the plunge with this yet? I tried the demo on PS3 which after a slow start grew quite alot. Has a tremendous art style and is as slick as they come. Outstanding audio (es always from HM). And is 7 quid or so while still in PSN+ territory.

[joker454]

Yeah I bought it $8 on Live, didn't finish it yet but very cool game overall for the price.

[patsu]

Someone on my friends list was playing this during the last few days. Was it you Antan ?

[Sigfried1977]

I'm at the final boss. Very nice game. As slick and polished as they come. 9/10 is pushing it, though. I agree with the Eurogamer review here. It's kinda cold and calculated gameplay perfection, but something is missing. It's definitely not pulling me in the way Limbo did last year. I play it, and I'm having fun for sure, but I can just as easily stop and not think about it afterwards. I actually did just that. For some odd reason I reached the last boss door (haven't entered, though), saved my progress and turned the console off. Have yet to come back to it, though (that was a two weeks ago)

[Antan]

Originally Posted by patsu

Someone on my friends list was playing this during the last few days. Was it you Antan ?

Was playing the demo about a week ago.