Out of Line is an upcoming 2D puzzle platformer developed by Nerd Monkeys, set to release later this year. The final release date is yet to be announced. The game promises an epic journey with San, our protagonist, through a beautiful, hand-painted world, and I had the opportunity to have a little taste of the journey that San is about to embark on.
Out of Line is set in a picturesque, but enigmatic world. San’s quest to escape from the Factory and the machines is filled with mystery and danger. Equipped with his trusty spear, San has the tools he needs to complete his journey. Helpful to reach platforms that first seem out of reach, the spear can be thrown into walls to provide that extra boost. Not only useful for platforming, the spear is also an excellent tool to solve puzzles.
In this short preview demo, spinning gears could be stopped by throwing the spear in between them , shutting off a certain mechanic, dropping walls or floodlights for example. The first puzzles are a good introduction for the spear’s potential in both platforming and solving puzzles. Easy to solve, but I enjoyed this short demo, and I can see the amount of complexity Nerd Monkeys can implement in the puzzles as San continues on his journey and more mechanics are added. I do hope there will be more opportunities to explore, as there seems to be little to none in this preview build.
Out of Line portrays a beautiful and colourful world, as if taken straight from a painting. The soundtrack and sound effects adds up perfectly with the aesthetic. Yet, behind all that colour also lies mystery, as the atmosphere during the first chapter felt both eery and cheerful. As cheerful and beautiful the forest was, as eery and dreadful the Factory felt. Everything about the design feels polished and handled with great care, and I do look forward to learning more about the world of San.
Out of Line shows a lot of potential, and after this little taste I had, I definitely look forward to having more. If the puzzles keep increasing in difficulty, and the rest of the game is designed with the same amount of love and care as this short introduction, I have no doubt that Out of Line will satifsy that craving for more I have.
