Does a Metroidvania style game with local co-op elements sound good to you? Cause it sure sounds awesome to me. Which is why I was excited to hear that Outbuddies is finally be launching on Steam later this year. This is a game that has been in development since 2013 and had a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2017. The game was developed by Julian Laufer and published by Headup. Outbuddies looks great so far. But don’t take my word for it, check out the trailer below.
Outbuddies takes place in the sunken city of Bahlam. Players control protagonist Nikolay Bernstein as he explores this underwater city of the Old Gods. Nikolay is tied to a “buddy” unit that assists with exploration and puzzle-solving. It’s this unit that second players control in co-op. Like any Metroidvania worthy of the name, Outbuddies promises hours of exploration, puzzle-solving, and avoiding traps. Of course, there will also be epic boss battles. The developer said for the bosses he wanted them to live up to games like Dark Souls, Dead Cells, and Hollow Knight. So they are sure to be challenging.
Like many games in this genre, the main character wears a Metroid-inspired mechanical suit. And just like Metroid, this suit has upgradable systems. In this case, the press release mentions four upgradeable weapon systems. Learning which system to use where seems to be the main gameplay mechanic here. This is all running at 60 fps with distortion-free scaling. With a wonderfully retro art style, Outbuddies definitely looks the part. That is assuming it can back that up with tight controls and compelling gameplay. If it does, it’s sure to be an instant classic.
Outbuddies will be releasing on Steam sometime in the third quarter of this year. In addition, it will be getting a console release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in 2020. I don’t see any mention of the price. But those interested are currently able to add the game to their Steam wishlists.
