Out of Line is a game developed by Nerd Monkeys and is a rather interesting game and a unique take on cinematic platformers. The protagonist San is a young boy trapped in a factory, who must solve puzzles and collect cubes to find out why he is there. This is an atmospheric game that makes full use of its hand-painted art style to stand out. In many ways, this is a perfect example of a visual story, and art telling its narrative without the need for any words.
Out of Line uses spears as its key mechanic, with players using them for everything from solving puzzles by jamming gears, smashing things, to maneuvering around the environment better. The spears can be used as platforms if placed in walls, and for navigating around holes, which is a nice change of style for platformers. As the game goes on, this is built upon and the puzzles become more inventive in ways that will make you think in different ways.
Out of Line definitely has a lot going for it in terms of puzzles and platforming challenges and is trying something new in terms of cinematic platformers. Part of what makes the game work is the aforementioned art style, but the blending of platforming combined with the spear mechanic is a strong reason the game feels innovative. The more the game is played, the more it will be understood it quickly becomes apparent that there is a lot of room for experimenting with the spear.
The art style helps make the puzzles stand out more, by making the solutions feel more alive and the mechanics a lot more intuitive and understandable. Without the hand-painted art style, the game probably would not work as strongly due to the nature of the puzzles. Out of Line is definitely a game to try as the way the narrative is told and the platforming mechanics used make for a brilliant experience. While colour saturation is a bit of an issue in some parts of the game, this becomes less of a concern as the game goes on and instead the use of colour becomes an asset.
Out of Line is one of the most innovative experiences and one that should not be missed. Check it out if you want a new take on cinematic platformers that tries something new.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided